10th March, 2023
By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
The motion moved by the Ogun State gubernatorial candidate under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, that he should be prosecuted in the court of law if he failed to fulfill the electoral promises made to the masses needs to be politically, economically, socially, legally and journalistically reviewed.
On Wednesday, 25 February 2023, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo signed a bill of the undertaking and vowed to be sued if he did not fulfill his promises if emerged as the governor of Ogun State.
Well, it is true that all the governorship candidates in Ogun State have made their manifestos known to the residents and indigenous people of the state, but none of them has ever vowed to be sued if he failed to accomplish the promises stated in his manifesto except the candidate of NNPP, Olufemi Ajadi.
The pronouncement by Ajadi that legal action should be taken by the electorates if he failed to fulfill his promises is due to the fact that he is a young business tycoon and a journalist whose moral values are trustworthiness and accountability.
It is true that some electorates would doubt the sensibility of Ajadi’s manifesto’s legal backup as they thought that all politicians are the same. They are promise-and-fail beings.
However, it would be necessary to make the people of Ogun State understand that putting the political wills of Ajadi to the test may be necessary at this point of economic shambles in the state as a business mogul whose business firms engage many citizens of Ogun State.
We should not forget the fact that he is a journalist. In journalism, we are taught that a journalist means what he says and says what he means. So, Ajadi means to transform Ogun State into a mega city and fulfill all other promises.
In backing up my positive assumptions about giving Ajadi the gubernatorial responsibility to govern Ogun State, we need to study the past to understand the present of those that are journalists and governed political states to predict the possible political outcome of Ajadi if elected to govern Ogun State.
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande was a Nigerian journalist and politician who served as governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983, and later Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime.
Chief Olusegun Osoba is a Nigerian journalist and politician who served twice as governor of Ogun State first from 1992 to 1993 during the Nigerian Third Republic and then from 1999 to 2003.
Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian businessman and politician who served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and June 2007 to March 2014. In May 2022, he became the Labour Party candidate for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election.
So, looking at Ajadi’s antecedents in journalism and entrepreneurship, one would believe that he has the political and economic replication of the aforementioned politicians and one would not doubt his political and economic action to take Ogun State to another level of good governance.
The history of how Ogun State has come into being!
Ogun State, western Nigeria, was created in 1976 and comprises former Abeokuta and Ijebu provinces of the former Western state, the latter carved out of the former Western region in 1967. Ogun is bounded by Oyo and Osun states to the north, Lagos state to the south, Ondo state to the east, and the Republic of Benin to the west.
Ogun State is made up of six ethnic groups, the Egba, the Ijebu, the Remo, the Egbado, the Awori and the Egun. The language of the majority of the people of Ogun State is Yoruba but this is however broken into scores of dialects.
Ogun State is nicknamed the “Gateway to Nigeria”, the state is notable for having a high concentration of industrial Estates and being a major manufacturing hub in Nigeria. Major factories in Ogun include the Dangote Cement factory in Ibese, Nestle, Lafarge Cement factory in Ewekoro, Memmcol in Orimerunmu, Coleman Cables in Sagamu and Arepo, Procter and Gamble in Agbara amongst others.
We need to recall that among the six ethnic groups, the Yewa-Awori Ogun State West has not produced a governor in Ogun State. In 2011 and 2015, Gboyega Isiaka lost to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, despite being backed by the then-governor, Gbenga Daniel.
Likewise, Hon. Akinlade lost to the incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2019, even with the support of Senator Amosun.
Olufemi Ajadi, a son of Yewa-Awori, may not have a political godfather but his seriousness with legal vows to be taken to court if he failed to fulfill his promise is enough to give him a chance to win the election on the 18th of March.
Highpoints of Ajadi’s manifesto
1. Industrial Revolution
Ogun State largely depends on Federal allocation for sustenance so, any time there is no order in the remittance of this federal allocation, the state is jittery and apprehensive.
Our administration will transform the state, by introducing a complete Industrial Revolution programme through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
This will be for the purpose of establishing medium and large-scale industries. We shall achieve this by involving local investors and also inviting foreign investors to partner with the state.
We will create the needed conducive environment for these investors to operate.
Our administration will achieve this by providing tax holidays, land and pioneer status break, and provision of relevant infrastructures for their smooth operation in the state.
We shall also focus on the “Ogun Guang Dong Free Trade Zone” where numerous manufacturing facilities were constructed by past administrations in partnership with the Chinese and Korean governments.
This revolution will launch a conscious effort to revitalize the commerce industry in Ogun state, focusing on local production and services.
The state Ministry of Commerce and Industry shall be charged with identifying the various products and services needed for the immediate local and international markets, and the potential producers of such products shall be sought out across the globe through our programs.
2. Security
The security of life and property is an important necessity in any society, and its provision is the responsibility of the government.
My administration will prioritize this by re-energizing the security architecture of the state and providing more tools and equipment for them to work.
We shall increase the allocation/donations to the Security Trust Fund (STF) and bring in private-sector security operators so that we can have complete safety in society.
My success in establishing and sustaining a security outfit in the state, Eagle Security, is an attestation of my capability towards ensuring a secure Ogun State going forward.
It has been identified that the issue of herdsmen and cultism is part of the challenges on the path to ensuring a safe state. We shall adopt the principle of conflict resolution and legal restrictions to find a lasting solution to this.
Our Community Watch will be energized to curb crimes at the community level so that people can sleep with their two eyes closed.
3. Road Construction & Maintenance
Special attention will be given to the deplorable state of our roads. Our administration will come up with a “No Pothole” policy driven by special inspection by the Ministry of Works to ensure the road network in the state remains motorable at all times.
Road construction in both urban and rural areas will be prioritized for the economic advantage of the people.
For road projects that require huge capital and additional expertise, especially in the industrial areas and border communities, we shall be collaborating with construction companies that have the expertise.
Mutually beneficial tolling arrangements would be put in place to ensure recouping of resources expended in building such roads.
Local governments would also be empowered to construct and maintain local community roads in their areas, to ease human and vehicular movement. This will also ease the movement of farm produce from the rural areas to the market, which will boost the economic prosperity of the people.
4.Low-Cost Housing Estate
The Ogun state lacks low-cost housing estates despite the increasing human population, as well as its closeness to Lagos State, the biggest and strongest economy in Africa.
We shall engage professional estate construction companies to build affordable Low-Cost Housing Estates in all the local governments for both civil servants and informal sector operators.
Our administration shall make sure that the allocation is done in an equitable manner according to need, with flexible repayment arrangements.
Construction companies to be considered for the project shall have concrete maintenance and mortgage plans.
Our housing plan shall include areas like Ifo, Mowe, Ibafo, Otta, Sagamu, and other satellite areas with large populations of residents working outside the state especially, Lagos.
This housing project will lay emphasis on low and middle-income earners in the state.
5. Agricultural Re-BirthOur administration shall give special attention to the agricultural sector, creating an enabling environment for food production and processing in the state.
We shall create agricultural boards which will enable the marketing of agricultural products to society. This board will also create a conducive business environment for the farmers through the provision of soft loans, seedlings, agricultural implements, farmland, tractors, food processors, fertilizers, etc.
We shall utilize our arid land advantage to build our agricultural products and encourage every household to go into farming as an alternative source of income and state revenue.
Our administration will encourage large-scale farming of cassava, cocoa, rice cotton, corn, etc, and the exportation of such products.
Our cotton farming will basically strengthen our vibrant textile and fabric industry.
Through our agricultural policy, we shall make Ogun state a food-secured state during our first term in office.
6. Education/Technical & Vocational Training
Our administration will give topmost priority to education, especially vocational institutions and technical colleges.
Our state is known for hosting the highest number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, with a great number of professionals in different fields; we shall strengthen our education industry to re-position our state and be the best not just in the South-West but in Nigeria and Africa.
We shall engage the Ministry of Education in the monitoring of our schools to put all stakeholders on their toes to return the lost glory of the sector.
There shall be training and re-training of our teachers (especially the technical instructors)so as to produce a modern-day curriculum that will produce the kind of graduates that our society needs, independent and self-dependent graduates that will provide employment for others.
In addition, we shall bear the costs of the Senior Secondary School Examination for the students, with scholarships made available to the best students from each Local Government.
Our administration shall include artisan training in our secondary school curriculum, with an emphasis on agricultural training with incentives in choice areas.
7. Public HealthOur administration will look into the deteriorating health infrastructure in our state, especially giving attention to primary healthcare. In our first term in office, we shall employ more health personnel, looking into their remuneration and allowances.
We shall also provide more diagnostic centers for the health institution to function properly. To achieve this, we shall bring local and foreign investors to the health sector, the idea being to introduce health tourism to Ogun State.
There shall be a special focus on rural community health services, especially for people in riverine areas and border communities, with the provision of speed boat ambulances and mobile clinics.
8. Alternative Power GenerationPower generation is key to the development of any society. Our administration will look into other untapped areas of power generation like solar energy, windmills, Mini Hydro dam, etc. bringing foreign investors to build this aspect of our economy.
We shall develop our master plan to generate and distribute electricity as a state which will provide employment to our people.
9. Solid Mineral DevelopmentOgun state is very rich in Mineral resources like clay, granite, glass sand, lead, coal, bitumen, and crude oil.
Our administration shall provide a conducive working environment for people in the granite supply industry for economic prosperity. This will also open a window of opportunity for the state to be repositioned in foreign investment by Chinese and Korean firms that have large investments in the sector.
We shall provide incentives to our local investors, transporters, and unskilled labourers in the industry.
10. Transportation System
Our transportation system will be re-designed for the comfort of the people. We shall have mini-bus and city bus companies to operate interstate and within the urban cities.
The transport scheme will be subsidized for affordability by the people and to decongest our roads.
11. Local Government Autonomy
The local government autonomy granted over a year ago by the federal government will give the local government, which is the nearest to the people at the grassroots the opportunity to have access to funds directly and manage their affairs.
Our administration will only play a monitoring role and give adequate advice on the management of the local councils.
12. Public Water Works.We have carried out a survey on why the public water tap is dry. We found out the problem is both fund and management.
Our administration will provide the needed funds to rebuild the damaged water pipes, and relay them to the waterworks to provide that essential commodity to the people.
To reduce wastage, we shall set up a committee at the agency that will monitor any pipe breakage and timely repair in our communities.
13. Waste ManagementThe wrong disposal of waste in our major communities is something of great concern.
Our administration will work on proper legislation to correct the abnormality and provide more waste disposal agencies that will evacuate the mountains of dirt in our cities.
Our policy on waste management will attract foreign investors in pollution control and recycling of waste materials. This will provide employment and increase the revenue for the state.
14. TourismOur administration will develop the tourism industry of the state. Apart from Olumo Rock, the state has several tourist sites which we shall give a facelift to attract foreign tourists. This will in turn increase the revenue of the state.
We shall engage stakeholders in the movie industry to build a movie village of international standards which will be a point of reference in the country.
15. Civil ServiceThe civil service as the engine of any government administration shall be given priority, looking into their welfare and after-service life.
Our administration shall make provision for the prompt payment of their salaries and allowances, regular promotion exercise, and other motivational packages.
We shall see to the pension scheme for effectiveness and prompt payment.
16. Youth and Sport Development
Ogun state is blessed with creative and energetic youths doing well in sports and various fields, bringing us glory.
We shall explore more opportunities to develop the youths in skill acquisition, handcrafts, sports, entertainment, and leadership training even outside the country.
Our administration will provide economic empowerment for women and the vulnerable in rural and urban communities.
In addition, we shall bring on board a good number of young people and women to our administration for proper representation.
We shall also create a game village where different athletes can train for competition within the state.
Our administration shall design a state plan for the annual game festival (which will engage professional sports administrators)where people from different parts of the state will compete in different games.
We shall also engage our secondary schools in the annual “Principal Cup” partly sponsored by the state government.
17. Transparency & FairnessOur administration will be transparent and accountable to the people. We shall be fair in all our policies and decisions, putting the welfare of the people first.
“Therefore, I hereby move a motion to be prosecuted in the court of law, if I fail to fulfill electoral promises made to the masses,” Ajadi said.