By Babatunde Ayedoju

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It would be recalled that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who previously served as Deputy Governor of Ondo State, was first sworn in as Governor on December 27, 2023, following the death of his then principal, late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, who until that time was undergoing medical treatment in Germany.

Governor Aiyedatiwa later emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary election that was conducted in April 2024 to select a flag-bearer for the party at the November 16, 2024, governorship election.

Having secured the party’s ticket, Mr Governor set the ball rolling as the electioneering process gathered momentum. He moved around all the 18 local government areas in Ondo State, convincing the good people of the Sunshine State that he was the right man for the job.

By the time the election was held on November 16, 2024, Aiyedatiwa had polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who had 117,845 votes, and 15 other candidates. What made that particular election unique was that APC won in all the 18 local government areas of Ondo State. The feat, dubbed 18-0, was unprecedented in the annals of Ondo State politics.

Having won the people’s mandate to rule as Governor for the next dispensation, Aiyedatiwa no doubt has a huge but surmountable task of taking governance in Ondo State to a higher level of exploit. Much has been done by past administrations and more definitely still needs to be done to ensure that the people of Ondo State enjoy the dividends of democracy to the fullest.

Professor Bayo Fatukasi, an economist, recommended that Mr. Governor should embark on infrastructural development and prioritize the welfare of citizens, especially civil servants.

He said, “I read in the newspapers that the governor had ordered road contractors to go back to the sites. He should back up that order with cash so that they can start work in earnest.”

Professor Fatukasi stressed that tertiary institutions in the state should be adequately funded, urging Governor Aiyedatiwa to improve the budgetary allocations to those institutions.

Talking about security, Professor Fatukasi urged the government to do everything to nip kidnapping in the bud. He advised that the Ondo Security Network, Amotekun, should be properly funded and the government should reorganize it so that people can go to bed with their two eyes closed.

Likewise, he urged the media to continue to remind Mr. Governor of his campaign promises as his tenure progresses and charge him to fulfill them.

Dr. Edamisan Ikuemonisan, an agricultural economist, highlighted the need for economic transformation through agriculture, noting that it remains a cornerstone for sustainable development. He called for increased food production and raw material processing as a viable pathway to reducing the cost of living and boosting per capita income. He also stated that the government should bring together policymakers, industrialists, and researchers, stating that this strategic move could foster innovation and create a synergy between theory and practice, ultimately driving economic growth.

On infrastructure, Dr. Ikuemonisan stressed the importance of improved road networks linking Ondo State to economically strategic states like Lagos and Edo. He noted that these connections are vital for trade, commerce, and attracting investments, as industrialists and investors are more likely to establish factories and businesses in areas with accessible and reliable infrastructure. He also emphasised the need for broader inter-community roads, particularly for agricultural communities, where poor road networks often lead to post-harvest losses and hinder market access.

Regarding education, Dr. Ikuemonisan suggested free or affordable education from primary to secondary/technical school levels, calling it a bold and necessary step toward human capital development. He also supported the regulation of private school fees, noting that it addresses the growing disparity in access to quality education. He emphasized that ensuring public schools are well-equipped and private schools are financially regulated is crucial for building a skilled workforce that can drive agricultural innovation and industrial growth.

“I find the China model very intriguing, though I must say that the specifics would need to be tailored to Ondo State’s unique context. The emphasis on rapid industrialisation, infrastructure development, and education reform could serve as a blueprint for progress. However, such a model must be implemented with transparency and accountability to avoid the pitfalls often associated with rapid development. As an academic, I will always advocate for a participatory approach that involves local communities in decision-making processes to ensure sustainability,” he said.

On environmental issues, Dr. Ikuemonisan agreed that a clean environment is non-negotiable, emphasizing that sustainable waste management and environmental conservation are essential for public health and the overall attractiveness of the state. He suggested that public-private partnerships could play a significant role in this area, particularly through initiatives like waste-to-wealth programs that integrate into agricultural practices, creating additional revenue streams for farmers while addressing environmental challenges.

Dr. Harrison Idowu, a political scientist, said, “The first place the governor should focus on is security, even though I know that much power does not lie in his hands on that because security is in the exclusive list. However, there is a large amount of money given as security votes. If it is judiciously spent, it can help to fight insecurity in no small way.

“Truly the economic hardship we face at the moment is all over the country, but people tend to think that it is a federal government issue alone, forgetting that state governments also have a role that they can play towards addressing it. If we have high inflation in the country, state governments may not be able to bring down the prices but they can ameliorate the effects. For example, we can replicate the Lagos market where prices of goods were lower than what was obtainable in the conventional markets.”

Mr Sola Isijola, another political scientist, pointed out that whatever Governor Aiyedatiwa would achieve in the next four years should be based on the agenda he has set for himself, though there could be changes as events unfold.

However, he advised Mr. Governor to focus on infrastructural development and security. He stated that Amotekun must be enlarged and fortified in all the 18 local government areas of Ondo State, adding that the government should build more offices and provide more vehicles for them.

Similarly, Mr Isijola urged the state government to continue to support the police, Department of State Services (DSS), army, and other security agencies as they also work round the clock to provide maximum security for the good people of Ondo State.

Talking about road infrastructure, Mr Isijola said that it is pivotal to the livelihood of the people and to transport generally, adding that the existing road projects across the state must be completed promptly.

His words, “I was at Oda a few days ago. I didn’t go out with my car and I wore a white cloth. The clothes were all messed up by the time I got to where I was going.

“Good roads are very strategic to our lives. For example, if a pregnant woman has to be transported to the hospital and the road is bad, that alone can cause complications for her. Likewise, if the road is good, it will be easy and quick for anybody who is sick to get to the hospital.”

He encouraged the state government to look into all the existing road projects in the state and complete them speedily, adding that where necessary, the state government should collaborate with the local government to provide bridges that will link one community with the other, citing Osi and Isinigbo in Akure North local government area as one of the places where such a project can be done.

“In Akungba, we need roads that will network the campus. We have over 24 thousand student population. There is a need for access roads to the campus. Likewise, the government should provide water where it can. I said where they can deliberately. Where there are dams, they should renovate the dams, and we have them across the state,” he said.

In the area of health, Mr. Isijola urged the state government to consider the fact that most of the communities in the state are fast expanding, creating a need for more health facilities, adding that the state government should collaborate with state governments to provide for hospitals for grassroots communities and look for ways to attract more health workers to the state. He also said that the government should expand health services in the Akoko axis because of the growing undergraduate student population.

“The state government needs to build a school of nursing where students can undergo the normal three years programme, to complement the school of health tech, since the one we used to have has come under the University of Medical Sciences.  Everybody cannot do a B.Sc. in nursing,” he added.