***Reverses state name to Osun State, freezes state accounts
***Wike, allies, absent as Atiku, Okowa, Saraki, others attend inauguration
In what can be regarded as historical and epoch-making in spite of the odds against him, Senator Ademola Adeleke (otherwise known as Dancing Senator), on Sunday, made history as he was sworn-in as the 6th elected Osun State Governor.
The oath of office was administered on Adeleke by the State Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Adepele-Ojo at about 11:45am while mammoth crowd of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and guests from different walks of life witness the event at the Osogbo Township Stadium in Osun State.
Immediately after Governor Adeleke took his oath of office, his deputy, Kola Adewusi, also mounted the podium where he swore his own oath.
It is instructive to note that Adeleke had won the Osun State governorship election of July 16 on the platform of the PDP against the main contender and outgone Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adeleke polled 403, 371 votes to defeat Oyetola who scored 375,027 votes.
Speaking after his swearing-in, Adeleke said he is “well aware” of the expectations from the residents in the state and that he will be a servant to all.
According to Adeleke, his reforms will cut across education, security, healthcare, infrastructure, local government administration, judiciary, public service, saying that his administration will be labour friendly.
He said, “I am well aware of the fact that my responsibility as governor and chief security entails meeting the expectation of our people.”
Governor Adeleke thereafter announced the freezing of all state accounts and also announced the reversal of the state appellation to “Osun State” instead of “The state of Osun”.
He further directed that all state insignia should now reflect “State of the Living Spring” instead of “State of the Virtue”, insisting that the development is in line with the recognition of the state by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Adeleke also promised to set up panels to review every appointment and action taken by his predecessor, Oyetola, between July 16 and his last day in office.
Some of the top PDP chieftains who graced the inauguration include its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his wife, Titi, the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, State Governors: Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), who is also the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja and former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose. The Chairman of UBA Group, Mr Tony Elumelu, also attended the event.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Oragun of Ila, Oba Wahab Oyedotun and David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, were also in attendance.
But the five governors of the PDP, otherwise known as G-5 Integrity Group and who were opposed to Ayu’s chairmanship of the party, were conspicuously absent from the inauguration.
The five Governors are: Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Meanwhile, the outgone Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in his farewell address to the residents of the state, disclosed that his administration is leaving behind ₦14billion cash in the State’s coffers, adding that he paid ₦97billion of the debts he inherited from former Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration in 2018.
Maintaining that he was stepping aside, Oyetola stated that the results of the last governorship election, in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke as governor, is being challenged by him and the APC at the Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
PDP Govs Forum congratulates Adeleke
In a related development, The PDP Governors’ Forum has congratulated Senator Adeleke on his inauguration as Osun State Governor
In a statement made available to TheIdeal News on Sunday and signed by the Chairman of the Forum and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, the Forum noted that Adeleke’s July 2022 victory at the polls was a testimony of hard work over the years.
The statement reads in part, “At the campaigns, he concentrated on issues that mattered most to Osun people and they in turn responded in kind with their votes, bestowing on him and the PDP an earth-shaking victory of historic proportions.
“This proves once again that God’s time is the best. He chooses the time and the place.
“This mandate has all the trapping of the love and prayers of the people.
The PDP – GF looks forward to a very engaging and prosperous first tenure for Governor Adeleke and enjoin all the people of the state to continue to pray for him, support him with their undiluted loyalty, as his heart is full of love and concern for their wellbeing.
“Today, the path has been cleared and the light of progress is shining on Osun State.
It is now time for the “Peoples governor” , a man so much loved by the people, to settle down to develop a roadmap for the rapid development of Osun State. The state deserves the best.”
