Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, in the last new year message on Monday, promised to present a person of integrity to succeed him come September this year.
He made the promise in a new year speech delivered in a state broadcast to the people of the state.
Aregbesola who noted that his administration would end in November while the governorship election would come in September, urged the people to conduct themselves in a good manner.
“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.
“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.
‘This is the last New Year message our administration will pass to you as our tenure will end on November 26. Therefore, I will like to say from the bottom of my heart that it has been a great privilege to serve the good people of Osun. I cherish your love, fierce patriotism, courage and forthrightness. You are a great people.
He urged the people of the state to pay their taxes, rates, levies, fees, fines and other financial obligations to the state, saying “if one million of us productively engaged can contribute N250 for 20 days in a month, we will be able to raise N5 billion. This will enable us comfortably pay our workers and pensioners full salaries, run the government, provide infrastructure and carry out social protection services for all the people.
“All the things we desire like good roads, functional education, recreational facilities, security of life and property and a conducive environment for the pursuit of happiness and so on can best be provided by the government. No individual or private organisation can provide them to the satisfaction of all the people.
“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.
He also commended workers in the state for their endurance, adding “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.
