Oyo State Would Benefit Much If I Am Elected As Governor- Folarin

The Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin on Wednesday said that he would not be going to Abuja to beg for monthly allocations from the Federal government, but rather rely on agriculture, which according to him, should be the strenght of the economy of the state.

Speaking in Ibadan, the state capital during the 2022 edition of the Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Folarin said that the state made much progress, when the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who he said prioritised agriculture and education, was the Premier of the Western Region.

Folarin maintained that for the state to get to it’s destination, there is need to go back to the basics, which he said are agriculture, education and ICT.

“Oyo State has over 28,000 square meters of land, and 85 percent of the land is arable. We need to build our economy around it, and we need to begin to plan for the future.

“Our party’s deputy governorship candidate is an agriculture expert, we shall look at the crops that we have comparative advantage in such as mango, cassava and cashew. We are going to set up a very sophisticated value system, our strenght is in agric, so we must create wealth to solve our people’s problem,” he said.

The Governorship Candidate charged the residents of the state not to allow money to be the major parameter that determines, who to vote for in the 2023 general elections.

He said that for Oyo State to move forward and be better, the citizens of the state should take critical look at some factors such as background, love, patrotic tendencies and competence before voting their preffered candidates, warning that people cannot afford another experience that tends towards the disintegration of Nigeria, saying that the unity of the nation lies in the people’s strength.

“We need detribalised leaders, who will look at the challenges of insecurity objectively and realistically to alllow people go about their daily engagements as evident in some states, where few aspiring national leaders come from.

“To me, good governance requires leaders with adequate exposure, outstanding antecedent and experience, deep interactions with the grassroots and education system that grows and nurtures enterpreneurship.

“It’s time we recognised that for us to have the Nigeria of our dream, we need to be more responsible, sensitive and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people,” he said.

The Chairman of the ocassion, Barrister Sharafadeen Ali urged journalists to be fair and accurate in their reporting, particularly during and after the 2023 general elections, which, according to him, is one of the determinants of the existence of the nation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the NUJ, Comrade Ademola Babalola applealed to politicians to thread softly during and after the 2023 general elections.

He frowned at the attitude of destroying the billboards of members of the opposition parties across the state, saying that politicians should play the game according to the rule, adding that the will of God shall prevail no matter what happens.

He however, said that Oyo NUJ shall set up special platforms for candidates vying for various postitions to explain why and how their action plans to the people can be achieved for the greater good of the society.

– Kunle Bakare.