Date: 2018-07-14

The race to Oke-Fia Government House, Osogbo, Osun State after the September 22, 2018 governorship election, thickens daily. The various aspirants continue to intensify their contacts and politicking so as to get the ticket of their parties. One of such aspirant is a former chieftain of the ruling APC in the state, Hon. Ajishola Owoseni. He was a former chairman of the Olorunda Local Government Council between 1999 and 2002 and a former lawmaker in the state's House of Assembly. Owoseni, who defected from APC to the Action Democratic Party (ADP), recently in the state, is now one of its governorship aspirants. This aspirant, who was in Kwara State recently to meet the Osun indigenes in the state on his plan to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola, said his love and commitment to rescue Osun State from the "hawks currently milking the state" led to his switch to the ADP. He added: "The current administration in Osun State has failed in meeting the needs of the people. For example, the current education situation of the state is worrisome to the lovers of education."

Owoseni, who was a lecturer at Federal Polytechnic, Ede, before he ventured into politics, added that his administration, if voted into office, would work hard on a new education policy that would add value to the students of the state. On infrastructure, the former chairman said he would open up the rural areas so as to bring foodstuffs to the doorsteps of the people of the state.

He said: "The continuous concentration of infrastructure development by the outgoing government in urban centers will not bring even development to the state. If I become governor, I will take a giant stride by opening up rural communities so as to allow them to have a sense of belonging. This will enhance the socio-economic and industrial development of the state.

Infrastructure development will be spread to various local governments and villages in order to bring government closer to the people.

Owoseni also promised that he would provide loans to Osun indigenes so as to boost businesses in the state while youths would be taught skills that would make them self-reliant, thereby reducing poverty in the state.

While expressing disgust about the welfare of the teeming civil servants of Osun State, Owoseni said he would make prompt payment of salaries a priority so as to assist workers contribute to the economic development of the state.

He said that non-payment of salaries and pensions have continued to have a negative effect on the well-being of the workers, noting that many of them cannot pay their children's school fees.

On his political antecedent in Osun State, he said: "I contested for a political position in 1998 under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and won the chairmanship position of Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State. In 1991, I contested for the House of Representatives. In 1996, I ran for the House of Assembly seat and won under the defunct Democratic Party of Nigeria.

"With my past experiences in politics, my various contacts and grassroots experience gathered in the past years, aiming at managing a state like Osun would not be a problem for me. I have a lot of friends and supporters across the 30 local government councils in Osun. All my life was well spent in Osun State. I know all the political terrains of the state. I know the problems on ground and this will be tackled if voted into office."

While pledging his commitment to make Osun State viable and the envy of other states, Owoseni said if the ADP wins the September 22,2018 governorship election, the state would witness even development with government moving closer to the grassroots of the state.