Gubernatorial candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the 2019 general elections in Oyo state, Engineer Hakeem Oyedele Alao has declared that the people of Oyo state will never forget a former Governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi in an hurry.
Ajimobi died on Thursday at the age of seventy (70).
But, Alao while reacting said that Ajimobi was not a pushover in Nigerian politics.
He said that the former Governor made his marks in both private and public governance, particularly within the Nigerian political space.
Alao in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Omotayo Iyanda, maintained that when Ajimobi was in power, he was in firm control of the state.
He said, “It took everybody by storm on the 25th June instant hearing the news of the passing away of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi. However, we take solace in God as death is a divine arrangement which no human can alter.
“Senator Ajimobi, who made his foray into politics in 1999 by becoming the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate from 1999-2003 and Governor of Oyo State between 2011-2019, having retired as the Managing Director of a multinational oil company, has made his marks in both private and public governance, particularly within the Nigerian political space.
“About three months back after the loss of his senatorial bid to return to the Nigerian Senate, the illustrious son of the state, Senator Ajimobi, was named the National Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), South West, and shortly after before his death and while in a hospital bed, he was named and announced as the Acting National Chairman of the party to salvage the party from the crisis rocking it. This is all a testimony that Senator Ajimobi was not a pushover in the Nigerian politics.
“Barring all his flaws and shortcomings, Senator Ajimobi was a governor Oyo State whom we will never forget in a hurry. When he was in power, he was in firm control of the state.
“As we are in a mournful moment in the state over the demise of our governor, this is another opportunity for all political/public office holders to think very deeply on the way they have been running the affairs of the state which has been fraught with deceit and oppression. Whatever you are today, whatever you have become and acquired in life, remember death knocks on everybody’s door one day. There is no gain in being selfish and oppressive while in power.
“As painful as his death is at this time when his loyalists and party, APC, need in most, we can only take solace in God, beseech God to grant him eternal rest and grant his family and loyalists, especially Mrs Florence Ajimobi, Governor Seyi Makinde, whom the heavy blow have hit most, the fortitude to bear the loss. We, the entire OHA Team, home and abroad, pray God to spare our governor, Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi, of the punishment of the hereafter”.
