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Immediate past governor of Oyo State, Otunba Christopher Alao Akala, yesterday declared his intention to run in the 2015 gubernatorial race on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Unfolding his agenda yesterday afternoon during his declaration speech at Watershed Event Centre, Old Ife Road, in Ibadan, Akala promised that his second coming would witness all-inclusive governance, qualitative leadership, and consolidation on the achievements of his previous administration in the areas of education, health, commerce and agriculture.
He further promised that if elected, he would continue with the policy of uplifting the rural areas, as well as the urban centres with the execution of people-oriented projects.
Criticising the incumbent government of Senator Isiaka Ajimobi, he said: “I am convinced that the good people of the state have been watching and monitoring the performance of the present administration. As a matter of fact, one fact remains incontrovertible; the present government is characterised by anti-people policies as evidenced in the wanton destruction of means of livelihood; imposition of higher taxes; capital flight and outright dismissal of public servants on flimsy excuses. So, I want to come back and put smile on faces of the people again.”
Echoing the cries of market women whose shops were destroyed and means of livelihood taken away, Akala said he has also listened to the agonies of landlords whose houses were destroyed without compensation as well as those of many civil servants and top-ranking officers of government sacked ignominiously in the state,
“You shall be duly compensated and those unjustly sacked shall be reinstated. You all have seen how our rating in education has plummeted, with Government of the day struggling to pay our children’s WAEC fees,” the former gover promised.
In his remarks, the PDP chairman in the state, Alhaji Yinka Taiwo, promised that the party would be fair to all aspirants. He called on the Oyo State PDP elders to meet and address issues that could tear the party apart, even as he expressed optimism that the PDP would take over the leadership of Oyo State from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.
•Photo shows Alao Akala while delivering his declaration speech, yesterday afternoon, at Watershed Event Centre, Old Ife Road, Ibadan.
