With two years to the end of the eight years tenure of Governor Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, preparation towards who will succeed him in 2027 has started gathering momentum with various individuals signifying their interest especially from Ibadan and Oke-Ogun axis of the State.
However, for such an exalted position of the governorship seat, experience is one of the necessary things that must be put into consideration. Is there any politician with such experience among those who have already signified interest? Yes! His Excellency, Ambassador Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) remains the most influential and experienced person among all the aspirants.
For Ambassador Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja, Oyo State needs the person who will save the State based governance, somebody who must have acquired the needed experience and not just start working without experience to take over from Governor Seyi Makinde.
What then will this do for Oyo State? Definitely it will help to sustain the good legacies being built by Governor Seyi Makinde to remain the first and envious among others in the comity of states of the federation. Ambassador Arapaja has the opportunity to sustain what the current government is doing in terms of project execution, welfare of workers, pensioners, and the good people of the State as a whole. He may not need anybody to tell him what to do. He will just ask for what they think should be done as expected by the people. Somebody who has never had an experience and opportunity of governance might find it difficult to drive the state for the first two years in office in terms of critical infrastructure and development of the State.
To refresh our memories, His Excellency, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja started his political journey as a Council Chairman. He served as both the Caretaker and Executive Chairman of Ibadan South East local government, which prides itself as the father of all other local government areas in the State. He thereafter became an elected member of the Federal House of Representatives where he represented the Ibadan North East/Ibadan South East federal constituency, Oyo between 2003 and 2007. In 2007, he was elected as the Deputy Governor to the late Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala between 2007 and 2011.
He was thereafter appointed as Nigerian Ambassador to two countries, Iran and Jordan simultaneously by the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan between 2012 to 2015. In the build up to the 2019 general elections, he signified interest to contest for the Oyo gubernatorial election under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In 2020, he was elected as the Vice-Chairman South West of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and while still serving his tenure he was elevated to the position of the National Vice Chairman (South) of the party, the position he is currently holding with 17 states under his supervision. This is an experience that will be difficult to find among others that are gunning for the seat.
So, for any politician that is aspiring to occupy such a coveted post of the governor of a state, this kind of experience is necessary and must be put into consideration. It is all about simple economics, opportunity cost. Payment of salaries at the right time, prioritising project execution and overall welfare of the people are a thing of utmost goal.
Just as His Excellency, Engr Seyi Makinde is doing, project execution will be in accordance with the needs of the people; from projects of urgency to others. He will provide a participatory leadership where everyone will be involved.
The grassroots politics of Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja is a plus. He is one of the many politicians who passed through Molete politics under the tutelage of the late garrison commander of Ibadan politics, late Alhaji Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu and mastered the game of accommodating the people especially the less privileged and the downtrodden well. He relates well with everybody irrespective of their age, status, religion, creed or political party without discrimination. He opens the door to the people.
As a grassroot politician that had served as council Chairman and Deputy Governor of the state, he knows the nooks and crannies of Oyo State more than others vying for the same position. He is boiling to continue the good work of Engr. Seyi Makinde when his administration ends in 2027 so that the people can continue to enjoy the good governance that has started since 2019.
He is somebody who can never deviate from the footstep of the current administration that is toiling day and night to take the people from poverty to prosperity.
As Governor Seyi Makinde is governing the state the way it should be and everybody is feeling the government, people should expect to experience continuity of such good governance, abundant life and enjoyment galore once Ambassador Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja who hails from Arapaja family from area in Ibadan South East local government takes up the mantle of leadership as the next Executive Governor of Oyo State come 2027.
