April 30, 2005

Despite the fact that the elections of 2005 were massively rigged in favor of the PDP led administration including that of Ondo State. Some of the governors have so far transformed their illegitimate government to a legitimate one by credible performance and effective utilization of power and financial resources at their disposal. This is evidenced in the performance of the Ogun State governor and the Ekiti State governor the above named governors are performing despite the meager resource s at their disposal.

In 2003,when the present governor was campaigning he promised us a lot of good things, he promised to exploit the Bitumen and other mineral resources that abounds in Ondo State, but today, the story has changed what the governor now sings all about is that it will take another sixteen years for the exploitation of bitumen to begin. I must say that people voted out the past governor despite his monumental achievements in health, education, and rural integration because Agagu promised us exploitation of our Bitumen. At present, we are now told of the elusive benefits that will come from Olokola in faraway Ogun state. [Olokola is a boundary town between Ondo State and Ogun State not in Ondo State].

A critical look at the various local government areas in Ondo State shows the various dilapidated structures, roads in terrible shape and the people struggling to eat. But unfortunately, the governor’s propagandists’ claims to have built hospitals in all the wards in Ondo state. When the president visited last year, the government was able to lease some equipment and he claimed that they were for the road maintenance agency. But I must ask that where is the road maintenance agency situated in Ondo State? And how many people have been employed in the agency. Some of the so called chairmen of local government and our elected lawmakers cannot construct a single sentence without making a blunder this explains the reason why they are always afraid to come on the air to catalogue their "Achievements"

The governor rather than sitting down to create jobs and make life comfortable for the people he prefers to engage in hedonistic pursuits, extravagant parties and sartorial flamboyance. If I may ask? How will attending funerals and Owambe translate into job creation and development of the youths? I must say that the flamboyant life style of the governor and his aides has led to an increase in waive of crimes in Ondo State.

The governor’s election victory should have been an humbling experience for him and this should have translated into a sense of high level responsibility and cool headedness on his part so that he could settle down to work but rather his victory has translated into a sense of pride, lambasting the ex governor at all foras with no apologies, engaging in the hounding of opponents and dispensing the carrots for his acolytes, bootlickers, stooges, sycophants and men of straw who prefers to tell him what he wants to hear rather that the home truth .

No matter where you go in Ondo State, what stirs you in the face is a tale of ineptitude, stagnation, mediocrity and non performance for how can one explain the appointment of someone who was not cleared by the national assembly over substantiated claims of embezzlement. This same man was not cleared by all the security agencies in Nigeria including the Nigerian police force that has serious credibility problems. The only legacy the said man can show is the tokunbo dump trucks he bought and the matchbox buses for transportation not with standing the huge sum that accrued to Ondo State since 1999 from the NDDC. Any way this clearly shows that the present Ondo state administration celebrates mediocre because the OSOPADEC man has been promoted to NDDC based on his scorecard of non-performance and ineptitude. The question one must ask is that why should the governor deem it appropriate to appoint the same man that has an albatross on his neck a representative at the NPRC holding in Abuja.

In a civilized society, the house should have risen to the challenge of ensuring that the men’s appointment to OSOPADEC fails and at the same time suggest to him that he should be honourabe enough to go to the court to redeem his image. Flowing from this position one tempted to say that insisting on appointing this man the governor is showing that the man is a tested comrade in the art of dipping hands in the till

A critical look at the boys in the national assembly one comes to the irresistible conclusion that they an either confused or that they an detached from the realities because how can one explain the presence of just two constituency offices in the whole of Ondo still with over 11 representatives. The one maintained by senator Ogunniya in Akure is perpetually "Operating" Under locks and keys. The whole of Ondo state cannot boast of sizeable number of constituency projects despite the yearly provisions of constituency projects for these "Representatives". The way our representatives, demonstrates their presence is by moving in convoys of cars. They also reflect their presence by giving money to miscreants turned musicians to sing their praises to the high heavens. How many bills have these so-called representatives sponsored? How many bills have they co sponsored? How many physical projects have they used their clout to attract to Ondo state? The answer is none. This is indeed a shameful development.

In 2007, we look forward to a government house that will be occupied by someone that will have the fear of God and whose belly will be filed with the fire to perform not the zeal to embezzle. A servant of the people and not a master. We look forward to a legislature that will be filled with bureaucrats, retired principals, community leader and vibrant youths not beer palour politicians not peppers soup guzzling debaters or whiskey quaffing governor.

At the national assembly we look forward to the likes of Gani Fawehimi, Olutoye, Gbonigi and other tested hands not party mongers and Ghana must go cuddling legislators. .

Not representative whose major electoral legacy is the purchase of American Visa lottery form for youths in his constituency not representative that their only legislative heritage is the seven-inch long caps?

This medium is used to call on the various representatives of the people of Ondo state both at home and in Abuja to publish what they have received on behalf of the people of Ondo state and catalogue the various project done so far and independent media firms should score this.

The time has indeed come for the people of Ondo state to be asking critical questions because it is crystal clear that those who we have entrusted our mandates on are taking us for a ride. This is a call to our representatives to reexamine themselves. It is a solemn call for stock taking. It is not a call to denigrate the high offices that they occupy and must not be treated as such.

The year 2007 is our date with destiny where the wheat shall be separated from the chaff.

Abiola Olawole.

Faculty of Law.

OAU ILE IFE.