Islamic clerics endorse Governor Abiodun for second term

The League of Imams and Alfas have declared their support for the reelection bid of the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, adding that he done very well for the state despite the challenges faced as a result of economic challenges.

Penpushing reports that the clerics comprising membership in Ijebu and Remoland while throwing weight behind Abiodun expressed optimism that he would do in the next four years, hence, the resolved to garner massive votes for him

The Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Miftaudeen Gbadegesin Ayanbadejo, who spoke on behalf of other members noted that the Imams and Alfas are convinced about the competence of the Governor, who they declared fit to run a second term

Penpushing further reports that in similar vein Alhaji Abdul-Kadir Junaid, while thanking the Governor for the development the state has enjoyed in the last three and half years, commended him for the welfare of Muslim youths, the aged, artisans and widows.

The Senator representing Ogun East and the Director-General of the Dapo Abiodun Campaign Council; Senator Olalekan Mustapha, on his part commended the Governor for embarking on the overall turnaround of infrastructures across the state, pointing out  that it is always good to be prepared for higher offices like the Governor.

Penpushing also reports that in his goodwill message, the Chairman, O’odua Investment, Bimbo Ashiru explained that it is the people that will suffer the abandonment of projects if continuity isn’t allowed, adding that the Governor has done credibly well to get a second term in office.

The Chairman, O’odua Investment who also called on the League of Imams and Alfas to educate Muslim faithful on the need to vote for continuity in the coming election, said with Abiodun as Governor for another term, the people of the state would continue to be the beneficiaries of good governance.

Penpushing reports that, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tele Ogunjobi, enjoined the people to vote for Abiodun, disclosing that the incumbent Governor is the only Governor after late Bisi Onabanjo to have done more in terms of road infrastructure, a feat he noted was achieved in less than four years.

The party leader who commended Abiodun for embarking on the infrastructural development of the Ogun East senatorial district and the state as a whole, acknowledged the feat he achieved with the reconstruction of some of the roads Ogun East such as  Ilishan-Ago-Iwoye road, Molusi College road, Igan road, Oru-Awa-Ilaporu, Asafa-Oke and Asafa-Isale, Sagamu-Iperu roads, Agro Cargo Airport, Oba Erinwole road, amongst others.

Penpushing further reports that in his response,  Abiodun commended the League of Imams and Alfas for their prayers and his endorsement for a second term, while reminding them that he remain their son and that he is capable and would continue to be a capable administrator of resources of the state.

The Governor who also noted he is a product of grace, disclosed that the grace he enjoyed on his way to victory in 2019 had taught him to move on without looking back at his detractors, while noting that his administration in the last three and half years have constructed over 400 kilometers of roads, reconstructed over 1,000 schools and 100 primary health care centers.

Penpushing also reports that  Abiodun said his administration has also embarked on the construction of an airport project which would make available over 25,000 jobs once completed, and disclosed  that though he met with stiff opposition when his administration opted to embark on the construction of an agro cargo airport which had got  approval  since 2006 and left on the drawing board by his predecessor, noting that the airport which was started in October 2021 would be the fastest constructed airport project in the country.

The Governor who disclosed that the Agro Cargo Airport project was picked as the best destination by the trio of Olabisi Onabanjo University Faculty of Transportation, the State Ministry of Transportation and the United Kingdom Embassy, said his administration is embarking on the construction of a truly international agro cargo airport as against the local airport hurriedly cooked by his predecessor six months to the end of the last administration.

“We started the airport which began in 2006 and was still on the drawing board, we thought it through, my predecessor wanted to take the airport to Ewekoro, we placed both on ground and gave the Faculty of Transportation in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ministry of transportation, and the United Kingdom Embassy to look at the two, they later told us that the best location was the one along Iperu-Ilishan’, he explained.

‘They explained that the Sagamu-Benin expressway, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the 10,000 hectares of land and the fact that no factory would disturb it were the reasons the Iperu-Ilishan axis was the best for an airport’, he added.

‘At a point in time, my predecessor wanted to turn it to an Egba-Ijebu issue, look at the objective reasons for this airport, my predecessor wanted to build an aerodrome, a local one for that matter, I have built an international airport, between 20,000 and 25,000 jobs would be created at the airport,” he said.

Penpushing reports that Abiodun who also assured the people of Ogun East and the League of Imams and Alfas that his administration is working to ensure the completion of the Olokola Deep Sea Port, added that the port would soon become operational.

“On the Olokola Deep Sea Port, do you know that I was the chairman of the board set up by government of my predecessor to look into the project, my predecessor just started a fight. I told him Dangote had paid for land, let him start the refinery and the port, he disagreed, I told him Dangote will leave, he said no. Eventually, Dangote left us and took the refinery to Lekki, $16billion investment was lost and over twenty thousand jobs were lost’.

“By the grace of God, God will repay us double for what we lost, we have started the process to actualise that port, we have sat down with investors, we have signed, by the grace of God, before I leave as Governor in 2027, ship will berth in Olokola,” he said.

Penpushing further reports that  Abiodun while noting that governorship should be about competence and track records, said that there should be requirements for anyone aspiring to become Governor, that person should have demonstrated that he has the capacity, understanding, a track record of success in the aspirants choose career before aspiring.

The Governor further disclosed that he had approved that religious centers no longer pay for building plan approvals like business entities, and acknowledged the role of religious centers in shaping the minds of youths in the country.

“I have made it a policy that if you want to build a mosque, you apply for land and you were given charges as if you are a business person, I have said it will not happen again, we have to be given approval for religious centers that would show that they are religious centers, you will now pay a small amount’.

“Because the numbers of worship centers among us help us to talk to our youths, teach them, because anyone that has belief would always have the fear of God, the person with the fear of God would love his neighbour like himself, the more the religious centers among us, the more we become better persons’, he stated.

“I want to thank you for the peaceful coexistence in our state, it is exemplary, you can never hear that there is a fight between Muslims and Christians in our state, this is because you have embraced each other’, Abiodun added.

Penpushing also reports that Abiodun, however, called on the League to educate their Muslim brothers and sisters to vote for him for the continued development of the state, with assurance that he would show further commitment towards developmental growth of the state.

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