Ojikutu to govs: Use your positions to truly serve the people

NEWLY-INAUGURATED state governors and their deputies have been charged to see their new appointments as avenues to truly serve the people and should, therefore, ensure that they are diligent, and not self-serving in pursuit of people’s welfare and interests which should always be their focus.

Former deputy governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, gave this charge at the weekend, in a release made available to newsmen, even as she argued that President Muhammadu Buhari’s  decision not to speak during his inauguration for a second term at the Eagle Square in Abuja  last Wednesday should not be a subject of controversy or public debate.

“I humbly appeal to all newly inaugurated public office holders to be service-oriented. They should know that they were sworn-in to serve, and not to loot or steal. They should be diligent, and not self-serving. People’s welfare and interests should always be their focus,” Ojikutu said.

President Buhari’s action had attracted comments from diverse sections of society.

However, the former deputy governor enjoined the president not to be bothered by verbal attacks from some Nigerians over his decision not to speak at the event, insisting that there was no need for his action to become a subject of controversy.

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“President Buhari’s decision to keep mum and not to talk during the inauguration is a good departure from the usual tradition where his statements are twisted out of context.

“Buhari’s decision should not be a subject of needless debates and controversies. The president is okay by not talking. It is an action we need, and not words,” she said.

Ojikutu described most of those who were condemning the President Buhari as being insincere, saying some of the critics were only waiting for Buhari to speak so that they can deliberately misinterpret the address or twist it out of context or deliberately make mischief out of it.

This was just as she urged President Buhari to remain focus and forge ahead with his transformation agenda for which Nigerians had elected him into the office for a second term of office.

“Nigerians can’t be deceived. Most of those speaking against the president are not sincere. They are not genuine patriots. Most of them are hypocrites, while others are those who don’t see anything good in Buhari’s administration. Buhari should not be distracted. He should be allowed to do the work for which Nigerians have elected him for a second term in office. I urge the president to remain focused, and forge ahead with his transformation agenda,” she said.