All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Osun State, Senator Babajide Omoworare has called for a reevaluation of leadership recruitment at the local government level.
He also urged Nigerians to monitor the activities of governors in their respective states instead of blaming the Federal Government.
Omoworare, a former Senior Presidential Assistant on National Assembly, noted the prospect of change at the local government, following the Supreme Court’s judgement on council autonomy.
He, however, said that local government elections can only democratically throw up competent and people-oriented chairmen and councillors, if the process is not manipulated.
Omoworare said: “Local government elections are being conducted, and the state electoral commissioners are still manipulating the elections to ensure that the government in power wins.
“Let us see what will happen in February in Osun State. By the grace of God, there will be a free and fair election in Osun State come February.
“Asiwaju is not the one contesting in February, and Oyetola is not the one contesting; it is a local election. If they steal the vote, I was able to restore my own vote in the 2007 election because there are means, ways, and methods of monitoring elections. You can’t steal in my own boot.”
Omoworare said Nigerians have to decide whether they want federalism or not.
He said: “We have to start from the basics, from the state. Let people ask their state governors for reasons. If we have true federalism, are people going to be asking the Federal Government for reasons? People don’t know Washington in America; they know their state capital.”
Omoworare, lawyer-grandson of the late Ooni Adesoji Aderemi, spoke at the rehabilitation of township roads in various parts of Ile-Ife in Osun State.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who hailed the gesture, said that the rehabilitated roads symbolised, not only Omoworare’s commitment to practical progress, but also his desire to bridge pathways of unity and prosperity for generations yet unborn.
The monarch, who inaugurated the projects in the town, said the rehabilitation further affirmed Omoworare’s visionary spirit and his unwavering dedication to uplifting his beloved community.
Represented by the Obalufe of Ile-Ife, Oba Idowu Adediwura, the Ooni said: “Today, as he commissions the new roads rehabilitated in different parts of Ile-Ife, we are reminded of his visionary spirit and his unwavering dedication to uplifting his beloved community.
“These roads symbolise not only his commitment to practical progress but also his desire to bridge pathways of unity and prosperity for the generations to come. By championing infrastructure projects and fostering local development, Senator Omoworare continues to embody the values of hard work and loyalty to our ancestral land.”
The commissioning of the roads and the “Lights Up Ile-Ife” projects were part of the activities marking Omoworare’s birthday.
The roads funded by the Federal Government through the former senator were Obalogun, Orunobaado, Gbelenkan, Oke-Ayetoro, Abewela, Odo-Ogbe, Akarabata, Ogboni Lane, Ayelabowo, and Orilonise.
Also, solar streetlights were installed at Lagere, Aderemi, Eyindi, Omisore Parakin Junction, Mayfair, Adedoyin Way, Parakin, and Eleyele.
Omoworare explained that the rehabilitation of the roads was motivated by the poor condition of many internal roads in the ancient town, noting that many roads constructed decades ago were in disrepair, necessitating the reconstruction of the ten selected ones.
He said: “You see a lot of people do roads without considering the impact. People will start building bridges without considering the impact, a bridge that one vehicle will ply on maybe in one hour. There are places where hundreds of millions, even billions, are being spent now to build bridges that are not necessarily needed.
“I know of two or three places in Osun that are of extreme importance for building bridges, yet they are not being constructed.”
“I am trying my best at the Federal level to see that the Federal Government intervenes in that aspect, but internal roads in the Southwest, especially, are very bad.
“These roads were bad because they were constructed 40-50 years ago, and nothing has happened with respect to maintenance. Hence, our decision to fix the roads. We are trying to repair the internal roads to shorten the travel distance for motorists. There are solar lights everywhere that make driving on the roads safe,” he said.
“We are trying to fix the internal roads that will even preserve the ring roads. Instead of taking the ring roads and burning your fuel, you can always go within the streets, and they are all well-lit. There are solar lights everywhere, and we now have good drainage systems within Ife, although it is still minimal. This is like 10% of what we should do, but we have to start somewhere. If you don’t take a step, you won’t travel a mile.”
He added: “There are some organisations in Ife now that I would like to mention. The Ife Youth Organisation has been going around to ensure that these roads are maintained since they were constructed. Let me explain the reason for this. There are some welders, for instance, who would be plying their trade right on that road. There are some vulcanizers who would also be operating on that road.”
“There are motor mechanics who would be working on that road. It is not right; it will cause the road to deteriorate very soon. The only way you can reciprocate for me is to ensure that this road lasts and that we don’t put too much pressure on it.
“The pressure that is not anticipated is evident. The state of affairs is not just in Ife; it is in the entire Osun State. I believe it has to do with good governance. For me, infrastructure is even secondary; the first priority is, of course, food. In Yoruba, they would say, ‘Tounje bá tì tó nínú iṣẹ, isẹ kọ nì kuse.’ In Pidgin, they would say, ‘Remove food for matter, matter don finish.’ But when those in government don’t even know where Aborisa Farm Settlement is, or where Ago Owu is, or where Ile Owu is, they will all say, ‘Ebin pawa; the federal government is not providing food for us.’ When Agriculture and Food Security is not an exclusive food list, in fact, the land users have placed land squarely on the laps of the state, and Governor Bagbo would give rice that would be distributed in Nigeria, and the state governors would take the rice, rebrand it, and it would not even be recognisable.”
“That is my first concern. We are not producing food or infrastructure; we are not fixing inner roads; we are pretending to fix and rebuild bridges that nobody will use. If I had 15 billion naira now in Ife, I would fix Ife without even building a bridge. That is the truth of the matter because we have plans for the state.
“So, my concern about the local roads in Ife is huge, but I think food matters first. After food, we can then talk about education and infrastructure. Education has also gone completely down the drain when we have graduates who cannot even write a sentence in good English. So, we have a lot of challenges, but we must start.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
