The All Progressives Congress (APC), National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, has justified his ambition to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
If picked by his party, he will run against the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Basiru, in a statement by his SRJ Campaign Team, signed by Prof. Aderemi Ajala in Osogbo, said he wished to improve the state’s fortunes.
The statement said, “Our principal, Senator Basiru, a lawyer and democrat, sees politics not as a do-or-die affair but as a tool for development. When Governor Adeleke defeated us in the last election, we respected the people’s choice”.
He cited numerous shortcomings of the current administration as justification for his renewed ambition.
“The governance of our state cannot continue in the hands of someone who spends more days outside Osun than within. Worse still, there are no capable deputies left to run the state in his absence,” the campaign stated.
It criticized the current administration’s performance in key sectors including agriculture, education, tourism, and healthcare.
“Osun’s agricultural sector is nearly dead. No new companies have been opened, tourism is at its lowest, and our educational system has declined sharply — teachers are sacked and not replaced. The health sector is in disrepair, and public funds over the past 30 months have been spent recklessly,” the statement alleged.
It called on the state government to be transparent with public finances, demanding an account of how funds have been utilized.
According to the statement, “A good leader does not take people where they want to go but where they need to be. Osun is fast losing its past gains. Senator Basiru is stepping up to salvage the situation. We believe that when the governor exits office, he will be proud of his successor”.
