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Tag: ONDO

  • Ondo lawmaker doles out cash, cars, others to constituents

    Ondo lawmaker doles out cash, cars, others to constituents

    A lawmaker representing Akoko Northeast/Northwest Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Hon. Friday Olemija has distributed empowerment facilities and funds to his constituents in fulfilment of his electoral promises. DAMISI OJO reports.

    The lawmaker representing Akoko Northwest/Northeast Federal Constituency, Hon Friday Olemija, has dolled out cash and other items to his constituents.

    Among the items distributed at Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Northeast are cars, tricycles, motorcycles, deep freezers, grinding machines, sowing machines, hair dryers, plasma television sets, electricity generating sets, musical instruments and wheel chairs for the handicapped with substantial cash.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, who is the former chairman of Akoko Northeast Local Government, Ikare-Akoko, praised the people of his constituency for the support rendered to him during the last year general elections.

    According to him, “to whom much is given, much is expected from such person and in fulfilment of my campaign promises, I have to make my people happy.”

    Olemija said in spite of the economic downturn in the country, he still obliged to put smiles on the faces of the people in his constituency.

    He said he had sponsored three bills on roads in the lower chamber to better the lot of his people, while providing boreholes in many towns.

    He promised that such gesture would be continuous.

    Olemija urged the Ondo State government to pay the salary arrears of the public servants.

    “The state government has no reason to owe its workers salary, considering the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Federal allocation accrued to the state monthly,” he said.

    He lamented that no fewer than 35 civil servants and pensioners have died due to lack of money for medication.

    The lawmaker, who decried the poor condition of workers in the employ of the Ondo State government, said the state has enough resources to cater for the needs of its workers without leaning on the Federal Government.

    He said Ondo State is blessed with abundant mineral resources, and being part of the Niger Delta states receives more allocation than many states in the Southwest, and wondered why the state government owes its workers five months salaries.

    Olemija expressed worry on what he described as poor welfare of workers in the state, saying the Mimiko-led administration has little respect for the state’s work force.

    He challenged the state government to pay the workers all their outstanding salary arrears, even as he urged the workers to fight for their right and ensure that the state government understands their plight.

    He maintained that the state is economically buoyant to pay its workers and execute physical projects in all the Local Government Areas in the state, adding that government’s insensitivity to the welfare of the people accounts for the under development.

    The legislator advised the people to vote for APC in the governorship election for the state to experience the development it deserves.

    Some beneficiaries of the legislator’s kindness appreciated him for fulfilling part of his promises, urging him to continue impacting on the lives of the people.

     

  • Scores injured, vehicles vandalised in police, Ondo poly students clash

    •Protester attack TVC cameraman

    Scores of residents of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State sustained injuries and 10 vehicles were vandalised yesterday, following a clash between the police and students of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO).

    Trouble started when two students were allegedly hit by a van belonging to the police.

    The students accused the police of abandoning the victims.

    This forced the students to embark on a protest to the Police Station B Division at Otapete.

    But they were dispersed by the police, who tear-gassed and shot sporadically into the air.

    It was gathered that a student was accidentally hit by a bullet

    The policemen’s action angered the students, who allegedly destroyed vehicles parked inside the station.

    They later blocked the Owo/Akure expressway, which is opposite their school, thereby causing a gridlock.

    Residents of Owo were not spared in the unrest as they were prevented from moving out of the town.

    Witnesses said students where seen burning tyres at the main gate of their school, Fasawe and White House areas, which is mainly occupied by them.

    Three hours later, the police later brought in an armour tank to clear the main road of Owo town, which was blocked by the rampaging students.

    Police spokesman Mr. Femi Joseph alleged that the students attacked the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who “is in a critical condition”.

    Joseph said the students also attacked the police officers, who were on duty when they stormed the station.

    He added that the students vandalised parked vehicles inside the station despite the DPO calling for calm.

    “The police vehicle that hit the students was not deliberate done and it was a total lie that the driver abandoned the students because he immediately took the victims to a hospital and they are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

    The Vice President (Affairs) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr. Timileyin Ayenuro, called for the removal of the DPO.

    He accused the DPO of fueling the crisis, saying what the students were expecting from them was an apology over the matter since they did not know the state of their colleagues.

    He called for the release of the arrested students and warned the police to stop harassing students.

    But the protesting students were alleged to have attacked the cameraman of TVC News, Tunde Lawal and vandalised his camera.

    Lawal, who was covering the protest, was attacked by one of the aggrieved students. The view finder of the camera was damaged.

    The TVC cameraman was rescued by NANS’ vice president.

    Ayenuro, who was at the scene of the incident, called the students to order.

  • Ondo APC slams Mimiko’s foreign trip despite workers’ strike

    The Ondo State All Progressives Congress(APC) has expressed concern over Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s trip to the United Kingdom (UK) without making meaningful effort to end the workers’ strike.

    It noted that the hardship facing the residents is becoming more daunting as the industrial action crippled the state’s economic activities.

    A statement by the party’s Director of Research and Publicity,Steve Otaloro,at the weekend, queried Mimiko’s trip in spite of the issue confronting the state.

    It said:”This is a height of callousness on the part of Governor Mimiko and it is unacceptable to the people, who elected him to take care of their welfare.

    “We know Mimiko had been frequently globe-trotting since he came to power in 2009 at the expense of the state’s meagre resources and under the guise of visiting these places to seek for investors.

    “But this present trip to the UK, which is of no economic value, is uncalled for at this time in the midst of serious crisis that has engulfed the state, which requires serious attention of the governor that prides himself as running ‘acaring heartgovernment’.

    “It should also be noted that Mimiko’s previous trips have not seem to have yielded a single foreign investment to the state. Instead, his policies have killed businesses through multiple-taxations inflicted on existing businesses.

    “The opulent lifestyle of the governor and his family at the Government House and the fact that he is living large enough at the expense of the state must have beclouded him to appreciate the pains and the hunger that permeate the entire citizenry.”

    The party said he should remember that this was not what he promised the people at his inaugural speech, where he boasted, “I will work for you”, in his 2009 speech.

    The APC noted that the hardship in Ondo State was self-inflicted.

    “We warned the governor before now to desist from borrowing and that repayment will stiffen development; but he did not listen.

    “We told him that ‘he who goes a-borrowing will one day go a-sorrowing’. It is repayment of these various unwarranted loans collected by the PDP led-government of Ondo State that is now making life difficult for our people because of the inability of government to pay salaries of civil servants and pensioners’ emolument.

    “These are with its attendant consequences on other sectors of the state’s economy that is largely driven by revenue from the state workers.

    “It is true there is revenue shortfall from the Federation Account, but Ondo State is not the only state affected. Some states are still afloat paying their workers’ salaries and discharging other government responsibilities to their people.

    “The bitter truth is that Mimiko’s administration has this die hard prodigal habit of spending money on frivolities.”

    APC said the governor did not find it necessary to save for a rainy day and invest in revenue-generating activities, hence the fulcrum for the present predicament.

    It maintained that the excuses by the government that it is waiting for an imaginary reimbursement from the Federal Government on road projects executed and the funny Paris Club fund were unattainable and unacceptable.

  • We don’t know the state of Ondo’s finance, says Speaker

    We don’t know the state of Ondo’s finance, says Speaker

    Ondo State House of Assembly Speaker Jumoke Akindele yesterday said the House has no knowledge of how the state’s finances are being managed.

    Mrs. Akindele stated this at a meeting organised by the Assembly to resolve the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by workers.

    For two weeks, workers have been on strike because they have not been paid for  five months.

    Already, traditional rulers, led by their chairman, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, last week urged the  workers to shelve their action. But the strike persists.

    Governor Olusegun Mimiko has said the state has no  fund to pay the workers.

    But the Speaker, who was responding to an allegation raised by the labour leaders that the state government has money in its accounts, said she was not aware that the government had many accounts.

    Mrs. Akindele said: “It is not our responsibility to know how many accounts Ondo government operates.

    “Due to this, we don’t know the state of Ondo State’s finance, but you union leaders can help us with the list.”

    She, however, appealed to workers to allow a fresh negotiation to end the two-week-old industrial action.

    The Speaker noted that the House was aware of the travails the workers were passing through over non-payment of their salaries.

    “We are deeply concerned by situation on ground, but we should look for ways out of the ugly situation and forge ahead, “she said.

    Mrs. Akindele, who asked the labour leaders to purge out their grievances, said the House would come out with resolutions on the strike.

    According to her, it was the initiative of the House to intervene and find lasting solution to the feud between the workers and the state government.

    She, therefore, promised to advise the government to gather the money in the banks and see if it would be enough to pay the workers.

    Chairman of Joint Negotiations Council (JNC), Mr. Sunday Adeleye hailed the assembly leadership for its intervention.

    But he said the meeting was belated.

    Adeleye frowned at the protracted delay of salary payment, saying that it was only means of survival for the workers.

    He added that the non-payment of the salaries had rendered the state redundant because it is a civil service state.

    The JNC chairman asked the state government to put a stop to all capital projects and pay workers’ salaries.

    “No matter the capital projects, they will not put food on tables of workers and what we are asking for is reward for service rendered.

    “I must inform you that there is high level of hunger in our society and if we are not careful, there may be civil uprising, which will not be palatable,” Adeleye warned.

  • 3,000 delegates ’ll pick Ondo APC flagbearer, says Kekemeke

    Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Isaacs Kekemeke has assured the party’s governorship aspirants and members that its primary will be determined by over 3,000 delegates.

    Kekemeke, who said this at the weekend, urged the aspirants to devote their time and energies to solicit for votes.

    He added that the primary will ensure a level-playing field for the aspirants.

    The APC chairman noted that even though the responsibility of organising primary elections rests on the National Executive Council (NEC) members, he assured party members that the election will be free, fair and transparent.

    He added that whoever “will emerge victorious, will win fairly and those who will lose, will also lose fairly”.

    This, he said, would make the election credible.

    Kekemeke, who noted that it was within the right of any member to support any aspirant of his/her choice, said no individual has the power to impose any candidate on the party.

    He said: “Party leaders have preferences. The only thing they can do is to use goodwill or influence. But the election will still be decided by the delegates and will be free and fair and the electorate will see their votes clearly as everything will be done in the open.”

    The party chairman sought the support of APC members to ensure that the primary is transmitted live on television.

    He prayed that anyone, who would not benefit the party and the state, should not get the APC ticket.

    According to him, “the hardship Ondo people arewitnessing is a reflection of bad leadership in the state”.

    Kekemeke received some gifts donated by Isaac Olemija, member in the House of Representatives representing Akoko North East/North West Local Government Areas, for the use of the party secretariat.

    He thanked the lawmaker for the good gesture and assured him that the gifts would be judiciously used.

    The APC chairman hailed the party’s five members of House of Representatives for their monthly donations.

    He noted that the money has been of tremendous help in running the party’s affairs in the last seven months.

    He also acknowledged the legislators’ supports to their constituencies.

    Kekemeke described Olemija as a party man, who has been of great support to the APC.

     

     

  • Navy vows to stop oil theft in Ondo

    The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) in charge of Western Naval Command of Nigeria Navy, Rear-Admiral Ferguson Dukas Bobai, has assured the citizenry that officers and ratings of the Forward Operational Base (FOB) Igbokoda, Ondo State will curtail oil bunkering in riverine areas.

    Bobai spoke at the weekend in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, after addressing officers and ratings of the base during a familiarisation.

    According to him, the visit, which he said is part of his tour to the area, was aimed at accessing the activities of the officers.

    He added that the navy is putting in place other tactical strategies to curb oil theft, piracy and attacks on oil and gas installations on the waterways and maritime environment.

    His words: “We are recapitalising our fleet and building capacities by way of getting our docks, yards and shipyards to be operational.

    “This will enhance our performance and we will also be in a position to perform better, so as to curtail the activities of the miscreants within our areas of jurisdiction.

    “The navy has come up with patrol strategies and creation of more choke points, so that when oil thieves steal whatever they have to steal, they cannot have access into the open sea.”

    He advised the officers not to engage in harbouring criminals as the navy is expecting a lot from them.

    The naval officer stressed the need for them to be up and doing by discharging their duties effectively.

    He urged naval personnel to keep maintaining good relationship with their host communities.

    Bobai added that several efforts put in by the navy with assistance from other security agencies have resulted in drastic reduction in crude oil theft from about 1.2 million barrels per day to about 250,000.

    The Commanding Officer, Forward Operational Base (FOB) Igbokoda, Navy Capt. Nnabuchi Aniaku, thanked the FOC for the visit, which, he said, was part of the activities of the Igbokoda FOB to acquaint him with its operational activities.

    He hailed the Federal Government for the provision of resources, which, he said, has enabled them to perform better.

    He solicited for more supports to enable the base personnel monitor wellheads, pipelines and other facilities due to the difficulties of the Niger Delta terrain.

    The naval boss said the FOB, which covers the riverine areas of Ondo State, would continue to deter oil thieves and pipeline vandals from sabotaging the nation’s economy.

  • Ondo to workers: join clamour for restructuring

    Ondo to workers: join clamour for restructuring

    THE Ondo State government yesterday has the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to mobilise workers to join in the clamour for the country’s restructuring.

    This, it said, will put an end to the trend of inability of states’ governments to pay workers’ salaries.

    Commissioner for  Information Kayode Akinmade, who said this yesterday,  hailed the workers for acknowledging the impact of the country’s economic downturn, which, according to him, has made it difficult for over 30 states to pay workers’ salaries.

    Akinmade said the state government has resolved to ensure quick resolution of the impasse occasioned by the non-payment of salaries of workers.

    He appealed to labour unions to join the growing clamour for restructuring of the country based on the reality on ground.

    He said: “A situation where the Federal government, which has no land and population, is collecting 53 per cent of the total revenue accruable to the country is evil, unfair, unjust, unacceptable and crime against humanity.

    “The other federating units, 36 states and Abuja, including the existing 774 local government areas are left with just 45 per cent of the revenue which shows no equity and fairness.”

    The government said NLC should acknowledge the precarious situation most states have found themselves in the last one year.

    The statement added that revenue allocation to Ondo State has reduced considerably so much that in the last five months, its  gross allocation was between N1 and N2 billion.

    It noted that “to make the matter worse, we have a wage bill of N3.9 billion for the state workers and N2.6 billion for local government and this did not include funds for the day-to-day running of ministries, parastatals and capital projects.”

     

     

     

  • Group urges Ondo people to be resolute

    Group urges Ondo people to be resolute

    A socio-political group, Dynamic Forum(DF), has called on Ondo State people to remain steadfast in their struggle to bring the desired change to the state as from February.

    A statement by its Director of Publicity, Omobuwa Akinola, noted that the last seven years has not been rosy owing to poverty.

    The group with membership drawn from 18 local government areas lamented that apart from the backlog of salaries arrears and pensions, infrastructural growth has ceased.

    According to the statement, corruption in the state has become a common phenomenon and unprecedented since the inception of the present administration in 2009.

    It noted that the annual budget being passed by the state Assembly has not been religiously implemented by the Executive for the benefit of the masses.

    The group urged the people to rise up and unite at this critical moment to save the state from drifting into a failed state.

    It lamented that the legislators have remained dormant as their salaries and facilities to carry out their oversight functions have ceased to come.

    The DF said: “Court activities have been paralysed since the judiciary workers began an indefinite strike over a month ago, owing to wage dispute.

    It expressed dismay over the ongoing strike embarked upon by civil servants over the inability of the state government to pay their five-month salaries.

    But the Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, absolved the state government.

    According to him, the inability of the state government to pay wages of workers as at when due and meet up with its responsibilities was due to decline in the nation’s economy.

     

     

  • Akinsuyi: Ondo has leadership problem

    Akinsuyi: Ondo has leadership problem

    Hon. Niran Sule-Akinsuyi is a former Commissioner for Special Duties in Ondo State. He is among the over 40 governorship aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview with LEKE AKEREDOLU, he speaks about his chances at the shadow poll.

    What are the chances of the APC in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State?

    The APC is at the centre of the game in Ondo state, in terms of strength, in terms of content. We are populated by strategic personalities in Ondo state. People who are concerned, people who believed that we can do more than what we are doing presently.  To a large extent, we represent the collections of the feelings and aspiration of the people of Ondo state today. Election is all about numbers and politics is about people.

    Looking at the number of aspirants, will the race not be rowely?

    It depends on your interpretation of it. Yoruba will say you don’t compete for something that is bad. If something is good and it is of benefit to the society, you find it difficult at times to limit the numbers of ideas that you will get or numbers of people showing interest, but I think the party will use its own internal mechanism to look into that. We are not disadvantaged as a result of the large number of people showing interest in the governorship.

    Will the challenges facing the country, in terms of security and high cost of food items not affect the chances of your party during the election?

    The lesson of history is very important in our quest to serve the interest of our people. The issue of subsidy removal and the fraud associated with it have been on the table for a long time. The decay in the economy and in our financial system; the level of corruption in the system will also be on the table as well. What is coming out now is that past governments have treated these vital issues with kid gloves. So, this is the very first time that we are having a leader with that courage to do the right thing, courage to take decision and stand by it. The rot in the oil and gas sector, the rot in the management of the resources of this country; these are stories that have been coming up more than 20 years. Fela musically described all these problems in many ways and it is time for us to begin to take steps by providing answers to some of the problems facing us as a nation and the issue of oil subsidy is one. Happily, majority of Nigerians are beginning to show understanding.  Initially, the opposition tried to fight back to distract the present administration. At a time, they were talking about frequent foreign trips. But, everybody have come to the realisation that the President should not live in Nigeria, he needs to go out there because half of our resources are stacked away in foreign lands. He needs to take the battle to those countries because today we are faced with many challenges, including the non- payment of workers’ salaries and the challenges of foreign exchange to activate the economy. We have also been informed that six Nigerians out of many Nigerians that too our money abroad can bail the country out of its present predicaments. Every nation is taking step to reduce the incident of corruption because the World Bank and most international agencies have underscored the point that corruption is the root of poverty, especially in Africa and third world countries.  I believe that any system that can stop corruption should be supported by the people.

    What are your chances of clinching the APC ticket?

    We are relying on what we are bringing into the system. We are going to establish an enduring political structure under which a lot of our people can maximise their opportunities and potentials.  We are going  to empower talents and solve the problem militating against the economic growth of Ondo State, which is capital flight. Ninety percent of our earnings never stay with us. As soon as they are received, they develop wings and disappeared. So, we are coming up with policies that will stop capital flight and ensure that there is fair and equitable distribution of resources in the state. In days to come, we are going to unfold our programmes, our policies and the reasons why we are coming into government. We have been able to identify that part of the problems, why the economy of our state has not been opened to the outside world, which is the problem of leadership.

    What do you think is the problem of leadership in Ondo State?

    The major problem is greed and avarice and that is what is responsible for the failure of structure that has now put us at a very disadvantage position; politically and economically.  Let me give you the example of leadership in Lagos and the benefits of enduring political structure since 1999 in that state, compared with Ondo State where none exists till date. We have been having an epileptic political structure in Ondo State. We took off from 1999, with the Afenifere structure, which the Alliance for Democracy (AD) used to ascend to various offices. Unfortunately, that structure was unknowingly relinquished by the leadership when they engaged in the Obasanjo’s second term project, which gave the PDP an opportunity to start all over again. So, the structure that was put in place by the PDP under that arrangement when they took over in 2003 was also troubled and dismantled through a popular movement by the people and the Labour Party (LP), which came to power.  We are all living witnesses to what happened to the LP as it was abandoned for a return into the PDP. So, the problem is that people who are supposed to be standing on these structures, leaders who are supposed to acquire training through the system and move up on the ladder like their counterpart in other states especially Lagos have been relegated because the system is not enduring. I am talking about Lagos state because you can feel and touch the benefit of enduring political system in Lagos state. On the economy side, you see the continuation of policies and programmes. You can point today to more than five successful Public Private Partnership (PPP) models in Lagos state.

  • ‘Why I want to govern Ondo’

    ‘Why I want to govern Ondo’

    Hon. Victor Adekanye Olabimtan is one of the governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State. He is the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and Commissioner representing Ondo, Edo and Ekiti States in the Federal Civil Service Commission. In this interview with TONY AKOWE, the politician speaks about his plans for the sunshine state.

    Why did you leave the PDP for the APC?

    I believe in fairness, equity and justice. And I also believe strongly in internal democracy. All these three were lost in the PDP. The PDP started losing ground since 2007, when Obasanjo handed over power. It was a gradual process. People can say all manner of things about Obasanjo, but when it comes to the issue of party supremacy and internal democracy, Obasanjo stand tall among all the PDP chieftains. If he sees that anyone is being oppressed, he will stand by the person. Not supporting the person, but making sure that the principles of fairness, justice and equity were applied. The likes of Governor Akpabio, Fayose (in his first term) and many others are direct beneficiary of these principles from Obasanjo. These principle are missing in the party, and to make matters worse, the incumbent governor of Ondo State came to the party and took over the party we used our sweat, money and time to build. The PDP became self-glorified and started worshiping people in power against the wish of the masses to the extent that some of us could no longer talk. So, when it was time to choose candidates for the party, those candidates were handpicked by one man. The era of one man politics had long gone centuries ago. So, I couldn’t submit myself to a situation like that anymore.

    What disappeared in the PDP then – equity, fairness and justice – was found in the APC. This principle became non-existent in the PDP. In the APC today, everybody can attest to the fact that internal democracy, rules of natural justice, and the rule of equity reign supreme. Those were the foundation upon which the APC was formed. If you look at all the primaries conducted in the APC so far, you will understand my point. What made the PDP thick at the beginning was now lost, and now found in the APC. Naturally, you flock to where you find peace. I have to move to where fairness, justice and equity prevail. That’s the APC. And for as long as these principles are found in my party, the APC, I remain.

    Why are you contesting for the APC governorship ticket?

    I am running for governorship for many reasons. One, I want to run a government that is classically transparent and good, a government where the principle of fairness, equity and justice will always apply. The leaders of tomorrow are the youths. At the end of every election, they are always neglected or given insignificant positions like Special Assistants or Personal Assistants. They should be appointed commissioners, Chairmen of Boards and Parastatals; they should be everything, even deputy governor. The same goes for the women. That is why we have made it succinctly clear that our government is going to be 50-50. Fifty per cent for those who are 50 years and above and the other 50 per cent for those who are 49 years and below. And in all political appointments, 40 per cent would go to women. I also want to prove to doubting Thomases that not all politicians are liars. That is one of the main reasons the Victor Olabimtan Initiative for Change Emancipation, timely produced our manifesto, christened: “My pact and contract with the good people of Ondo State,” so that people can see something to hold on to as a bond between us and them. This is a clear departure from the usual norm where politicians merely talk about their aspirations without telling the people what they intend to offer. We have a blueprint on how to make the sun shine brightly again in Ondo State. And by the grace of God and with the support of the people, our manifesto will be implemented to the letter. Ondo State will be better for it.

    How would you unite the contending forces in the state?

    A bridge builder is someone who can work his way across people, across diverse purposes and bring everybody together for the good of all. As far as this race is concerned, I am not being proud or immodest, but I think if you are looking for a candidate that cuts across all bridges, that candidate is Victor Adekanye Olabimtan. The youths, women and elders love me. In my dealings with everybody during my journey so far, despite my imperfections, I have been fair to everybody and they know and love me. Looking at Ondo State as a whole, I can say that I am the candidate that can be trusted by all parties. The civil servants in Ondo State consider me as one of them and they relate with me as such. The youths understand what God has used me to do for some of them. The elders appreciate my humble contributions to the betterment of our society. All sectors of the society are accessible to me and I am equally accessible to all. I believe that, for us to develop, we need other people from outside Ondo State. We have a shoreline that has not been tapped in Ondo State. We cannot do it alone; we need Lagos, we need Ogun, and we need the Federal government. We need to liaise with Lagos State Chambers of Commerce and Industry, if we must develop our seaport. In a case where we have a governor who has an axe to grind with someone who can help him, such a governor will rather remain helpless than go to his “enemy” for help. I  have no axe to grind with anybody. Therefore; approaching anyone won’t be an issue for me because I am free with all. This is what building bridges is all about. I can connect Ondo State with the Federal and any State government. I have worked with both Ondo State and the Federal Governments and I know where we need solutions to our problems. We need the cooperation and support of the federal government, some states and private individual to move Ondo state forward. In me, you can find the needed bridge builder to connect Ondo state and move our dear state to an enviable height.