News Investigators/ The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the forthcoming local government elections in the state to go all out and ensure massive victory for the party.
According to him, the APC has bragging rights going into the election, having delivered electoral promises to the fullest, and would win hands down.
Noting that the APC administration had democratised governance and infrastructure and brought government closer to the people, Governor Abiodun said APC is the party to beat in the elections, expressing confidence that the party will win the chairmanship and councillorship posts in all the 20 local governments in the state.
He stated that the people of Ogun State appreciate what the government has done for them, as no community had been left out of development in the state, saying that Ogun residents appreciate having a listening government that has engendered peace and stability.
Governor Abiodun, who is the leader of the party in the state, spoke during a meeting on Friday with the 20 chairmanship, 20 vice-chairmanship, 236 councilorship candidates and the 20 local government party chairmen of the ruling party.
He said that it was important that harmony exists among the ranks and file of the party in the state.
He said: “I want to be sure that you have met with other contestants and reconcile with them in the spirit of appreciation and reconciliation.
“It is important that we don’t leave any room for bickering, animosity, or for anyone to go into this election in any local government and attempt to polarize the party along the lines of those who didn’t emerge. It is important that we ensure that there is perfect harmony in each local government.”
The governor, while reminding the gathering that the process that led to their emergence was very meticulous, intentional, and deliberate, added that none of the candidates emerged by accident.
“There is none of you that has emerged by accident because in the election of the local government, I will not allow us to place the local government in the hands of anyone who will be an accidental council chairman.
“So, I am taking this local government election extremely seriously. I am not leaving anything to chance, and that is why I have been particularly concerned and involved in ensuring that we identify those who are the right fit for our local governments,” he said.
Governor Abiodun reiterated the importance of the election in the quest to develop the grassroots, and urged the candidates, whom he described as the closest to the people, to know the ‘ISEYA’ mantra of his administration by heart and ensure that they replicate and implement the vision.
“It is important that we have some sort of uniformity in our campaigns so that the campaigns in Ijebu-North, Abeokuta-South, Ipokia, and Ado-Odo-Ota are very similar.
Mr. Abiodun disclosed that his administration would soon embark on the groundbreaking of the deep sea port, naval base, and dockyard in Ogun Waterside Local Government area of the state.
“Very soon, we will begin the groundbreaking of our deep sea port in Ogun Waterside, the naval base, and dockyard in Ogun Waterside,” he added.
He noted that he has been fair in the distribution of dividends of democracy across the twenty local government areas of the state, adding that over 700 kilometers of road and over 4,000 housing units have been constructed across the state.
According to the Governor, over 120 Primary Health Care Centers and 1000 classrooms have been rehabilitated by his administration, adding that more rehabilitation work has commenced.
Acknowledging the current hard times, the Governor said that the policies embarked upon by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would pay off for all at the end of the day, adding that the sale of rice to public servants and pensioners at a discounted price of N40,000, among other incentives, are some of the ways the government try ameliorate the hardship.
Earlier in his welcome address, the party Chairman, Yemi Sanusi, disclosed that the strength of the party must be entrenched, adding that the candidates must go all out to campaign and ensure they come out victorious.