The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has expressed confidence of securing a second term, saying he is not under pressure as long as a level playing field is guaranteed.
The Governor’s statement came as political parties finalise preparations ahead of the 15th August governorship election in Osun State,
Adeleke, who called on the police and the electoral umpire to maintain neutrality and fairness, also expressed confidence in the ability of the National Peace Committee, headed by former military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, to address allegations of politically motivated arrests by security agencies.
Speaking at a programme tagged “A Day with Mr Governor”, organised by the Office of the Head of Service in conjunction with labour leaders, workers and pensioners, Governor Adeleke said: “I am not under pressure because I have God on my side and on the side of the people of Osun.”
He maintained that his administration’s performance across critical sectors, as well as the fulfilment of its promises through infrastructure projects, impactful economic policies and welfare programmes for civil servants, would speak for itself at the polls.
“We are very prepared. This is democracy, and Nigeria has chosen to practise democracy. Our people should not be afraid of intimidation by the opposition party. This is democracy, and the will of God will prevail. They should come out en masse on 15th August to perform their civic duty, and I can assure them that their votes will count.
“When they finish voting, they should not be afraid. They should stay and protect their votes,” he said.
Addressing Osun workers, Governor Adeleke said he had fulfilled the promise made at the inception of his administration to restore and uphold the dignity of workers in the state, stressing that his promises had been backed by deliberate actions.
He said; “Together, we have implemented the current minimum wage of ₦75,000, making Osun one of the very few states to do so. We have restored regular and prompt payment of salaries and pensions. We have cleared over ₦80 billion in inherited salary and pension liabilities, including a substantial portion of outstanding pension arrears and the infamous half-salary debt.
“We restored the office of Permanent Secretaries to strengthen professionalism. We funded outstanding promotions. We enrolled pensioners and traditional rulers in the Osun Health Insurance Scheme free of charge. We recruited teachers to strengthen our schools. We created opportunities for thousands of our young people through various empowerment and digital training programmes. These achievements were not made to seek applause; they were made because they were the right thing to do.”
Governor Adeleke reiterated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of Osun workers, assuring them that once the proposed new minimum wage is agreed upon, it would receive immediate approval and implementation in the state.
He also pledged to consolidate on the gains already made, stressing that his government would continue to build an Osun State that would be the pride of every citizen.
The Governor consequently urged workers to reciprocate his administration’s efforts with their votes, saying support alone was not enough and must be translated into votes on 15 August.
“Please come out courageously, vote early, and encourage your families, neighbours and friends to do the same. Let both formal and informal workers demonstrate courage. We should not bow to intimidation,” he said.
NLC Commends Adeleke
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State chapter, Mr Christopher Arapasopo, urged workers to vote for Governor Adeleke’s re-election, saying they would not want to return to the “inglorious past” when salaries and pensions were owed.
He said; “Before now, some of our pensioners received between ₦1,500 and ₦3,000 as monthly pensions. The story is now different, as pensioners now receive ₦25,000, along with improved allowances.”
Arapasopo added that the Governor had fulfilled his promises on workers’ promotions, prompt payment of salaries and the timely elevation of deserving officers.
