The people of Oke Ogun in Oyo State have, in the past two days been playing host to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
This is in continuation of the Vice President’s door-to-door campaign to woo Nigerians to vote for the return of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.
He also urged the people of the region to vote en masse for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general election.
This was as he assured that the long-abandoned Okerete Transborder International Market will be incorporated into the budget.
Professor Osinbajo stated these on Saturday at the palace of the Bagii of Saki land, during his two days visit to Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.
Osinbajo, who was accompanied by the deputy governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Adeyemo and the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the APC gubernatorial candidate for the state and some other top APC stalwarts across the state, had earlier visited Igboho, Igbeti and Kishi on Friday.
While responding to the requests made by the Bagii of Saki, High Chief Adegoke Ghazaal Abdul-Rasheed, Osinbajo said Oke-Ogun “is very important and strategic” and that “it deserves a federal institution.”
Abdul-Rasheed had requested for Federal Government-owned tertiary institution, redesigning of railway project to reach the area and revitalisation of the Okerete Transborder International Market in the region.
The vice-president said the requests would be looked into, saying: “Oke-Ogun is very important and strategic. Oke-Ogun deserves a federal institution. They have seen what Chief Awolowo saw. We need to elect honest people if we want progress. We may be prayerful but we need to elect credible and honest people to engender development.
“The president wants to do everything. We’ve been taken note of the requests. If President Buhari says he will do something; he will do it.
“Let’s look at the Transborder Market, it is part of the Free Trade Zone. It is very important; it will be in the budget. I will hang it on the Minister [Adebayo Shittu].”
Osinbajo said the previous administration squandered the nation’s resources for 16 years.
“Corruption and greed are the problems not the lack of ideas. We need to tell them that we can’t go back again. They have destroyed the country.
“But we must realise that achieving development comes with pains. That’s what you’re seeing but the future is great and bright. Nobody supported Awolowo but chided him when he started the free education policy. Now we can see the benefits of the policy. We are still enjoying what Awo left behind. We need to leave something behind. The foundation and starting point of a good thing is always painful. Very soon we will see the gains,” Osinbajo said.
Earlier on Friday, the Asiwaju of Oke-Ogun and former Registrar/Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Emeritus Professor Dibu Ojerinde welcomed the vice-president to Igboho, assuring him of his people’s readiness to support the APC by electing its candidates in all elections.
Osinbajo, who was received by hundreds of party faithful in Igboho, raised the hands of the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, Chief Adebayo Adelabu and the APC House of Representatives candidate for Irepo/Olorunsogo/Oorelope Federal Constituency, Mr Olumide Ojerinde.
Packaged by Alice Egbedele with additional reports from tribuneonlineng.com
