‘Competence, loyalty to state will determine my successor’
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said competence and loyalty to the people of Oyo State are the only key factors in consideration concerning who succeeds him in 2027. The
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said competence and loyalty to the people of Oyo State are the only key factors in consideration concerning who succeeds him in 2027.
The governor made this known yesterday at the 12th Omituntun Annual Ramadan Public Lecture at Ibadan North Local Government Motor Park, Agodi Gate, Ibadan.
He said his (Makinde’s) loyalty to Oyo State enabled him to record many impactful achievements in the almost seven years he had been in office, including payment of over N25 billion to clear gratuity arrears owed by previous governments, adding that he had also increased the monthly payout of gratuity from N1 billion to N3 billion, to ensure no retiree was owed gratuity by the end of May 2027.
The governor said upgrade of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport to an international airport was another major achievement of his administration, noting that all hands were on deck to ensure Hajj pilgrims would be airlifted from the facility in May.
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Makinde appreciated the Muslim Ummah in Oyo State for their prayers, support and cooperation with his administration since 2019 and advised them not to relent in their prayers for the government.
Makinde, who said the annual Omituntun Ramadan Lecture predated his assumption of office as governor, added that he would continue with the lecture even after leaving office because it would be an opportunity to continue to reach out to the people.
He said: “I want to greet and appreciate our Imams, Alfas and our Muslim brothers and sisters for your prayers and support for this government; your government.
“Yes, they can say the state has been peaceful since we got into office. But I know that this wouldn’t have been achieved without your cooperation.
“I have been talking to quite a number of my colleagues and they said the person they handed over power to, got to office and started misbehaving. I asked them how they chose the person, supported him but he changed when he got to the office.”
The common thread has been that they installed someone who they felt would be loyal to them.”
“Today, I have made up my mind that whoever will emerge as my successor will be based on competence and loyalty to Oyo State, not to Seyi Makinde.
“But moving forward, we don’t want to return to the period of political violence irrespective of party affiliations. So, please keep praying that whoever will become the next governor should be loyal to the state.”
Speaking further, the governor said he would donate seven buses to seven selected mosques, one in each of the state’s geopolitical zones, to support the propagation of Islam and also in commemoration of the 12th edition of the Omituntun Ramadan Lecture.
Makinde gave the guest lecturer, Fadilat Sheikh Jamiu Ajadi Sanusi aka Ami Olohun, a new SUV for his insightful lecture and contribution to the success of the 12th Omituntun Annual Ramadan Lecture.
Earlier, while delivering the Ramadan lecture titled: “Contentment”, the guest lecturer, Sheikh Sanusi, commended the developmental strides of Governor Makinde’s administration and urged him to be cautious of mischievous people around him.
He also lauded the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the state and urged residents to always be content with whatever Allah had bestowed on them, saying religion should not create problems, irrespective of religious differences.
He praised Governor Makinde for being God-fearing and urged him to remain steadfast in doing what was right for the benefit of mankind.
Former governor of Oyo State and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, who was the chairman on the occasion, noted that Ramadan is a period of perseverance and tolerance.
He enjoined Muslim Ummah to see the period as a month of blessings.
The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo, Delta and Edo states, Alhaji Daud Akinola; former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu and Chairman, Oyo State Elders’ Council, Chief Saka Balogun, hailed the governor for the sustenance of the programme over the past 12 years and his support to the propagation of Islam.
