Oyo State and its people will continue to witness and enjoy development till the last day of our administration in office.
The state governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, made the pledge while being welcomed by political appointees and the top echelon of the state Civil Service on his return from a three-week vacation.
Makinde, who was received at the frontage of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, added that his three weeks away from office showed that the state has a strong team in place.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said his administration would continue to work tirelessly for the progress of the state till its last day in office.
He informed that his administration will continue to take prosperity to the nooks and crannies of the state by delivering dividends of democracy to all.
Makinde commended his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal, who acted as governor of the state in his absence, for his commitment, sense of responsibility and loyalty.
He also encouraged all political office holders to continue to contribute their own quota to the development of the state.
Governor Makinde added that he is looking forward to working closely with the deputy governor in the present tenure and when his mandate is renewed by the people of Oyo State.
He said: “Let me start by thanking you, especially for these short prayers to welcome me back to the Governor’s Office in Oyo State.
“I want to thank you for cooperating with the acting governor. One thing we have demonstrated in Oyo State is that we don’t have strong men but a strong team.
“For over three weeks, the people of Oyo State did not feel my absence or any gap. Everything that has to do with governance went on seamlessly.
“So, we know that, in Oyo State, we have selected a very strong team for the state and we have been able to demonstrate that.
“We are as strong as the weakest link within the chain. I want to specially thank all of you for your support.
“And for the people of the state, let me state it clearly that we will work for you until the last minute of the last day in the tenure of this administration.
“People thought politics is in the air and we should be politicking,” he said. “Yes, we are politicking. But we are also doing the work that the people of Oyo State have given to us. And we will continue with the work.
“Also, I want to encourage everyone of us that it is not about the positions we have occupied as individuals but what we are contributing to the development of our state.
“Actors, players will come and go but our state will remain. Now, I am re-energised and I will be driving people real hard until my energy level drops again.
“But if my energy level is not going to drop, then we will drive ourselves down until this administration is given a fresh mandate.
“So, I want to thank the deputy governor for your commitment, responsibilities and loyalty. We should have been doing this from the beginning, but it is better late than never.
“So, I thank you and look forward to us working closely together in this tenure and working hard again together in the next tenure.
“One revelation from all of these is: I never went on holiday for three years. But in the next administration, it will be a yearly thing.”
Earlier, the deputy governor, Barrister Lawal, thanked the governor for the trust he had in him to make him acting governor. He said he would never forget the gesture.
Lawal stated that the responsibilities of governing Oyo State were enormous and daunting. He lauded Governor Makinde for the good job he had been doing over the last three years.
He said he [Lawal] could now return the responsibilities back to the governor. “We thank God for bringing our boss back safe and sound,” he said.
“Your Excellency, you are heartily welcome by us and, on behalf of everybody, we appreciate you. We love and adore you.
“I believe sincerely that our prayers have been answered by the Almighty. But mine have been answered more, because I have my principal and boss back hale and hearty.
“It gives me great pleasure this afternoon to welcome our amiable governor back to the office.
“On behalf of all political office holders here, and particularly on behalf of the good people of our dear state, I welcome Your Excellency back to the office.
“I want to thank you for having the trust to invest in me the powers of acting governor. I have, by the virtue of that appointment, written in gold your gesture, magnanimity and trust in me.
“You have invested me with so many rights and privileges, which are yours and I have kept them until your arrival. “Sir, you have returned and I give you back those responsibilities,” he said.
“In the last three weeks, I realised that the job is daunting,” he said. “I am happier than you all here, because the responsibility of carrying the affairs of the state in these past weeks were enormous.
“And now that His Excellency is back, I have returned those responsibilities to him,” Lawal said.
