Osun Residents Challenge Adeleke To Improve On Oyetola’s Records, Reveal Their Expectations

Some residents of Osun State have challenged the Osun State Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke to improve on the records of the incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

They also revealed their expectation about what they want from the next governor of the state when he is sworn into office.

Naija News reports that Adeleke, who is set to be sworn in as the sixth executive governor of Osun State, on November 27, 2022, emerged winner of the July 16 governorship election in the state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Adeleke and the incumbent governor Oyetola have had several words of war hitherto his much-anticipated inauguration.

However, some residents of the state told Daily Post that it won’t be advisable for Adeleke to pursue a vendetta against Oyetola.

They instead asked him to focus on the issue of workers’ welfare, health and education, as well as maintain and improve on security in the state.

The residents who spoke to Daily Post challenged Adeleke while testifying that the health sector has improved under the incumbent governor, especially with the introduction of the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) and the infrastructural development in both the primary and secondary health facilities across the state.

A resident who is a retired civil servant identified as Isaac Oluwadamilare said that the past administration improved on what the Rauf Aregbesola administration left in November 2018, so Adeleke’s administration should do the same.

He noted that “The Osun civil servants did not find it funny during the days of half salaries though it didn’t begin like that.

“The half-salary era was terrible. Most civil servants who depended on loans to augment their savings found it hellish. At the end of the day, there was nothing to bring home after half the salary was paid into some workers’ accounts and the bank made their deductions.

“We heard stories of civil servants who committed suicide or who died as a result of stress and pressure though we could not substantiate that.

“We heard the outgoing governor, Adegboyega Oyetola as Chief Of Staff was the brain behind the half salary policy in order to save money for the government and lay aside staff retrenchment but the same man as governor did not pay much and he did not owe salary throughout his tenure.”

Another resident, who is a serving principal in the state, who pleaded anonymity, said the education sector in the state has been politicised as nobody has the actual data on the level of educational development in the state.

She submitted that “The good thing about the outgoing administration is the reversal of the educational policy to the 6334 system and the reversal of the single uniform policy.

“Apart from these two, the administration spent a good reminder of their four years quarrelling with their predecessor. They did not improve the educational structure.

“We want the incoming government to face educational development straight on because apart from agriculture, education is an industry on its own in the State.

“Senator Adeleke should be considering how to return schools to their owners. Some segments would not like it but it will give a big boost to education in the State.”

Another resident identified as Femi Samuel explained that for him security is utmost, and he would like the incoming administration to uphold the record that Osun state is considered one of the safest in the country for years.

Samuel told Daily Post that “Slowly, the insecurity issues plaguing other parts of the country began to surface in Osun. There were scattered cases of terrorism and kidnapping which was not heard of in time past.

“Unemployment to is adding to the state of insecurity in the State. Many unemployed youths became willing tools in the hands of corrupt politicians and cultism took over the streets and rival groups battled to gain notoriety.

“Motorparks in the State suddenly became unsafe and an arena for war between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters and those of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It got to a point that the Nigeria Police was drawn into the display of madness by the politicians and in order to feel safe, some citizens felt comfortable having personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

“Even the Osun Amotekun was seen as a tool in the hands of the ruling party as no other political party could satisfactorily get their services.”