Ajimobi vows to review projects and hasty decision taken by Akala

By OLA AJAYI, IBADAN
SENATOR Abiola Ajimobi of the Action Congress of Nigeria was Sunday  sworn in as the seventh Executive Governor of Oyo State by the state Chief Judge, Justice Badejoko Adeniji in the full glare of thousands of people who defied the scorching sun at the ObafemiAwolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

This came as the new governor who was sworn-in exactly 12 noon after his deputy, Chief Moses Alake had taken the oath office announced that all the state accounts had been frozen with immediate effect.

Amid wild jubilation by broom-waving crowd who danced rhythmically to the music produced by the juju maestro, King Sunny Ade, Ajimobi clad in white flowing agbada with a brown cap, returned the applause by waving intermittently to his admirers.

The immediate past Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala was conspuicuosly absent but was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja. During his introduction, the mamoth crowd booed him and chanted many unprintable songs against him and his boss.

When Vanguard called to know why the former Governor chose to be in Ogbomoso, his spokesperson said the day had been dedicated to thanksgiving with all those who served in the administration.

Due to the large crowd that attended the programme, Vanguard gathered that the former governor and the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja turned back home as he could not have his into the already overcrowded stadium.

During his lenghty inaugural speech, the new governor appeared to have gladdened the minds of the people when he vowed to review all contracts awarded and other hasty decisions taken by the immediate past Governor Adebay Alao-Akala and also create 20,000 jobs within the first 100 days of his administration.

He also promised that his administration would make health care delivery free in the state by starting with the provision of free health services to children under the age of five, pre-and post-natal healthcare for pregnant women, as well as cater for the healthcare of our aged ones above the age of 70. We will  work to make our general hospitals true hospitals where the sick will find succor.

Ajimobi lamented that except for the strides of the associates of late Obafemi Awolowo like the late Cicero of Esa-Oke, Chief Bola Ige and Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, who rekindled the visionary leadership of the great state,  it had allegedly fallen, at different times, into the hands of forces who rolled back the landmark achievements of the Awolowo era.

Instead of progressive developments, the governor said the labour of our heroes past had been lost in the vortex of vanity.

“Our public infrastructure is dilapidated. Our public institutions have been compromised. The psyche of our people has been bruised. Our State has ceased to be the reference point for laudable programmes for which it earned her nobility. We have, on the reverse, become a staple on reports on violence and brigandage, corruption, street fight and lingering political crises. The duty of government as guarantor of public peace has been performed in the breach”, he said..

He also mentioned the alleged efforts of the outgone administration to constitute a stumbling block to the transition by refusing to release information about the true position of the state.

Ajimobi said, “As I speak, we do not know the state of health, the colour, complexion or the contours that shape the account of our beloved state. Is our patrimony, our treasury, in the red or in active health? He asked.

“We do not know the number of commitments that our precious state has been held by the neck to sustain. We do not know the exact number of teachers, students or government commitment to these sectors. But, I ask, should government business be shrouded in such secrecy? The out-gone government, in defiance of time-worn norms and conventions, completely shrouded from our view the number of medical doctors that still remain in the service of the state and why they have been on a needless strike in the last six months. We do not know the number of projects the government is executing, how much the insufferable tax payers dole out monthly to defray the cost of these projects.  My people, I ask, should government business be shrouded in such secrecy?”, he wondered.

While Ajimobi was reading his speech, an old, feeble-looking man who slumped and fainted was  being stretchered out by men of the Red Cross to give him first aid treatment. But, the insignificant incident did not take the shine off the event.

Also, some of the people said tear gas cannisters were fired by the security agents to disperse the surging crowd who broke some window louvres in the stadium while trying to beat the security to gain entry.

Commissioner of Police and former Deputy Governor booed

While the likes of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana were applauded when introduced, the CP, Alhaji Baba Adisa Bolanta and the former deputy governor, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja were booed.

Present at the event were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Ganiyu Saliu, Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana was represented by High Chief Omowale Kuye, Governors of Ekiti and Osun States-Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, Chief Bisi Akande, National Chairman of ACN, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, Senators Olufemi Lanlehin and Ayoade Adeseun and many other dignatries.