Sequel to the declaration of Prince Dapo Abiodun as the Ogun State governor-elect by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after the March 9 keenly contested gubernatorial election, the people of Ogun State had anxiously waited for the epoch making event of the swearing-in of His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, as the fifth democratically elected governor of Ogun State.
There is no doubt that today is Prince Dapo Abiodun’s glorious day, which he had looked forward to after his emergence as the governor-elect.
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| Governor Dapo Abiodun |
The business mogul, who will be celebrating his 59th will be the cynosure of all eyes, as he will be making history today as the governor of Ogun State.
Dapo Abiodun, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 241,670 votes in the March 9, 2019 governorship election to defeat his closest rival, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade of Allied People’s Movement (APM), who scored 222,153 votes. The candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, polled 110,422 votes, while Prince Buruji Kashamu scored 70,290 votes.
Prince Abiodun will stand tall before a tumultuous crowd at the MKO Abiola stadium to take his oath of office as the Governor of Ogun State before the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu. Significantly, among the ecstatic crowd, one person will stand out, as her joy would know no bounds. The joy of the day will be noticeable on the face of Dapo Abiodun’s wife, Bamidele, who from today becomes the first lady of Ogun State.
The journey to today’s memorable event was long, tortuous and laid with many hurdles, which the new governor surmounted due to his patience, perseverance and focus.
It is an open secret that Prince Dapo Abiodun did not enjoy the support of his immediate predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to become the governor despite the fact that they both belong to APC.
In fact, he suffered enormous embarrassment in the hands of Amosun and his supporters during the campaign period, particularly during the presentation of party’s flag to Prince Dapo Abiodun at the MKO Abiola stadium, when his campaign bill boards were removed from the stadium, and party leaders including President Buhari were pelted with various objects.
However, after emerging as the party’s flag bearer alongside his running mate, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Prince Abiodun embarked on vigorous campaigns across the nooks and crannies of the state, promising to deliver the elusive dividends of democracy to the people of Ogun State.
On their part, the people of the state had high expectations. Some of them saw hope of a buoyant state full of economic, social, and industrial prosperity in Abiodun.
Above all, they want the lost glory of the state returned under the administration of Dapo Abiodun.
Their reasoning, undoubtedly, was rooted in the successes and achievements recorded by their new governor in his area of business concern.
According to Prince Yemi Adefulu, who is a former commissioner in the state, “Prince Dapo Abiodun is a formidable businessman with very extensive business connection, and a great networker who has a high level of business contacts.
“He is well respected in business. So, he has come with this experience, exposure and personal attributes into the office of the governor, and I believe that he has been well prepared for the enormous task ahead.
“I have no doubt that he will do well”.
In his own words, another former commissioner in the state, Evang. Samuel Durojaye said, “I will say that the emergence of Prince Dapo Abiodun as the governor is God ordained. He came out at the right time and aligned himself with the right people. That is why I said it is God ordained.
“If you see the hullaballoo that was created from the time he showed interest, you will see that the hand of God was upon every phase of the entire process; right through the primaries and thereafter, you would discover that attempts were made to frustrate his emergence, but because it had the imprint of God’s finger on it, that made it to be divine.
“So, nobody can come out and say he was the architect, though; no doubt, God used people like Chief Osoba, Prof. Osinbajo, Oshiomhole as instruments to bring him into office”.
On whether Dapo Abiodun will continue on the uncompleted projects left behind by Amosun, Durojaye said,”I know that Dapo Abiodun will continue to do those things that are good and beneficial to Ogun State.
“So, if there are certain things that have been done and beneficial to the people of Ogun State, he would surely tow that line.
“The hallmark of a good government is to see to the welfare and happiness of your people. If there are actions and processes that have been targeted to make Ogun State a better place, I’m sure he will continue with that”.
Speaking on what the people of Ogun State should expect from Dapo Abiodun’s administration, a chieftain of APC, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi said, “As a team player, Dapo Abiodun is very passionate about the development of Ogun State.
“The state is going to witness a better form of development under his leadership, because development will spread round the state unlike Amosun’s administration that was accused of concentrating development in an area.
“Dapo Abiodun will do better than that, and I have no doubt in my mind that he will continue from where Amosun stopped.
“Ogun State is very lucky to have Dapo Abiodun at this time because he is versatile, brilliant, serious minded, very responsible and would do justice to all the assignments ahead of him”.
If the words of Prince Dapo Abiodun are anything to go by, it can be concluded that he is set to deliver dividends of democracy to his people.
Shortly after receiving his certificate of return as governor-elect at INEC office, Abeokuta, Abiodun submitted that the people of Ogun State, by their votes, have spoken and the voice of the people is the voice of God.
He thanked the electorate for giving him their support and promised to run a government of all and for all, while the APC manifesto will be implemented.
Prince Abiodun also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Osinbajo, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Bola Tinubu, Aremo Segun Osoba, National Working Committee of APC, traditional rulers, particularly Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Dapo Abiodun Campaign Organisation, his parents, wife and children for their support during the electioneering period.
Abiodun, the Chief Executive Officer of Heyden Petroleum, said his victory was not just for his person or the APC, but the entire people of Ogun State, which it has pleased God to use him as a vessel to channel the victory.
The new governor maintained that as the people savour the richly deserved victory, they should be constantly reminded that tomorrow comes with a big assignment, and that the great work that lies ahead must be faced with the same zeal and resourcefulness with which the election victory was earned.
Dapo Abiodun once said that the people have been through a lot of demeaning and unpalatable experiences that brought them close to their knees. At a time, they almost thought that God was no longer on their side.
He disclosed that it was at this time that he started wondering why the people should be suffering in the midst of plenty.
Invariably, he heard the audible cry of the people and decided to offer himself for service by actively intervening in the political process that was hell bent on keeping the masses impoverished.
During his thank you visit to Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, after his victory, Prince Abiodun promised to complete the ongoing projects that his administration will inherit, while assuring that an enabling environment will be created for public private partnership to thrive, which will invariably lead to creation of more jobs.
The new governor emphasized that rural infrastructure development will receive adequate attention, and local government administration will be re-energized to perform its statutory functions because it is the closest to the people.
In the same vein, Abiodun promised to resuscitate Ogun State Road Maintenance Agency (OGROMA), and also establish Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission in order to facilitate the development of communities along Lagos-Ogun Border areas.
The resilience demonstrated by Abiodun, which won him the election, could be attributed to his unwavering faith in God.
At a thanksgiving service held for his victory at St. James Anglican Church, Iperu, he recalled that he was pained and disappointed in 2015, when he contested and lost the Ogun East senatorial election, but yet he remained undaunted.
He said that his victory at the gubernatorial polls had a hand of God, because if men were God, he would not have been successful.
He therefore advised people not to give up on their dreams and aspirations irrespective of the number of disappointments that may come their way, as one disappointment may lead to the opening of several doors of opportunities.
Prince Abiodun reiterated his commitment to the service of Ogun State, and called on the candidates who contested with him to join hands with him in moving the state forward; stressing that he had no animosity against former Governor Amosun on all that transpired before the election.
Prince Dapo Abiodun will be piloting the affairs of the state with his deputy, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele in the next four years.
Mrs. Salako Oyedele was born over 50 years ago to Late Professor Lateef Salako from Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of Ogun State.
She graduated with B.Sc degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lagos and also holds a Masters degree in Public Health Engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, United Kingdom.
Her working career spanned Grenadines Homes Limited, where she was General Manager and Acting Managing Director; Ove Arup & Partners, London, where she also served as Graduate Engineer/Project Manager and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Glenwood Property Development Company Limited.
In fulfillment of her age-long desire to serve her people, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele went into politics and contested election as running mate to Prince Dapo Abiodun in the 2019 governorship election and won.
As the head of the executive arm of government is being inaugurated today, it will be the turn of the new lawmakers to be inaugurated as the legislative arm of government in the next one week.
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