After 23 days of being on vacation, Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde on Monday resumed office. This is even as he said that he wished Mr Bayo Lawal, the sitting deputy governor was his deputy right from the commencement of his tenure on May 29, 2019.
Notwithstanding the nostalgia expressed, Makinde, however, said he looked forward to working closely with Lawal to see out his current four-year tenure and for another term if elected.
Speaking at the Oyo governor’s office, Ibadan, during a short welcome ceremony, Makinde said it was better late than never working with Lawal.
Stating that the vacation had afforded him the opportunity to be re-energised to continue the job of governing Oyo Stare, Makinde said he will be driving people hard for the rest of his tenure.
He saluted Lawal for his commitment, show of responsibility and loyalty while he was away, adding that, while he did not go on vacation for the past three years, he will confidently observe his vacation yearly if he gets a second term in office.
Makinde said: “One thing we have demonstrated in Oyo State is that we don’t have strong men or a strong man, we have a strong team.
“For over three weeks, Oyo State people didn’t feel my absence or any gap as anything that has to do with governance went on seamlessly. So we know that in Oyo state, we have selected a very strong team for the state and we know that we are as strong as the weakest in that team.”
“I want to especially thank all of you for your support and I want to say this to our people that we will work for you till the last day of this administration not minding that there’s politicking in the atmosphere.
“I want to encourage all of us also that it is not just the position that we occupy as individuals but we are contributing to the development of our State. Actors will come and go; players will come and go, but our state will remain.
“I’m re-energised and driving people real hard until my energy drops again or let me say we will drive ourselves until this administration is given a fresh mandate.
“So I want to especially thank the deputy governor for your commitment, show of responsibility and loyalty. We should have done this from the beginning but it is better late than never.
“I thank you and I look forward to us working closely together till the end of this tenure and working hard again together in the next tenure. And finally, one revelation from all of this is that I never went on holiday for three years but next tenure, it will be a yearly thing.”
Welcoming Makinde, the state deputy governor said, in three weeks as acting governor, he realised how daunting and enormous the task of governing the state is.
Lawal thank the governor for the confidence reposed in him to hand over the governance of the state to him, while he went on vacation.
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