Osun 2018: How My Successor Will Emerge - Aregbesola

Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Monday said his successor would be selected after due consultation with the Leaders and members of the party APC in the state.

Aregbesola stated this in his New year message to the people of the state.

He assured that no vacuum will be left at the expiration of his tenure this year.

According to him, the person who would be selected would be one that belongs to the Progressives and shares the party's aspirations, and can ensure continuity.

"This is an election year in which our tenure will end and a successor must emerge. It is my solemn promise that we will not leave in a vacuum.

In consultation with our leaders and the member of our great party, we will careful select and present to you a successor that belongs to our political tradition of progressive people oriented leadership, a person of integrity, who shares our aspirations and will take governance to the next level from where we stopped.

I want you therefore to conduct yourselves with the same dignity and courage of Omoluabi – a people whose conscience and soul cannot be bought, that cannot be intimidated with guns and dogs and who stand firm behind the progressive rock of political leadership".

Aregbesola while appreciating the people of the for the chance given to serve, urged them assist his administration by ensuring payment of taxes and dues to the coffer of government.

"On Thursday last week, I presented to the State House of Assembly the budget for the administration of this state for next year. That budget is the culmination of all our effort and will represent the crowning glory of our achievements. I fully intend to implement it to the last kobo.

For it to work however, there must be a clear departure from the past of dependency on allocation from the federation account. It is imperative that we generate our own revenue. This requires that we all work hard.

The collective wealth of the state is the aggregate of what everyone contributes and we can only be economically and financially safe when everyone produces more than he or she consumes.

All of us should pay our taxes, rates, levies, fees, fines and other financial obligations to the state.
I must commend and thank you all most sincerely from my heart for your kind support, for the sacrifice, understanding and the willingness to do and support what is right, and not what is convenient, in the past seven years.

I must in particular thank all the workers in the state who have laboured with us for the successful implementation of our programmes and are therefore part and parcel of our success story, especially those who have had to endure 75 per cent and 50 per cent salary regime since July 2015.



This is why we all need to support the government by fulfilling our financial obligations to it in order for it to be able to carry out all its projects satisfactorily too.
Yes, there could be irresponsible government who would rather serve themselves than serve the people but we must still support the state as the symbol of our collective aspiration. To prevent irresponsible administration, we need productivity, vigilance and patriotism.
What we are going through now is the consequence of the bad choices we made in the past and except we change course by doing the right thing, by being productive and financially support the government, vigilantly monitor its activities, there is no magic wand anywhere and the situation might get worse.
We therefore count on you to get the maximum support from you till the very end, for us to be able to give you our maximum best.
Indeed, we have served maximally and given our best because you have supported us. Please keep supporting us.
In the New Year, political desperado hell bent on precipitating crisis and mayhem will want to egg some misguided individuals into conducting themselves unseemly and disturb the peace and serenity of the state. We support the democratic expression of grievances through peaceful protests and other legitimate means.  Nevertheless, all form of social agitation, be it economic, political or social, must not be done to the detriment of others. We have the mandate and strong intention to protect the right of others to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness and go about their lawful duties without molestation, let or hindrance.



It is my earnest prayer that the New Year will be peaceful, successful and usher in fresh opportunities, goodness, prosperity and abundance to all and sundry.
I wish you a happy and blessed new year, 2018
Osun a dara!