Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji at the weekend said he owes President Bola Tinubu a debt of gratitude for making governance easier for him, as well as other governors.
Speaking in Ado- Ekiti at an interactive session with journalists, Oyebanji narrated how his administration had struggled for almost six months to attend to the State’s wage bill and capital projects until the emergence of Tinubu as president.
The Governor stated that the various interventionist programmes of the President made more resources available to all States including Ekiti State; enabling his administration to implement its shared prosperity agenda with ease.
At the interactive session which was attended by heads of media outfits in the state, and journalists across from the print, electronics and digital media, Oyebanji said the ongoing construction works on three of the federal roads linking the State have eased up pressure from citizens who have been calling on his government to fix the roads.
He said the cost of award of the recently approved concrete pavement on Ado-Itawure road is higher than the State’s budget for 2023; noting that without the president’s intervention on the road, there was no way the State could have embarked on its construction.
“I became Governor six months before the inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as president. In those six months, I had sleepless nights thinking about how to meet the wage bill and also implement the shared prosperity agenda. We have completed the airport now. Our focus is on roads. Thanks to the President, Ado-Akure road is almost done. He has also awarded Ado-Itawure road. The value of that contract is bigger than our budget for two years. If not for the president that cares, there is no way we could have done those roads”, he said.
The governor stated that the increased allocation from the Federal Government has enabled his administration to increase subvention to the State’s tertiary institutions three times and meet the demands of the labour force, thereby fostering industrial harmony in the State.
Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji said his administration has paid over 85 Billion Naira in gratuities and pension since his administration came on board in 2022.
He asserted that the endorsement of his administration by Ekiti people has been largely as a result of the sterling performance of his administration which is being facilitated by Tinubu’s presidency.
He also thanked the media in the state for being professional in the discharge of their duties/ enlightening the public and holding the government accountable when necessary.
While urging Ekiti people to support Tinubu’s re-election, Oyebanji said the president is repositioning Nigeria on the path of greatness and should be given the benefits of the doubts.
“The president deserves commendations. It is not possible to make omelette without breaking eggs. The progress and stability that he has brought to the economy and everything, it takes someone who has courage and confidence to do it. He is trying to fix things that have gone wrong in the last 30 years. If someone is sick and you give him an injection, does he get well instantly? Mr President deserves our support and understanding. I have sat with him many times and I can see that he has clarity of intention and how to put the country on the right footing”, Oyebanji said.