Our votes not for sale, Obaagun residents warn opposition parties
…’Oyetola is the leader we want’
Residents of Obaagun Community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun state have said their community is not for the highest bidder in the July 16 gubernatorial election.
They said the people of Obaagun have outgrown infantile politics of trading their conscience for money, adding that those seeking to water down democratic ideals with purposeless spending can take their money elsewhere.
The residents however lauded Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for his outstanding performance across the state and in Obaagun specifically, stressing their resolve to support a tested and trusted hand above politicians with empty credentials.
This is as the campaign Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Ifelodun-Boripe-Odo Otin federal constituency continued its strategic consultation in Iba and Obaagun communities, following Thursday’s flag-off at Aagba, Ororuwo and Ada communities.
Speaking with newsmen during the consultation, the Councillor representing Ward 11, Obaagun, Kabir Opekunle, said the community’s decision to support Oyetola was on the basis of his interventions in the community which have improved the conditions of the people.
He particularly lauded Oyetola’s initiative of feeding 30,000 vulnerable citizens every month, saying the relief that the initiative had brought to the beneficiaries amid harsh economic reality in the country was unquantifiable.
According to him: “Governor Oyetola is worth supporting a million times over. We have not had this kind of governor since the inception of the state. For instance, it was Governor Oyetola who reconstructed our Maternity Centre in this community, furnished it, supplied drugs and other medical consumables and made it functional again. A lot of community members have benefited from that centre since its revitalisation.
“Also, some of our community schools that were previously dilapidated have been reconstructed with modern blocks of classrooms and furniture to aid learning. The subscription rate in those schools have tremendously improved since the governor’s intervention. Tell me why we won’t support such a leader again?
“Those bragging about their financial strength have absolutely missed the point. We have gone past that era of selling our votes for temporary gains, and those were periods of great hardship for us. We don’t want to ever return to those times. This man that has shown us that he is capable of delivering dividends of democracy is the one we are committed to and we will support him wholeheartedly”, Opekunle said.
Also speaking with newsmen, the Chairman of APC in Unit 1, Obaagun, described the July 16 election as an opportunity to pass a vote of absolute confidence in Oyetola’s ability to deliver greater dividends of democracy than he has done in the last three-and-a-half years.
According to him, “Governor Oyetola can trust the community to deliver massive votes as a mark of appreciation for his impressive performance. The old and the young alike love him”.
Another resident, Princess Ganiyu Morufat Aderinola, said commemded the achievements Oyetola’s administration in the last three-and-a-half years, saying that his “simple yet effective” approach to governance will be the deciding factor in his favour on July 16.
She expressed disappointment in the campaign messages of the opposition’s candidate, describing the messages as insult to the intelligence of the people of Osun.
In her words: “To hell with their money. Money is no match for genuine love for citizens. Money is no match for experience and ability to manage the affairs of the state amid scarce resources. Those are what Governor Adegboyega Oyetola brings to the table, and some narrow-minded people think they can match it with spending power. Impossible”.
Aligning with this position, Madam Wosilatu Atobatele of Unit 5 warned citizens to be wary of politicians who do not understand the nitty-gritty of governance, adding that Oyetola knows the way and he has proven it through several brilliant interventions across the state.
