...Inaugurates caretaker chairmen
Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has told the newly-inaugurated local government transition committee chairmen not to contemplate staying in office beyond four months, immediately after which, he said, election into the LGs will be held.
The governor said this in his address after the oath of office was administered on the 33 council chairmen at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor's Office, in Ibadan, on Monday.
He admonished them to shun extravagant lifestyle, insisting that their four-month tenure was not to commit resources to naming, burial and marriage ceremonies at the expense of grassroots development.
Ajimobi said commonsense dictates that the lean resources accruable to the state and local governments should be committed to people-oriented and legacy projects.
He said: "Your appointment is an opportunity for you to dare and endure; not for ease and comfort. I enjoin you to be guided by the oath of office you just took; have the fear of God in whatever you do. If you fear God, you will not commit atrocities.
``Please note that nothing will keep you in office beyond four months, as we will be going into elections immediately afterwards. Therefore, use this opportunity to join hands with us to develop this state. Don't betray the confidence reposed in you.
``I must warn that if you under-perform, you will not even last four months because when you fail, I fail; when you fail, we all fail. But I won't allow you to fail me.
``You are not elected to service naming ceremonies, marriages and burials. We can't continue with this retrogressive attitude and expect any meaningful development in our local governments."
The governor, who touted Oyo as having the largest arable land in the country, urged the chairmen to join hands with him in his drive for agriculture revolution as an alternative source of income for the state.
He also said that the state had the advantage of having the largest concentration of agric research institutes in the country, as well as being the gateway to the North from Lagos, the nation's commercial centre.
Speaking further on the proposed LG election, Ajimobi said extra-ordinary performance would stand the caretaker committee chairmen in good stead to emerge as candidates in their respective local governments.
He admonished the people against piling pressure on the chairmen for personal favour or seeing them as philanthropists or Father Christmas.
The governor urged the people to change their attitude of seeing council chairmen as automated teller machines (ATM), recommending a change of attitude.
``If you perform well, you have the opportunity to emerge as candidates from your local governments after your four-month tenure. We will not handpick or impose any candidate on the people.
That era is gone for good. No godfather will assist you to win ticket. I will even advise you against the idea of godfather because they will always ask for more."
``Quality service is what will assist you to win the people's confidence. It is also the one that will assist our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rule Oyo State for a very long time. Therefore, let the people feel your impact,'' he said.
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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