Osun 2018: My Blueprint‘ll turn Osun Around, says APC guber aspirant, Adegoke

A gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Mr. ‘Kunle Rasheed Adegoke on Monday presented his manifesto to the leadership of the party, saying his blueprint will turn around the fortunes of the state, even as he expressed his determination to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the coming gubernatorial election.

The Osogbo-born erudite lawyer, popularly referred to as K-Rad, who stormed the party secretariat located along Gbongan/Ibadan road with hundreds of his loyalists and supporters, said he was ready to continue from where Aregbesola stops, saying decision to run the poll came on the heels of the passion he has to give back to the people of his state.

The legal practitioner said: “I have taken my time to put up this manifesto and it took me not less than six months before I could finish it.

“In the manifesto themed: ‘Roadmap to Osun’s Prosperity’, is the solution to all what is perceived to be a clog in the wheel of good governance.”

Briefly enumerating some of the vital information embedded in the manifestos, Adegoke, a former NANS leader said his administration would be centered on four key agenda of economic revitalization, education, infrastructural development and tourism.

“What we will use to develop Osun is available in Osun and we will harness the potentials,” he said.

The starting point, according to the leading aspirant, was creative financial engineering, saying Osun’s continued reliance on Abuja for funding is dangerous, adding that the state must critically look inward.

“The solution is not automatic. It requires painstaking effort, a great deal of commitment, cooperation of residents, patience and sacrifice. “N15 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) monthly can be achieved,” he added.

Taking a cue from the federal government’s efforts, the aspirant said the route is agriculture.

“We must revive the old farm settlements of the Awolowo era. We have the land. We should engage in food production and preservation. Lagos and parts of Ogun State closer to Lagos need our foods from Osun. Agriculture will fetch us money for development.

“Also, Osun is naturally endowed as a vast tourist centre. In the Southwest, no other state can boast of the same tourist sites we have in this state. Look at Olumirin Water falls. What about Erin-Ijesa Water Falls? Not forgetting Ayikunnugba Waterfalls in Oke-Ila. We need to develop these sites and make them more income-yielding,” he added.

In the area of industrialization, the Constitutional Lawyer, Rights Activist and Election Petition Expert promised to take Osun through the path of industrialization by establishing the largest clay, ceramics and granite industry “because the raw materials are available”.

“How do we want to create jobs? I0,000 jobs annually for graduates are possible through investment in agriculture,” he said.

Responding, Chairman Osun APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun, commended Adegoke for showing interest in the affairs of the state, assuring that the party leadership would be fair to all aspirants.