Aregbesola has done more than enough – APC

The Osun State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the state government would not relent in its efforts to enhance the standard of living of people of the state.

The party in a statement issued and signed by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, appealed to citizens of state to shun and disregard PDP agents allegedly going about accusing Governor Rauf Aregbesola of “not empowering people since he became governor.”

“What they actually mean is that Aregbesola did not allow the fraudulent access to public funds for their private use as the PDP did for over seven years between 2003 and 2007,” the party stated.

The APC claimed that since the state was created, no governor has done as much as Aregbesola to empower citizens legitimately.

According to the APC, people in their thousands are now engaging in business profitably like they never did since 2003.

“This,” the party said, “has resulted in increased banking activities, which was acknowledged recently by the Central Bank of Nigeria manager in the state.”

The party said that when the question of empowerment is raised in Nigeria today, Aregbesola occupies prime position as a pace setter whose programmes designed to empower citizens, are now being replicated throughout the country.

“Aregbesola took the initiative within 100 days of coming to power to empower 20,000 youths with employment. Today, that number has risen to 40,000, and over N400 million is being injected into Osun’s economy monthly. That comes to N4.8 billion yearly.

“To feed primaries 1-4 children in Osun schools gulps N3.6 billion Naira yearly. This involves various buying of agricultural products which has made hundreds if not thousands of businessmen and women so much the richer in Osun State today. In fact, some Osun farmers have had to source products from neighbouring state to meet demand.

“Again the sum of N1.6 billion is paid directly to vulnerable senior citizens every month. One thousand six hundred elderly citizens are involved in this scheme. Those who are affected by all these empowerment programmes are Osun citizens.

“So for anybody to accuse Aregbesola of not empowering citizens of the state is a wicked statement which only fraudulent people can make,” the party stated.

The APC therefore urged all citizens to prepare themselves for the decisive statement which they will be called upon to make in August so that Aregbesola may finish the wonderful work he started in November 2010.

“Aregbesola is working; there is no family in Osun state that has not been affected, and if anybody says this is not empowering Osun citizens, it is a pity and a shame. Only wicked people will say such things,“ the APC said.