A former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi has said that outgoing governor Abiola Ajimobi would be remembered for hunger and poverty which, according to him, became more pronounced among the people during his time in government.
Gbolarumi, OYO INSIGHT recalls, was former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s deputy during the 11-month reign of former governor Rashidi Ladoja’s impeachment which was later declared illegal by the Supreme Court.
He described the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the just concluded election as well deserved.
“APC’s defeat is good riddance to bad rubbish. Before the election, Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s cup was already full, and the people of Oyo State were waiting for the election to show the governor and his party, APC that power belongs to the people.
“There is nothing to write home about in the eight years of Governor Ajimobi’s administration. The last four years has been very tough and rough for the people. His administration has not been people-friendly, and people-oriented at all. It has been a government of deceit and propaganda, and this was why people voted massively against him and his party during the election.
“If I were to rate Ajimobi, I will give him only 25 per cent mark. Although some people especially APC apologists will want to score him above average in the areas of infrastructure but of what use is that when people are hungry. People especially the masses, youths, young fresh graduates, market women, and small scale entrepreneurs were not empowered by his administration.
In a recent interview with Saturday Sun, Gbolarumi explained that “even in that area of infrastructure, for the so-called roads which his administration reportedly constructed, contractors and menial workers for the jobs were brought from Lagos and other places. People of Oyo state were not given any consideration in any of the contract work. Is that how an administrator should behave?
“Thank God that there is a change of government in Oyo state. Ajimobi’s defeat is a big relief for people of Oyo State. He will be remembered more for hunger and poverty which became more pronounced among our people during his time in government. Oyo State people have shown him, and his party APC that power really belongs to the people.”
Saying that Ajimobi was not a total failure, Gbolarumi scores the outgoing governor 25 per cent in terms of performance.
“On the overall, APC‘s government failed woefully in Oyo State. The party was a big disappointment for the people, and that was why Oyo State people voted massively against the party. Even within APC, there was so much discontentment that some of the party members who felt that the governor was gradually turning into an emperor and was no longer listening or taking to advice had to leave the party for Ajimobi, and a few clique that were with him.
“Unfortunately, Ajimobi was listening to those sycophants who were describing him as the best governor to administer Oyo State. He completely ignored voice of reason. We thank God that everything has become history now. We thank God that in few weeks time, Ajimobi will become part of history of Oyo State as an ex-governor.”
Speaking on the outcome of the last election, Gbolarumi explained that “those saying that the coalition made it possible for the opposition to dislodge the APC, are Ajimobi’s supporters and apologists. The simple fact remains that with people determined that enough is enough. But people were already fed up with Ajimobi and APC. So, the coalition just served as a platform or the vehicle to drive out Ajimobi and APC.
“But again, don’t forget that Ajimobi and APC also formed an alliance with other political parties also to fight the PDP. Ajimobi and APC out of desperation also invited former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala to join its fold. With Alao-Akala joining them, Ajimobi, and APC formed a formidable team but with all that, people’s power swept APC out of power and Oyo State. What the results of the election clearly showed was that Oyo State people decided to punish Ajimobi and APC for bad governance they foisted on the state.”
He added that “APC will never rise in Oyo State again. Oyo State has always been a progressive state in the fold of PDP. PDP has always been in control of Oyo State. In fact, Ajimobi became a governor by accident.
In 2015 when Ajimobi was first elected governor, he couldn’t have been elected if not for the internal crisis that rocked PDP then. Following the inability of PDP to put its house in order then, some members left to form another party, and thus during the election, the votes that could have gone in bulk to PDP was spilt into two. Even then, Ajimobi just managed to win the election with only 32 per cent of the votes. All these that I’m saying are facts that are not only recorded but also verifiable. This is why Ajimobi has been described as an accidental governor. Ajimobi has never been popular with the people of Oyo State. With Ajimobi’s defeat, APC has gone into political oblivion in Oyo State.”
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