By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade on Thursday said, Governor Seyi Makinde has created a challenge for himself ahead of the 2027 election in terms of who succeeds him in office.
He said, there’s no doubting that Makinde’s impressive performance is setting a high standard for his successor, making the task of filling his shoes a daunting one.
According to the Commissioner, the governors achievements have created a challenge for his successor, who will have to live up to the expectations of the people.
He spoke inna remark at the maiden matriculation of Impact Polytechnic which held at the school hall, Kolapo Ishola GRA, Ibadan.
Speaking, Oyelade recounted that, in 2019 when the Makinde administration started, many thought that governance will be a huge challenge, given the hydra headed situation he met on the ground, particularly finance, but that the governor had clearly shown that where there is a will, there is a way; much more so, when the way is driven by prudence, data, science and smartness.
He added that, the first four years of his administration set unprecedented records while the first two years of the second term surpassed those achievements.
He added that the general belief is that when an administration succeeds in its re-election bid, it becomes complacent to the promises it had made, noting that instead, the frenetic pace in the provision of infrastructures and keeping faith with the welfare of government workers has given the impression that Governor Makinde is running for a third term.
Oyelade noted that, even as an insider in the administration, he cannot but pity whoever will take over from Seyi Makinde as Governor in 2027.
He said, “In 2019 when the Seyi Makinde administration started, many thought that governance will be a huge challenge, given the hydra headed situation we met on the ground, particularly finance, but Governor Seyi Makinde had clearly shown that where there is a will, there is a way; much more so, when the way is driven by prudence, data, science and smartness.
“The first four years of his administration set unprecedented records while the first two years of the second term surpassed those achievements.
“The general belief is that when an administration succeeds in its re-election bid, it becomes complacent to the promises it had made.
“Instead, the frenetic pace in the provision of infrastructures and keeping faith with the welfare of government workers has given the impression that Governor Seyi Makinde is running for a third term.
“Of course, this is laughable and impossible, but inadvertently, in passing the performance test, Seyi Makinde has created another challenge for himself and that challenge rears its head in the issue of succession.
“Even as an insider in this administration, I cannot but pity whoever will take over from Seyi Makinde as Governor in 2027.”
He said further, “In December 2024, a few weeks after Governor Seyi Makinde promised the ₦80,000 minimum wage for the over 130,000 State workers, two permanent secretaries came to my office and asked me confidentially, how the Governor was going to implement the promise which amounts to over ₦14billion every month.and still able to continue with ambitious infrastructural plans.
“I told them jocularly that if a man says that he has bitten the bullet for the people of Oyo State, he must have a magic wand in his sleeve.
“Well, as we all know, he has paid the ₦14billion three times between January and March this year, and he will continue to do so till the end of May, 2027.
“As I talk to you, the 32.2km East Wing of the Ibadan Circular road which will be the first Motorway in Nigeria will be commissioned in the near future.
“Apart from this 334 km of roads have been constructed and rehabilitated across the State: More than half of them in the last two years.
“Paradoxically therefore, Governor Seyi Makinde has inadvertently sprung up the issue of succession, mainly because of the unequalled performance template he would leave behind by 2027.
“It is up in the air if the Game changer Governor will succeed in persuading the people to follow his gubernatorial nominee if he has any, or the people will follow their own heart as they did in 2019, or even take a gamble into the unknown? Only time will tell.
“But one thing is certain, this Governor will not give the impression of a lame duck because he will perform till the wee hours of May 29, 2027.”
