FOR A BETTER SOCIETY:
MY PACT WITH THE PEOPLE OF ABEOKUTA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE
My decision to contest for the Chairmanship position of Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State in the forthcoming local government elections in Ogun State is not without a reason.
I was brought up as a man of honour, valour and dignity by respecting and appreciating people’s will and interest in honour of the Almighty, the Creator of all beings, as we are all accountable to Greatest Being someday. Through my professional calling as a Broadcast Journalist, which has given me patience and tolerance to listen and give attention to people that I have met, I have realized that the interest of the people should be paramount in our hearts, rather than that of a leader. With these in mind, I am convinced I have the ability to effectively use the instrumentality of the office, when elected, to advance the cause of the development of the Premier Local Government – Abeokuta South Local Government.
My decision to contest for this exalted position is not for personal gain or harness undue advantage to myself but to help assuage the feelings of the people by addressing salient issues that will make life bearable for them through infrastructural development.
As a grassroots man, my ears are on ground; I know where the shoe pinches; I feel the pains of the people because I am a typical community man, so by understanding the feelings of the people, I shall contribute my quota to the upliftment of our people and development of the communities at large.
My primary ambition is to alleviate the challenges our people face from lack of good governance and maladministration, so this will not only avail me the opportunity to serve but to change the face of governance in my Local Government. I took the decision to contest in the interest of the people whose mandate I hold in trust and I am more inclined to respect this interest.
In this my pact with the people of my local government, I have carefully outlined what I intend to do in office, if I am given the privilege to lead. The aim of this pact is to bring the people up-to-speed mandate on what I hope to render to them. This pact will be an instrument of feedback whenever I deviate from my promise.
When elected, I will operate the cycle of “O” and not “Q”, which means resources will go round all within our operational circle and not with me alone. As I urge my people to give me the baton of leadership, I will try my best to relay life impactful developmental dividends to all.
It is my desire to support, in entirety, framework that will propel and act as a catalyst towards repositioning lives of the people in our communities. I will do my best, with the support of my team, to improve basic needs in our communities; prioritize agricultural development through modern farming system. We shall also discover budding sporting talents in our various schools and communities, more importantly, at the grassroots level.
We shall bring government closer to the people by focusing on full empowerment opportunities for our teeming youths in all the wards through various agricultural investments; discovering and development of talents in sports, especially football, athletics and table tennis.
In order to improve food security in our local government, we shall put in place various agricultural mechanism in our farm settlements in villages in Egbaland, under a committee that will be known as Agricultural Development Committee (ADC). This shall be done in collaboration with the private sector, other interested local governments and experienced individuals in order to improve full scale farming and production of agricultural products for food security. This, when realized, will act as a catalyst to employment generation, poverty reduction, economic growth, food security and by extension, improved revenue for the local government.
As the birthplace of education and civilization in Nigeria, we shall prioritize primary education by fashioning out ways within the constitutional provisions and resources available to us on how to improve the rich educational legacies of the state in the 56 public primary schools we have within the Local Government.
The major markets we have in our Local Government are – Itoku/Kemta, Kuto, Adatan, Omida, Panseke, Ijaye, Gbangba, Sapon, Asero and Ibarapa-Ake. We will create a Market Development Committee that will consist of representatives of all the markets and officials to chat ways to encourage our market men and women to remain the business through various business support initiatives. We shall also create means to maintaining existing market infrastructures and constructing appropriate ones where necessary.
In all our programmes, opinions and concerns of the people will be considered, as I would make my presence visible in all the 15 wards through each Councillor, who will be fully active as the legislative liaison officers in their respective wards. This will ensure and facilitate direct connection with our people in various communities while also serving as sources of information collection for the local government.
With an estimated 425,700 Population (2022), administering the council should not be cumbersome. As the host of the headquarters of Ogun State Community Development Committee (CDC), which is located at Community House, Oke Olobi Saje, Abeokuta, we shall work hand-in-hand with the CDC through our numerous actively driven and vigorous Community Development Associations (CDAs) for us to know the exact people and community immediate needs. We shall be having quarterly town hall meetings with the CDAs, as we will set up a Committee that will enhance this, with representatives from all CDAs in Abeokuta South Local Government.
Most importantly, some wealthy and political philanthropists, no doubt, would have started their usual approach of distributing staple food items, outright cash for vote or overnight but dubious foundations to lure voters, but for me and my other party candidates under the platform of Action Democratic Party (ADC). Silver or gold we do have not, as we do not see or have any amount worthy of buying your votes, but it is our belief that individual’s antecedents and personal pedigree will count. We want to assure you that we will not betray your trust in us. Vote for us massively in order to provide the dividend of democracy to the premier local government.
Finally, I want to implore the people of my Local Government to come out en-masse and exercise their franchise on the day of the election. We should shun voters’ apathy and not subscribe to the notion that votes are written by the ruling party. Come out en-mass to prove that government is for the people.
I also want to plead with the electorate to look beyond party lines when voting as this has not taken us anywhere from past experiences. I chose to use the platform of the ADC because I am convinced it is the party that is better placed to do the needful for the people.
I rely on your votes to translate the cry for good governance at the grassroots into reality. I have the interest of the people at heart. Vote for me and our all our Councillors, who are people known in your various communities as people with impeccable characters. We shall not disappoint you.
Thank you!
God bless Abeokuta South Local Government!
God bless Ogun State!!
God bless Nigeria!!!
Chief Olalekan Alex Shoyinka,
(Ayinla Egba)
Gbadegesin of Ijemo, Egbaland.
Chairmanship Candidate,
Action Democratic Party (ADP),
Abeokuta South Local Government.
