BEING AN ADDRESS BY THE NEWLY SWORN-IN GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE, HON. LUCKY ORIMISAN AIYEDATIWA HELD AT THE COCOA CONFERENCE CENTRE, OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE ON MONDAY, 27TH DECEMBER, 2023
With heavy heart, I accept this difficult task of taking over our state’s governance and affairs in the wake of the untimely death of our dear boss, dear leader, and beloved governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON.
Our governor passed away on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, which came as a terrible shock to all of us because we had been fervently praying for a speedy recovery and his safe return to Ondo State after he left for a second medical leave. Indeed, death lays his cold hand on kings; there is no defense against fate.
Permit me to take this opportunity to offer my condolences to Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, HRM Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye III’s family, the Olowo of Owo, the people of Owo and indeed the entire people of Ondo State over this monumental loss both immediate and extended.
I personally worked closely with Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, when he began his gubernatorial journey in 2012, so his passing is truly a great loss. Our relationship goes back many years. Our close political and personal relationship continued after that loss, and it reached its pinnacle in 2020 when he graciously selected me to be his running mate for his second term as governor of Ondo State.
A brave and steadfast man, Governor Akeredolu always stood up for the truth, even at his own expense. I still clearly recall the legal battle we faced to defend our election to a second term. He persisted in his efforts to establish the “Amotekun Corps,” a robust security network for the residents of the Southwest. The people of Ondo State and the Southwest as a whole will always be indebted to this audacious move that has significantly enhanced the security framework in the area and drastically decreased the number of kidnapping, banditry, and other criminal incidents—particularly in Ondo State. His numerous contributions to the fields of health, education, infrastructure development, and industrial development—symbolized by the Ondo-Linyl Industrial Hub—as well as his innovation in Ondo State Entrepreneurial Development Agency, his Tech Hub, etc will be difficult to surpass.
READ ALSO : Aiyedatiwa promises to complete Akeredolu’s projects
Since this is the first time an administration has changed in Ondo State history, the events that led up to the ceremony today mark a turning point in the state’s history. The events of today have put a pressure on all of us to come together and support one another because it is our heavy duty to carry on Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON’s legacy of good governance, as it was rightly called. During his tenure, our leader and governor started a number of historic projects, many of which are still in progress and have already been completed. It is now our obligation to finish them.
The State now has a flyover in Ore, while the one in Akure is still under construction, to the credit of Arakunrin Akeredolu. The outstanding accomplishments and legacies of Arakunrin Akeredolu are something we should be proud of. His performance records are enormous and unmatched.
I want to reassure the people of Ondo State that the welfare of the people will continue to be advanced under my administration. People will always come first in all of our decisions. Again, I pray that God Almighty will give the Ondo State family and people the strength to endure this irreversible loss.
Allow me to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the National Chairman of our party, His Excellency Alhaji Adbullahi Ganduje, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the leaders of the party at the national and state levels, and the elders of our state for their assistance and support during this difficult time.
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. As we work to ingrain good governance in our beloved State, I want to kindly ask the people of Ondo State to keep us in their prayers.
May the people of Ondo State always be blessed by God.
Crediblenews.ng
