From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
With Local Government elections fast approaching, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has called on All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates not to make frivolous promises to voters.
The governor made the call on Wednesday at a meeting with the party’s 20 chairmanship and 236 councillorship candidates at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta.
Governor Abiodun admonished them to stand by their promises and work towards leaving a legacy in their various local government areas.
Explaining that the meeting was held to officially flag off the Local Government election campaign, the governor disclosed that the party went through a tough time in choosing its representatives for the polls.
He added that special precaution was taken to ensure rancour-free primaries so as not to tear the party apart.
‘Do not make promises you can not fulfil. Be characterised as that administration, that chairmen and councillors who fulfil their promises,’ the governor said.
‘Our people do not ask for too much. What they ask for is when you make a promise, make sure you fulfil it,’ he said.
He disclosed that his decision not to be involved in picking the candidates was to ensure that all stakeholders in the party have their inputs on who emerges the party’s flagbearers.
The governor advised the party candidates to tap from the experience of the Local Government Transitional Chairmen who, according to him, have performed excellently in the last 20 months.
‘I have received good reports from the people about their performances. They have carried out repairs of schools, primary healthcare centres and embarked on electrification projects,’ Governor Abiodun noted.
He pointed out that the achievements recorded by the Transitional Chairmen are a result of his promise to empower the Local Government administration to discharge their responsibilities in line with the constitutional provision, charging them to keep the good work till the end of their tenure.
Governor Abiodun noted that APC in the state has become bigger, saying ‘this was made possible by our administration’s hard, methodical and deliberate work as well as participatory and inclusive posture which attracted others to our party.
‘I can tell you that all members of our House of Assembly are in our party. Almost all the past governors, deputy governors in the state are with us. This is not by accident. It is the result of inclusiveness that made people from other parties join us,’ he said.
While urging the party flag bearers to key into the vision and programmes of the state government and be ready to reach out to those who contested with them, Governor Abiodun advised that the race should not be a winner takes all affair.
‘Work with them as they remain a vital part of your victory,’ he said.
The governor described his administration’s achievements in the last two years as unprecedented, saying ‘governance in the state has been redefined by fulfilling promises and ensuring that no section of the state has developed to the detriment of others.’
In his remarks, APC Ogun Chairman Yemi Sanusi, congratulating the chairmanship candidates, noted that the meeting was to interface with all the candidates and fashion out winning ways in the coming local government election.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairmen of the Local Government Transitional Committee, Semiu Lawal thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve the people, saying that the committee had executed more than 200 projects in the past 20 months.
He expressed the readiness of the transition committee chairmen to work with the party’s candidates to ensure victory at the local elections.