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Pledges all inclusive govt
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
A former Commissioner in Ekiti State and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs Theresa Ogunfunmilayo has faulted the All Progressives Congress, APC-led administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the state for celebrating payment of workers’ salary and pensions to retirees as achievements.
Mrs Ogunfunmilayo spoke while fielding questions from Journalists shortly after submitting her expression of interests and nomination forms at the Legacy House office of the PDP in Abuja.
The gubernatorial aspirant, who decried the pattern of governance in the Ekiti state, thumbed down the administration of Governor Oyebanji, wondering why a serious government would be celebrating payment of salary and pensioners as an achievement.
Mrs Ogunfunmilayo, who was a former Secretary of the PDP in Ekiti State and erstwhile former Special Adviser on Widow Matters and Women Empowerment to a governor of the State, restated her readiness to promote inclusiveness and bridge infrastructure gaps if elected as the next governor in the state.
The former Commissioner for Works and Transportation pledged to ensure that our education is revamped to the extent that every child, especially girl child, will have access to good education.
She promised to ensure that women and youth who have always been marginalized in the scheme of things in the state, will be at the centre of the table to join in making decisions in government.
While pledging to ensure that education in the state is revamped to the extent that every child, especially girl child, has access to good education, she added that there are plans that every individual benefits from the dividends of democracy buoyed in accountability and transparency.
According to her, “The vision is very clear, I will enhance and promote inclusiveness in governance and ensure that the women and youth that have always been at the margin, be at the table to beat the centre of the table to make decisions in government.
“I will make sure that women are also given priority in every sector. Ekiti has boundaries with states, access and open door opportunity for economic activities, trade and commerce and I think that should be utilized to benefit the people.
“Our civil servants and farmers that will drive the economy that would foster growth and improvement in every sector of governance would be supported.
“We cherish education a lot and as such, we would ensure that education is revamped to the extent that every child, especially girl child has access to good education just as there are plans that every individual benefit from the dividends of democracy with accountability and transparency”, she said.
Speaking on her chances at the poll, she assured that Ekiti people are knowledgeable, saying they know the truth and when it is time, they will pick her ahead of the sitting governor and other aspirants.
Her words, “This is a government (under the current administration in the State)
where payment of salaries and pensioners are being celebrated as an achievement of the government, whereas these are the rights of the people. We have not seen physical development and infrastructures in place.
“An average road in Ekiti is bad and not accessible. When you see some roads that are being constructed, they are World Bank projects.
“The present government has not impacted the lives of the people positively and we have not seen changes in the lives of the people except godfathers enjoying political patronage.
“We have not seen real governance and our resources are being utilized in a way that has not benefited the ordinary citizens.
“The will of the people is greater than anything kobo in your pocket and come the next election in Ekiti, it would prevail over any financial inducement.
“As women, we need to lift ourselves up and build up each other because men have taken up space for too long. I tell you we have gotten to that level and won’t be used and dumped again but will need their support because they are more in the political space.
“At the national assembly now, there is a bill to that effect but we will continue to carry out voter education as we women form the bulk of registered voters in Ekiti state.
“We have educated them that when it is time to exercise those rights, they should not fidget or be afraid to go all out”, she declared.
