The outgoing administration in Oyo state has made history as the first to formally constitute and inaugurate a transition committee to prepare modalities towards transmitting power smoothly to the incoming administration as AGOOLA BAYO writes.
It is no longer news that the out-going All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in Oyo state will hand over the mantle of leadership to the governor- elect, Engineer Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, of the major opposition party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on May 29.
With the handing over date fast approaching, the out going governor, Senator Ajimobi, a few days ago, inaugurated a 27- man transition committee for the handling over and take off modalities for the newly elected government in the state.
Its terms of reference
The 27-member committee, comprises 17 from the out going government and 10 from the incoming administration. According to Governor Ajimobi, “The committee is to serve for a month with effect from the inauguration to submit its reports to the governor.”
List of members
On the side of the out going administration, the list includes the secretary to the state government, Mr Olalekan Alli who is to serve as chairman; the head of service, Mrs Hannah Ogunesan; attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr Seun Abimbola; the commissioner for information, culture and tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun; commissioner for environment and water resources, Chief Isaac Ishola; commissioner for agriculture, natural resources and rural development, Prince Oyewole Oyewumi; commissioner for health, Dr Azeez Adeduntan; commissioner for lands, housing and survey, Mr Isaac Omodewu; commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Mr Abimbola Kolade; commissioner for education, science and technology, Prof Adeniyi Olowofela; commissioner for finance, Mr Abimbola Adekanmbi; and commissioner for works and transport, Mr Wasiu Dauda. The special adviser, economic planning and budget, Dr Isiaka Kolawole; special adviser, efficiency unit, Dr Isaac Ayandele; special adviser, security, Mr Segun Bolarinwa; executive assistant, administration, Mr Soji Eniade; and permanent secretary, Civil Service Commission, Mr David Olatunde, who will serve as the secretary.
From the camp of the governor-elect, there is a former commissioner in the state and ex-Senate deputy chief whip, Senator Hosea Agboola, Chief Bisi Ilaka, Hon Debo Ogundoyin, Miss Lolade Ajibola, Mr Adeniyi Babatunde, Mr Seun Ashamu, Dr Bashir Bello, Mr Wale Adepoju, Hon. Temi Adibi and Mrs Bosede Ayo-Famola as members.
More terms of reference
While inaugurating the committee, Governor Ajimobi gave the mandate of the 27 man transition committee the mandate to liaise between the outgoing administration and the incoming administration in the state with a view to ensuring a smooth transition arrangement, evolve the framework for the handing-over, and organise a befitting handing-over and taking-over ceremonies.
He said, “I wish to emphasise that the major assignment of the transition committee is to organise a befitting handing over and taking over ceremonies. It is not designed to disturb the smooth running of government until the constitutionally-stipulated date of hand-over, though there may be needful clarifications. The hand-over notes to be evolved shall be a farewell message of the incumbent government introducing the incoming chief executive to the rudiments of his expected activities. The essence of the hand-over notes is therefore to serve as a platform for the take-off of the new administration in the reins of government,” he said.
Governor Ajimobi admonished the committee members to place the interest of the state and its citizens above other narrow interests by emulating the existing cordiality between himself and the governor- elect, Engineer Makinde, saying, the inauguration of the transition committee should not be seen as a mere stunt targeted at making history, but should be regarded as a deliberate step to promote the tenets of politics without bitterness.
“We make history today again as the first administration in the history of Oyo state in which the governor will inaugurate a transition committee comprising representatives of the incumbent and incoming administrations.
Consequently, today’s event is another unprecedented commitment of ours in the annals of the history of our dear state. It is also pertinent to note that for the first time in the history of Oyo state, an incumbent governor formally received in audience a governor-elect in the person of Makinde.”
Governor Ajimobi added further, “This, for us, are not just stunts for making history, but a demonstration of true tenets of democracy, good governance, politics without bitterness and the ‘Ajumose’ spirit of collective responsibility.”
Speaking further, he said adding, “The governor-elect, upon my request, forwarded a list of nominees to government and I have no doubt in my mind that members of his team are men and women capable of implementing a smooth transition from one government to another.”
To some political observers, the composition of members of the out going administration in the transition committee and that of the incoming administration speak volume on what should be expected as the final report of the committee gets ready at the end of its one-month period.
The composition from the government side could best be described as superlative considering the selection and the personalities that make up the team when analytically compared with those in the incoming administration’s team. Also, the difference in the numerical strength will no doubt be an added advantage.
Initial hiccup
Initially however, an indication that the committee will not be able to work together as expected emerged. During its inauguration when the leader of the incoming administration’s team, Senator Agboola arrived the venue with a prepared speech but was not called upon to even speak on behalf of his team not to talk of reading his prepared speech.
Though the transition committee members immediately after the inauguration were invited into a chamber at the Oyo state governor’s office for the ceremonial inaugural meeting, the real fireworks and brainstorming is expected to unfold itself going by the series of alarm raised by the governor-elect on alleged frivolous awards of what he called last minute award of contracts by the out going administration in the state and lately his negotiation with the labour unions over the New Minimum Wage.
