Senator Ademola Adeleke, yesterday, officially took over as the sixth governor of Osun State, at an elaborate inauguration an swearing in ceremony in Osogbo, the state capital.
Adeleke had won the Osun gubernatorial election of July 16, 2022, against the main contender and outgoing governor of the state, Prof Adegboyega Oyetola.
Adeleke won the election as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after loosing out in the same party in the 2018 gubernatorial election.
Chief Judge of Osun, Justice Adepele Ojo, administered the oath of office on Adeleke at the Osogbo City Stadium.
Earlier, Justice Ojo administered the oath of allegiance on Adeleke’s deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi.
Speaking after his inauguration at the Osogbo City Stadium, he said every corrupt acts perpetrated by the past administration would be adequately addressed.
Adeleke immediately ordered the freezing of the state’s accounts in banks and in other financial institutions.
Adeleke directed an immediate return to status quo ante of all appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by Oyetola’s administration from July 17, the day after the governorship election in the state.
He said a panel would be set up to conduct out an inventory of government assets and recover those in wrong hands.
The governor ordered an immediate reversal to the Constitutionally-recognised name of the state as Osun State from former “State of Osun’’.
The penultimate governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, now minister of interior changed the name from Osun State to ‘State of Osun’.
“All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun State, rather than `State of Osun’, which is unknown to the Nigerian Constitution.
“Under my watch as the governor of Osun, I will boldly correct all past injustices, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration, which are against the collective interest of our people,’’ he said.
He assured that all directives he gave on Sunday would be backed with appropriate executive orders.
Adeleke assured that as governor, he would meet Osun people’s expectations as the Chief Security Officer of the state.
He said his administration would also demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and poor infrastructure in the state.
“I know that as a product of the collective will of you my people, there is a heavy weight of history on my shoulders and I accept the urgency of your expectations.
“The depth of your aspirations and your conviction in me to build a better state will not be misplaced,’’ he said.
Adeleke said that all policies that were not favourable to the growth and effective local government administration would be reviewed in accordance with the law.
He assured labour unions in the state of his administration’s willingness to protect workers’ interests and to promote their welfare at all times, adding that he would be labour-friendly.
The governor frowned at what he described as mass employment by the immediate past administration without financial backing.
He pleaded with workers to give him a few weeks to review and sort out all “malicious actions and confusions’’ that the immediate past administration had created since July 17.
The governor also promised to fulfil his campaign promises.
The promises included welfare of workers and pensioners; boosting the state’s economy, home-grown infrastructure policy and people-focused policy on education.
Others were affordable healthcare, security, social welfare and agro-based industrialisation for wealth and job creation.
“I hereby extend a strong hand of fellowship to the other arms of government, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
“As a former lawmaker and a graduate of criminal justice, I appreciate the importance of collaboration between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
“I call on all political parties to unite in the best interest of the state. Election is over. Now is the time for governance. We are open to fresh ideas in line with our manifesto.
“For the purpose of emphasis, I will be a governor for all Osun people regardless of differences in language, faith, political affiliation or any other considerations,’’ he said.
Adeleke assured residents of the state of his administration’s commitment to correct injustices of the past as he assume mantle of leadership in the state.
This is as he assured the people of Osun of his readiness to meet their expectations as the new administration berths.
“I am well aware of the fact that my responsibility as the Governor and Chief Security Officer of Osun State entails meeting the legitimate expectations of our people.
“Therefore, I promise that those expectations of the workers, traders, artisans, farmers, business owners, students, pensioners, traditional and religious leaders and, indeed, all residents of Osun State will be met by the grace of God and the cooperation of everyone.
“Under my watch as the Governor of Osun State, I will boldly correct all past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration, which are against the collective interest of our people.
“Let me state here that from the education, health, mining sectors, agriculture, road infrastructure and supply of potable water, let it be known to all that it is no longer going to be business as usual.
“And, I repeat, it is no longer business as usual.
“Our administration will demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and poor infrastructure.
“Your Governor will be a people’s Governor.
“I will be accessible, responsive, consultative and proactive in handling small and big matters of state governance,” said.
Dignitaries at the inauguration included Governors Godwin Obaseki of Edo; Udom Emmanuel, of Akwa Ibom; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Aminu Tambuwal of Kano; and Douye Diri of Bayelsa.
Others were PDP’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his wife, Titi, PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyiorcha Ayu, and former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
The rest were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; former Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose; Tony Elumelu; and David Adeleke, aka Davido; among others.
Ahead of the ceremony, the Nigerian Police, Osun State Command and other sister security agencies in the state had also assured that security had been put in place to prevent a breakdown of law and order before, during and after the inauguration ceremony.
The state Commissioner of Police, Faleye Sunday Olaleye, while giving the assurance, also warned criminally minded individuals to steer clear of the state as the Osun Police Command was well placed to make the state inhabitable for them.
Parents and guardians were also warned to dissuade their children and wards from being used as tools in the hands of disgruntled politicians.
The security agencies, to back up their resolve, last Saturday, embarked on a show of force around major parts of Osogbo, the state capital.
Meanwhile, in a farewell statement to the residents of the state, the outgone governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed that his administration is leaving behind ¦ 14billion cash in the state’s coffers, just as it had paid ¦ 97billion of the debts it inherited from the Rauf Aregbesola administration in 2018.
While maintaining that he was stepping aside, he stated that the results of the last gubernatorial election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which favoured Senator Ademola Adeleke was already being challenged by him and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
“As I step aside today following the conclusion of the four-year tenure you freely gave me, I thank God and I thank you for your support, cooperation and prayers over the years.
“As we draw the curtains on this first tenure, we are convinced that we neither reneged on our promise nor disappointed you. We kept faith with you and maintained fidelity with our electoral promises. It was our wish to continue to serve you but we are constrained by the outcomes of the July 16 Governorship election which we are already challenging in court.
“As a law-abiding citizen and government, we are stepping aside to allow the law take its course.
“However, we look forward to continue to serve you in no distant future. We have absolute trust in God that we shall be back soon, as we have implicit trust and confidence in the Judiciary to do justice in the case before it.
“We are confident that this period of temporary political eclipse shall pass. The sun shall shine again, brighter and warmer and the sustainable development and participatory governance that we enthroned, which have been applauded by local and international organisations, shall be restored and put on a surer and better footing.
“As we end our first term, we are rest assured that Osun is more stable economically than we met it in 2018 and it remained the most peaceful state in the country under our leadership.”
Meanwhile, loyalists of the new Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, had reportedly slaughtered over 100 cows to mark his inauguration ceremony as the Osun State governor.
It was gathered that celebrations held across the various councils in the state after the official oath-taking.
The PDP members and Adeleke loyalists, it was gathered, bought the cows were bought to celebrate Adeleke’s swearing-in, which they described as ‘the burial of All Progressives Congress (APC) government’ in the state.
According to sources at the party’s secretariat, the cows had been distributed to the 332 wards of the 30 local government areas of the state, while prayers from selected Christian and Muslim leaders would be held to seek God’s blessings for the incoming government.
Aside from the cows that arrived in trailers provided by committed PDP leaders in the state, other party members were said to have contributed money towards their entertainment, while arrangements for musical performances have been made.
It was gathered that in Ede, the country home of Adeleke, the celebration held at different locations of the town.
Celebration also took place at the market square of Ipetumodu, the headquarters of Ife North Local Government Area of the state.
In Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area of the state, 15 cows were reportedly slaughtered, while 20 were used for the celebration in Osogbo, the state capital.
While 20 cows were also slaughtered for the celebration in Ejigbo, the headquarters of Ejigbo Local Government Area of the state, four were slaughtered in Modakeke of Ife East Local Government Area of the state.
One of the organisers and PDP chieftains, Bola Oyebowale, told newsmen that the events took the form of a carnival.
Oyebowale expressed excitement at Adeleke’s victory at the poll, which, according to him, “would lift the state out of backwardness and poverty which the APC forced on it.”
Recall that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command said it deployed a total of 3,700 personnel for the inauguration.
Similarly, Osun State Security Network, also known as Amotekun Corps, said the agency had deployed 250 personnel for the inauguration.
On its part, for the inauguration, Osun Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Paul Okpe, said 350 personnel would be on duty.