Osun election: I’ll develop human capital, rekindle hope for prosperity – Ogunbiyi

This is third attempt and he is unrelenting. He has his undeniable focus: “I will unlock the human capacity of Osun citizens and revive hope for development and growth.”

Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi is in the Osun State governorship race. He needs the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to make his dream a reality. He is hopeful. He told Daily Sun: “Once we get the ticket, we are as good as winning the election. I am a team player. Working in a collective has always been my thing.

“Becoming a governor will not remove anything from who l am. I will remain myself. The only difference will be the title of governor, which is a temporary office. People who are around me and work with me will always be there. They are the we, the team, with which I have been doing great things. I am the team leader, and as governor, I shall remain the team leader. And together, we shall take Osun to greater heights.”

He sees what many others don’t see: “Osun should have grown beyond being a civil service state. It should by now have become an enterprising state. A state where investors rush to, to put their money. We have everything we need for a state to grow and develop. I cannot stay and watch the way things are going because it is our state, my state. I have to do something for Osun to take its pride of place among the states. It can no longer be run as a state for civil servants, teachers and peasant farmers. Osun is much more than that.

“Imagine, Osun was created 34 years ago. It is still a civil service state despite the existence of enormous resources to grow the state. The bulk of the agricultural and other resources used to develop the defunct western region by Awo came from Osun and these resources are still there. All Osun needs is an entrepreneurial governor that can change the dynamics and turn things around.

“My ingenuity is in solving problems, no matter how difficult, through smart and inventive methods. A glorious career, grand transformation achievements and renaissance are only made possible through quality education. Education guarantees value-adding freedom that leads to other freedoms. Education lights the fire and flame of adaptive leadership. It is the lifeblood of breakthroughs, momentum, purpose, energy, creativity and innovation.

“I will unlock the human capacity of Osun citizens and revive hope for development and growth. I will light the fire of industrialisation, mechanised farming, and mining. We will transparently showcase clear and specific milestones as clear evidence of our never-relenting hard work and dedicated efforts.”

He shifts focus to the masterplan of the Osun Development Association (ODA) for the state. He laments that successive administrations did not make use of it: “This is unfortunate. I have actively served in ODA for over 25 years and I fully understand the dynamics of its vision for development.  With its masterplan, I will make Osun work and an investors’ hub. We will get the job done with a competent team, remarkable efficiency, great ideas, collaboration and strategic partnership, with zero display of empty noise, luxury and value-destroying opulence.

He has big plans in the kitty: “Where is Osun State in the scheme of things in Nigeria today? In spite of our enormous natural resources, including a very vibrant populace. We will grow the unskilled, semi-skilled and highly skilled Osunlites and make them productive, competitive and efficient. I epitomise a uniquely ethical, transparent and accountable leadership. We will be highly disciplined and accountable to the people of Osun.

“With the money coming into the coffers of Osun now, the government should have done more than it is currently doing. They are building bridges when they should be touching the lives of the people. Osun has collected some N400 billion in allocation in the past two years, but there is nothing to show for it. I will be bold and courageous in decision making, if elected, just like President Bola Tinubu. I have adopted Renewed Hope for Osun 2026 as my campaign slogan as the winning agenda which gave President Tinubu victory in 2023. The August 8, 2026 election will be a walkover once I get the APC ticket.”

Source: The Sun