HON CHIEF (DR) Oladipupo Olatunde Adebutu Releases Acceptance Speech On Being Nominated As PDP Governorship Candidate.

Read full speech below….

The Chairman of our great party in Ogun State,

Distinguished Party Leaders,

Independent National Electoral Commission

The Security Operatives

Members of the Press

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

I give thanks and Glory to Almighty God for bringing us this far, so much water has passed under the bridge. We have surmounted daunting challenges to be here today. Today, our party members in Ogun State have spoken unanimously and loudly. I am honoured and humbled by my nomination as the governorship candidate of our great party, (the PDP) in the forthcoming general election. I am grateful and appreciate you all. I commend our party members for remaining steadfast and courageous all these years, that, have enabled us to arrive at this point today. However, as we head to the general election we need to be more united to restore hope to our people. Peace amongst us has become more imperative than ever to enable our party win at all levels in 2019. Our dear Ogun State is in dire need of urgent surgical rescue in view of the retrogression that have been witnessed in the last few years.

A most cynical and retrogressive mode of politics and governance has become entrenched in the last 7 years in our dear state. The financially disadvantaged and the vulnerable are more marginalised, traditional institutions have been desecrated, the middle class decimated, businesses and investors have been scared away and our common patrimony recklessly mismanaged. We must leave this wilderness of underdevelopment and move to the oasis of peace, good governance and rapid development of our dear State. With your support and the mandate of our people, a government headed by me shall with the utmost urgency undertake and provide high quality, sustainable infrastructure across the state while innovative sources of funding these critical assets shall be developed. Our main areas of intervention shall be:

• Power: Electricity is the engine room of modern development. Epileptic power supply have slow economic growth and created unmanageable unemployment in our state . Even though power is a Federal Government responsibility. We shall engage the private sector to build independent power plants for the state, while Ogun State government deploy its resources for rural electrification to create the necessary synergy, transition and integration of the rural-urban economies in our state.

• Roads. The private sector shall be intrinsic to the High quality roads that will be built across the state. The roads shall be designed in such a way that all rural roads are connected to secondary roads which are in turn connected to major/highways. We will reform and remodel the traffic flow along major traffic congestion points in the state rather than build I’ll conceived bridges. A robust and sustainable way to maintain all our roads will also be developed.

• Water Resources. Access to public water supply shall be a priority to us. We shall revamp all existing water schemes, construct new mini water schemes and motorised boreholes. And invest in the infrastructure to supply water to homes and businesses.

• Education: We now live in a digitalised world. Only a people that are highly educated can compete in the future. We will promote a policy on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and ensure that the education system remains relevant to the needs of the society through periodic curriculum review. Our educational institutions shall be adequately funded. We shall guarantee access to at least minimum education for all citizens of our state whatever their station in Life. While also placing emphasis on the quality of life of those vested with the duty to imparting the knowledge.

• Healthcare: A healthy people is a wealthy people. All available medical facilities shall be made to function optimally for the people. Rural healthcare centres and general hospitals shall be renovated, and a tertiary medical facility built for advanced referrals. A model healthcare financing scheme incorporating the private sector NHIS, USAID, World bank and NGOs shall be developed for our state. Thus encouraging local medical tourism rather than the international variant we see today.

• Functional and Liveable Environment: Our cities, town and villages shall become whole and more liveable again. The amorphous and haphazard growth of towns and cities shall be ordered. A planning structure that integrates our cultural heritage and environmental sustainability with emphasis on adequate sanitation facilities shall be put in place for the state.

• Security: Insecurity is a product of many variables. While collaborating and providing logistic support for all security agencies. The underlying factors of unemployment, lack of access to support capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs shall be addressed through investment in critical sectors of the Ogun State economy and most importantly creating an enabling environment .

• Economy: We shall promote and create a thriving and sustainable economy that will engender significant and unique value, stimulate attraction to customers, investors and visitors as a destination of choice for engaging and profitable ventures. We will put tourism back as a preferred sector of the economy and as a viable dynamic tool for the generation of desired foreign and local investments for the sustainable growth of the state economy, utilising the private sector as the major driver. Industrial Zones will be created throughout the state in line with the geo – economic zones that will serve as growth poles to facilitate industrial development. We shall encourage and invest heavily in the agricultural value chain to harness the deep potential inherent in that sector. Linkages that brings young investors and entrepreneurs and local and foreign funding shall be put in place. SMEs is the bedrock of any economy; this sector shall have a deserved full attention.

• Simplified Approval Process: We will ensure that applications for Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in respect of industrial land are approved within 90 days without delay to facilitate early take-off of projects. All business and regulatory approvals shall be simplified and obtainable within a very short time to ease the cost of doing business in our State and attract local and foreign investors. While also removing the curse of multiple taxes and levies.

• Rule of Law. Our government shall be built upon the rule of law and democratic values. We shall ensure that all laws and processes are followed in the workings of our government. The Judiciary shall be actively supported to carry out its constitutional role. Our laws shall be reformed to meet present and future challenges, to attract local and foreign investment and simplify the dispute resolution process. The judiciary shall in all sense of the word become truly independent.

• Finances: To me government and leadership is a trust. Its resources must be deployed for the benefit of the people. This is sacred and shall always be followed. Compassion shall be our compass As I am certain those that truly have this must find it difficult to appropriate public funds.

As I conclude, I must again express my profound gratitude to the National leadership of our great party, Our leaders in Ogun state, members of the State Executive Committee, all the local governments and various ward executive members, the elected and statutory delegates and of course all the party faithful across the state for their unrelenting supports at all time. By the special grace of God, our party will emerge victorious come February and March 2019 Thereby restoring hope for a better future and life more prosperous.

Thank you all. God bless Nigeria and God bless Ogun state.

#sayLADO! ONE NIGERIA! ONE OGUN STATE!