The Sir Seyi Makinde-led government in Oyo State has read a riot act to all former public office holders in the state to return all government vehicles and assets by Friday or risk having security agencies confront them to retrieve them.
In a statement issued by Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr Bisi Ilaka, on Wednesday, the state government described as dishonourable the fact that over a week after the tenure of former political office holders expired, some of them still held on to government properties.
In giving a 48-hour ultimatum to former public office holders to return the properties to the government pool, the state government vowed to take all necessary steps to retrieve all government assets illegally taken.
The state government further warned that all such former political office holders risked confrontation with security operatives if they failed to comply at the expiration of the ultimatum.
The statement reads: “His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde has directed that all former political functionaries who are still in possession of government vehicles to return the same to government transport pool within 48 hours, failure to which the security agencies shall be directed to retrieve such vehicles from wherever they may be kept.
“We will take all necessary steps to ensure that all assets illegally taken away by the former officials are returned to its custody,” the statement read.
Also on Wednesday, the Governor of Oyo State, Sir Seyi Makinde disclosed that his government would pay special attention to the less privileged and the disabled.
Makinde, who was speaking at a Special Eid-el-Fitri celebration which he hosted at the Government House, Agodi, said that he would ensure a special place for the less privileged and the disabled in his government.
The Governor, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, said that those who have been privileged to govern in the past have kept the disabled out for too long.
Besides hosting the Muslim Community in Oyo State led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, a representative of the Soun of Ogbomosoland , the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abduganiy Agbotomokekere, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, among other dignitaries , the Governor also hosted the disabled from Rehabilitation centre for the Disabled, as well as children from the Juvenile Correctional Institution and Childcare for abandoned children and the Ark of Hope foundation, an orphanage.
He said: “After my swearing-in, and I was being conducted round the Government House, I saw that there was no place for the disabled and I asked the Head of Service; how will my people in Beere, the disabled and the less privileged gain access to this place.
“I told her I will be a protocol and logistics nightmare because I will always open the doors of Government House to the disabled and less privileged. So always put them in your arrangement whenever you are planning a programme.”
He also promised to ensure religious harmony in the state adding that the prayers of the religious leaders ensured his victory at the last election.
The Governor said : “While coming here, some people came to me that I could send somebody because it was just a social gathering for Salah celebrations, but I insisted on coming in person because our government will not discriminate against Muslims or Christians. You will see that I have demonstrated that by appointing, a Muslim, Chief Luqman Bisi Ilaka as Chief of Staff. That is also because there is no family in this state where you don’t have Muslims and Christians. So if they are discriminating against one religion or the other in other states, it will not happen here.”
He added: “During the campaigns, I went to different Mosques and met Muslim leaders . They prayed for me and it is the prayers that led to our success at the polls.”
He also asked Muslim leaders not to relent in their prayers for those in government adding that now that their prayers have come to pass with his success at the polls, religious leaders should not relent in their prayers.
“Your prayers have come to pass through our success in the last election. I want to plead with you that you should not stop praying for the government and those of us in government because I do tell people that what you need to win an election is far less than what you need to run a government.
“What we need is for development to come to Oyo state and development will come only in an atmosphere of peace.
“That is why as soon as I came into government and people started saying that the NURTW people wanted to cause mayhem, I proscribed them. It does not matter which faction supported me or which one did not. I am the Governor of all the people of Oyo state and it doesn’t matter which party you belong.
“We are ready to listen to our people. If we commit mistakes, our people should not hesitate to draw our attention to it. And we will make necessary corrections.”
The state’s Deputy Governor, Engineer Aderemi Olaniyan, who also spoke at the event told the people that the government in Oyo would continue to respect religious rights of every individual.
He said that the ceremony would be bigger next year because of the Governors’s commitment to religious harmony.
While praying at the ceremony, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland Sheikh Abduganiy Agbotomokekere, urged the Governor to keep his electoral promises adding that his electoral victory was secured because many in the state see him as a promise keeper.
Packaged by Ojo Peter
