Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has felicitated with Nigerians on the occasion of the New Year, urging them to continue to work for the unity of Nigeria and not to lose hope owing to the various challenges currently confronting the country.
The governor stated this in his New Year message issued in Ibadan on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo.
He also urged the people of the state to be vigilant and not allow those he called enemies of the state to find their ways back to the corridors of power.
“As patriotic Nigerians, we should continue to work for the unity, peace and progress of our dear country. While it is true that Nigeria is currently facing a myriad of challenges ranging from security to economic and political, we should not lose hope. Rather, we should work together as a people to bring the desired change to the country.
“As for my good of Oyo State, this is the time to be extra vigilant. As the general elections are fast approaching, those who superintended the many years of retrogression that the state suffered before the advent of our administration are around again.
“They have been promising our people what they themselves know that they don’t have the capacity and capability to give. They have forgotten that the woes they brought to our dear state when they were given the opportunity to superintend over the affairs of Oyo State is still fresh in the memory of our people.
“They have forgotten that the violence and brigandage that they unleash on our people is still very much in our reckoning. They bombarded the state and treated people as practically non-existent.
“During their reign, Oyo was not only a pariah state but had disappeared from the radar of development. It totally lost its pacesetting status owing to the intellectual and administrative limitations of the managers,’’ he said.
Governor Ajimobi urged the people to say No to the agents of retrogression who he said were hell bent on bringing the state back to its inglorious past.
Rather, he said that they should continue to support his administration which he said had delivered on its promises and had succeeded, based on available evidences, in restoring, transforming and repositioning the state.
He particularly stated that his administration had been able to make significant improvements in peace and security, health services, wealth creation and economic empowerment, environment and habitat, good governance, as well as infrastructure, staff development and welfare.
The governor also said that the year 2015 would witness the granting of more interest-free loans to traders and artisans so as to help in developing their businesses and ensure their empowerment.
He said that his administration would continue to explore all possible avenues to make life worth living for the people of the state, who he said deserved even more, given their unflinching cooperation and support to his administration.
Dr. Festus Adedayo
Special Adviser to the Governor on Media
