Ajimobi: I Did Better Than My Predecessors — I Constructed Over 200 Roads

Outgoing governor Abiola Ajimobi has scored himself higher than all the 27 people who were governor before him.

Ajimobi, who spoke at the launch of two books written by Dr Wale Okediran and Mr Sam Omatseye, said his administration constructed over 200 roads in 8 years.

Appreciating his supporters, Ajimobi said, “Permit me to publicly thank my wife, Florence and my children. One of them, Abimbola is here. They all tolerated me because I am a very difficult man to manage because I find it difficult to manage mediocrity. I thank all the royal fathers. If I have offended them in anyway, I ask for their forgiveness and if they have offended me in anyway, I forgive them. I thank all the people of Oyo State for standing by me. Oyo State will not give you a second term. I had 27 predecessors, who were in office between one month and four years. It was only late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who served for five years but I have served two terms of eight years. Thank you for accepting me with my deficiencies. I thank my supporters in Oyo State and Ibadan. Out of five times I voted in Ibadan, I won four times. That is a pass mark of 80 percent. I also thank the opposition because they made me realize that this is the best government ever produced in Oyo State”.

He justified naming roads and other projects after some worthy sons and daughters of the state, stressing that it is good to honour the worthy citizens of the state. “Oyo State doesn’t remember those that have done well. They don’t remember Baba Adelabu. Do you want to say that Senator Rashidi Ladoja did not do well? He did well. Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala did well. They all did one thing or the other. I did better than my predecessors. I constructed over 200 roads and people are complaining that I named a road after myself”, he added.

He also revealed how he became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company, stressing that he was appointed into the position because of his honesty. Scoring himself high, Ajimobi said, “We came with a tripod of restoration, transformation and reposition. We have restored, we have transformed and we have repositioned the state. We met Oyo State in bricks and we are leaving it in marble”.