Prince Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, on Monday, kicked – off his campaign at Atan, the headquarters of Ijebu North East Local Government Area and pledged to return financial power to local councils to enable them to perform their constitutional role.
The frontline governorship candidate and successful entrepreneur added that pursuing the policy would also help in the implementation of his administration’s agenda.
At present, he noted, local government chairmen first run to Abeokuta routinely begging for funds from the Governor before they could perform even fractions of their rudimentary roles.
“By returning power to local government chairmen to operate unfettered, council bosses will no longer have to go to Abeokuta to beg for funds to run their administration.
“They will be like mayors, like what we have in the advanced countries. By so doing, they will have time to deliver good programmes for the people of their immediate communities.
“Also, there will be prompt payment of salaries of teachers and civil servants in the state, without delivering.”
By returning power to local government chairmen to operate unfettered, council bosses will no longer have to go to Abeokuta to beg for funds to run their administration. They will be like mayors, like what we have in the advanced countries. By so doing, they will have time to deliver good programmes for the people of their immediate communities.
He recalled that indigenes and residents of the Local Government would not forget that when he pledged in 2015 while contesting for Ogun East Senatorial seat on the platform of the APC, he made good of his promise with personal donation of six transformers to Isonyin, Erunwon and eight other communities that were without electricity for almost 10 years.
The Governorship hopeful appealed for the massive votes of the Local government as was done in 2015, to enable him emerge victorious at the governorship poll.
“Don’t be confused, but ensure you cast your votes for me your next governor of Ogun State. You should know where you are coming from and know where you are going,” he said.
Former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Sen Gbenga Kaka, appealed to the people of Ijebu North-East to be wary of candidates they are going to vote for, in the forthcoming general elections.
He said except those who are not blind would be able to differentiate what is good from bad.
Kaka said:“You are to follow a right path by casting your votes for a good candidate like Dapo Abiodun as your next governor of Ogun State.
He and his running mate, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, enjoy strong support from the Federal, State and local government levels, Kaka added.
No fewer than 2,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party (AP) and Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the Local Government dumped the three parties and declared their support for Abiodun and APC.
Also, about 50 traditional rulers under the aegis of Council of Baales drawn from various communities and villages within the local government expressed support for Abiodun governorship ambition and prayed for his success at the polls.
Spokesperson of the Council of Baales, High Chief Durojaiye Olugbode, said the landmark kindness of the APC governorship candidate as recorded when he was contesting for Ogun East Senatorial seat in 2015 spurred them to endorse him as their governorship candidate.
He said Abiodun redeemed his pledge when their respective communities were in total darkness and he provided six transformers that have restored electricity.
Earlier in the day, executives and members of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ijebu-Ode branch, who had converged on the Palace of the Olisa of Ijebu – Ode, High Chief Rasheed Adesanya, also prayed and endorsed the APC candidate as the next governor of the state.
Notable personalities in attendance include Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, Sen Dipo Odujinrin, Sen Gbenga Obadara, Dr Femi Majekodunmi, Chief (Mrs) Lola Oduwole, Maj Richard Ajayi (rtd), among others.
*Culled from The Nation
 in Ogun State, on Monday, kicked – off his campaign at Atan, the headquarters of Ijebu North East Local Government Area and pledged to return financial power to local councils to enable them to perform their constitutional role.){kind=link}