Ondo State Governor-elect Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) will succeed out-going Governor Olusegun Mimiko next year. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the challenges that will confront the new administration.
Like a flash of lightening, the eight years of the Olusegun Mimiko administration will expire in February, next year. For the governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the euphoria of victory would have also withered down in the face of the daunting challenges. As an era ends, a new epoch is unfolding in the Ondo State.
Akeredolu’s triumph at the historic poll underscored the audacity of courage. Four years ago, he had played his hands on the plough and he has not looked back. Although he was rejected by the electorate in the 2012 election as the candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), he returned to the drawing board. The Owo-born lawyer-turned politician started the race to 2016, shortly after his defeat by Mimiko. As the inheritor of the most formidable opposition structure, he fortified the political machinery and swung into intense mobilisation.
Besides, Akeredolu sealed a pact with the people across the 18 local governments. Since charity begins at home, he rallied his Owo kinsmen to support his bid. After overcoming the hurdles at the controversial primary, he intensified his campaigns across the three districts. His loyal foot soldiers were very active on the field. The protracted litigation, which prevented his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart and colleague at the bar, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), from campaigning, was to his ultimate advantage. Although the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) appeared formidable, it was evident that he was soliciting for votes on a weak platform. The structures of the far-flung party at the grassroots were irredeemably weak. Other smaller parties were just warming the register of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Akeredolu Campaign Organisation was almost transformed into a movement. Thus, in a free and fair election, he was a candidate to beat. It is to his credit and that of the APC family that the distressed state has now retraced its steps back to the progressive fold, 14 years after the invasion of conservative interlopers. However, as the APC chieftain inherits power and prestige of the office, he also inherits the burden of governance in a highly enlightened and sophisticated state where voters are thirsty for dividends of democracy. As the government is under intense pressure to perform, it may be handicapped by dwindling revenue.
The APC raised the hope of the people during the campaigns. The performance of President Muhammadu Buhari was not one of the issues that shaped the contest, but the manifestos of the candidate. According to observers, it will be difficult for any elected politician to escape the electoral wrath of Ondo voters, if the promises made to them before the election are not kept. In fact, the position of the aggrieved civil servants, teachers and local government employees on the way forward played a significant role in the achievement of power shift by the main opposition party.
Akeredolu will be assuming the reins at a critical time in national history. The nation and the state are in economic recession. There is a reduction in the federal allocation and internally generated revenue is at a low ebb. Although Ondo is an oil-producing state, the impact has not been felt significantly in the last 10 years. Youth unemployment remains a time-bomb and a trigger for insecurity. Many critical sectors lay prostrate. Although some achievements were recorded by the out-going administration, many felt that the state deserved a better deal. Dissecting the health sector, the governor-elect observed that, although the state has some hospitals, they lacked doctors and nurses.
In the last six months, workers have been agonising over the non-payment of salaries. This has worsen the industrial relations between the government and workers’ unions. A commentator, Mojeed Jamiu, who highlighted the challenges of governance in Ondo State, lamented that, since government is a continuum, the workers will now intensify their agitation for improved welfare under the new administration. Chiding the Mimiko administration for its failure, he said: “A government that could not pay workers’ salaries in the last six months will not pay them in the remaining two months before vacating office.”
The voting analysis showed that many youths voted for the APC. During the campaigns, Akeredolu lamented the growing youth unemployment, which he also described as a national challenge. Ondo State has a large number of jobless graduates, who cannot be accommodated in the civil service and government parastatals. His promise of employment gave them hope. In four years’ time, analysts will beam a searchlight on the administration to see if there will be a gap between expectation and reality. One of the youths, who was among the jubilating crowd, told reporters in Akure, the state capital, that “if Akeredolu can provide jobs for us, we will believe that we have voted wisely.”
According to experts, one of the ways to end unemployment is to encourage productive activities through industrialisation. The onus is on the Akeredolu administration to fulfill its promise of industrial revival. Some industries across the state are moribund. Gone were the days when the Oluwa Glass, Igbokoda, Oil Palm Company, Okitipupa, and Ceramics at Ifon were sources of pride to the state. Also, the new governor should be able to attract investors to the state. This can be done through the provision of an enabling atmosphere for the investment to thrive.
In Nigeria, the bane of development is the incidence of abandoned projects. Successive administrations have often distanced themselves from laudable projects of their predecessors. Many expect Akeredolu to maintain a clean break from the past by completing the on-going projects of the Mimiko administration. The infrastructure battle is better fought when no project is abandoned. Besides, the APC government should convince the people about its progressive leaning by fulfilling its promise of infrastructural development. Many roads across the three districts are bad. The people expect Akeredolu to convert the state into a huge construction site as reward for conferring the mandate on him. The sitting of the projects should also reflect merit, geographical representation and the collective interest of the state. Although Owo, his home town, is one of the strongholds of the APC-and the ancient town overwhelmingly voted for him, Akeredolu should not be perceived as the governor of Owo, but the governor of Ondo State.
Old politicians in the Southwest are of the opinion that the new helmsman will succeed, if he mirrors one of their mentors, former Governor Adekunle Ajasin, who incidentally hailed from Owo. The eminent politician put the state first in all his actions and dealings. Under his administration, all the sub-divisions-Ekiti, Owo, Akoko, Akure, Ondo, Ikale, Ilaje and Ijaw-were carried along. Appointments also reflected the geographical spread. If the progressive blue-print of the Second Republic-free education, free health, full employment and rural development-is fully implemented by Akeredolu, the state will be catapulted to an horizon of progress. To implement them, the new governor should do two things.
Akeredolu should set up a cabinet of talents-a blend of technocrats in politics and credible politicians bubbling with the progressive vision. His cabinet should not be weak in personality, patriotism and fidelity. This was the secret of success in Lagos under former Governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola (SAN). Currently, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is successfully building on the foundation. Also, Akeredolu, a pro-democracy activist and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), should preside over a model administration. His government should be a government of transparency and accountability. The governor should mirror the anti-corruption posture of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is in the interest of the state.
As an APC governor, Akeredolu has a role to play in the Southwest integration agenda. Although the states of the federation cannot collapse into regions, but in the spirit of federalism and pseudo-regional autonomy, the states in each region can collaborate economically and socially in areas where they have comparative advantage. This is challenging. There should be a sort of inevitable reconciliation between Akeredolu and one or two governors, who had slight political differences with him during the electioneering.
At the state and regional level, the new governor should also initiate reconciliation with aggrieved members of the political family, who protested the selection process that produced him as flag bearer. A government of vendetta is incompatible with the legitimate aspirations and expectations of Ondo people in post-election period.
After the election, the next priority is governance. Thanking the people for giving him the mandate, he said: “I will preside over a government that will serve the people.”
It is gratifying that Akeredolu has waved an olive branch to his rivals and detractors. He said he was ready to be governor of all Ondo State. As the APC leader, he inherits a divided party. The governor has a duty to unite the family and reposition it for future elections. Only a united APC can withstand the challenge posed by the PDP majority in the House of Assembly. In post-election period, the party will also be warming up for ward and state congresses and parliamentary primaries. Akeredolu’s performance in office will either attract voters or sway the votes from the APC during the polls. Many will defect to the APC from the PDP. This will make harmonisation inevitable
The governor-elect has reiterated his determination to create jobs through the development of agriculture. This is a welcome development. But, the words should be backed by actions. Lamenting the soaring unemployment in the Sunshine State, he said the menace could also be halted through the revatilisation of moribund industries.
Akeredolu, who spoke on his plans for Ondo State in a live television programme, said: “I have promised to create jobs and we will do this through the development of agriculture.”The APC chieftain also promised to end the suffering of workers through regular the revival of regular payment of salaries. He said: “Civil servants have not been paid for months. We will revive the civil service and change the orientation of the civil servants to work.”
On education, the governor-elect said: “We intend to promote functional education. Students should also learn trades while in school. We will provide a conducive atmosphere for learning in schools. We have to rebuild the schools and encourage teachers to work.”
Akeredolu acknowledged the health care initiative of the Mimiko administration, saying that he will make health care accessible and affordable. He stressed: “There are mother and child hospitals. It is a good idea. But, the health centres must be accessible and affordable. It should be moved to the doorsteps of the people. We need more health centres from where referrals can be made to the general Hospitals. We need more doctors and nurses.”
Akeredolu also reiterated his commitment to the proposed school feeding programme, saying that the project will be faithfully implemented. He also said the state will benefit maximally from its alignment with the mainstream politics in this dispensation.
He added: “There will be a synergy between the Federal Government and Ondo State because it is the same party.”
