The Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council and Senator representing Osun West Senatorial Constituency, Senator Akogun Lere Oyewumi, was the guest at the Osun NUJ Guest Platform on Wednesday.
Osun NUJ Chairman, Dr. Adeyemi Aboderin, welcomed the guest and stated the positive reason behind the programme.
He also thanked the senator for taking out time from an obviously busy schedule to honor the invitation. He assured that his message would be given mass publicity as typical of the media.
In his opening remarks, Senator Oyewumi spoke glowingly of the huge milestone achievements of Governor Ademola Adeleke and assured that a second term would be of greater benefit to the people of Osun State.
On insecurity, the senator responded to panelists with deep worry over the spate of politically motivated killings of members of Accord Party in the state.
He noted that despite the recent visit by the Inspector-General of Police, another victim was killed on Sunday. “The only reason noted was that he was wearing Accord Party T-Shirt and Cap,” he said.
He however expressed optimism that the development calculated to put fears in the people to stop them from coming out to exercise their voters’ rights would not deter the people who are already in sync with Governor Adeleke’s development strides.
He described the opposition as mediocre and lacking knowledge of politics. He recalled that one of the first assaults was the Adeleke/Accord billboards that were destroyed by the opposition across the state, a development which he described as even beneficial to the popularity of the governor in the state.
On unemployment, Senator Oyewumi said the governor inherited backlogs of unpaid arrears and pensions and has been working hard to pay them off while maintaining prompt salaries despite the low allocation of the state, which stands at number 28 in the ranking.
He assured that by the second term all payments would have been settled and employment could fully commence.
He highlighted that Governor Adeleke is a very innovative and listening governor who ensures that his lieutenants are professionals who will bring their expertise to bear in their given assignments.
He cited the health sector as an example where the state has maintained first position in the South West twice in a row, winning $500,000 each time.
The senator also said Adeleke had ensured that no local government is untouched with at least 1.5 km of road.
He added that the governor once showed a picture of a flyover in Atlanta that was curved and decided to replicate it in Osun, giving birth to the Oke Fia flyover in Osogbo, the state capital.
In his vote of thanks, the NUJ Chairman called the senator’s attention to the condition of Olupona Community High School, which he described as terrible. The senator promised that the school would be rehabilitated by December 2026.
