Ajimobi Swears In 2 Accord Party Men As Commissioners

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi yesterday sworn in two new commissioners and approved the appointment of members of the caretaker committees for all the 33 local government councils in the state.

The new commissioners who are members of Senator Rashidi Ladoja’s Accord Party (AP) earlier cleared by the state House of Assembly are: Engineer Kabiru Abiola Ladoja and Alhaji Nureni Oladipo Adisa.

Speaking at a brief swearing in ceremony at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Ajimobi stressed the readiness of the ruling party to embrace other parties that are ready to work with it.

“We want to offer our hand of fellowship to other political parties. For instance, Accord Party has demonstrated the willingness to cooperate with our party (ACN) to move the state forward. We also want to extend the same gesture to the Peoples Democratic Party should they be willing to work with us.”

Governor Ajimobi said “democracy is about cooperation; about working together for the overall benefit of the people; not about fighting and arguing all the time; it is also about the need to put personal interest below public interest; and we have demonstrated that today that as a party, ACN is at all times prepared to work with other parties.”

While charging the new commissioners to be faithful and loyal to the state in the discharge of their duties, the governor advised them to be committed and uphold the confidence reposed in them by discharging their duties very well.

Further speaking on the appointment of members of the caretaker committees of all the 33 local government councils in the state, Ajimobi said their appointment took place after the passage of a bill forwarded to the State House of Assembly by the governor seeking an amendment to the Local Government Law of 2001.

The bill had empowered the governor to increase the membership of the caretaker committee in the 33 local government councils in the state from seven to 12, and the female members from two to three, in line with the 35 per cent affirmative action.

Since the local government caretaker committees were constituted in August, only the chairmen were sworn in by the governor, leaving them to function as the only political appointees in their respective councils.

With the appointment, the council chairmen will now be functioning along with members of the caretaker committees in the running of the affairs of their various local government councils.

By Gbenga Adesina/Ibadan