Osun stands still as Omisore declares gov ambition •Calls for state REC removal

Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State, stood still, on Saturday, as one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore, flagged off his gubernatorial ambition, with a vow to take over the governance of the state after the conduct of August 9 election and restore hope of the people, whom he

said had been subjected to harrowing poverty and deprivations by Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led All Progressive Congress (APC) government.
Addressing a mammoth crowd, who converged on Freedom Park, Osogbo, venue of the declaration ceremony, Omisore described the flag-off of his ambition as “unstoppable march to take over the reins of power from the anti masses government of the APC.”
As a result of the massive turnout of the people, including the supporters of the PDP at the event, all the major roads in the state capital were blocked with cars struggling to make way to the venue, thus culminating in traffic gridlock that lasted for hours.
According to Omisore, “I am on a rescue mission to halt the rots and degradation in all the sectors of the state. We are concerned about the undue suffering and dislocation the present administration has unleashed on the citizenry. We are also appealing to them to continue to endure as hope and succour are already underway”.
While highlighting his eight-point agenda to address myriad of problems confronting the people, he decried the pauperisation of the masses through inhuman taxes, demolition of markets without alternatives, destruction of the state education heritage, the creation of religious crisis in a state said to be harmonious.
Senator Omisore, who spoke in Yoruba, promised to restore dignity in the education sector, focus on agriculture and rural development, among others, stating that, “I am here offering myself for service. I am here to right the wrongs and set our state on sustainable paths. By the grace of God, my government would be your government”.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, to respect the Federal High Court judgment which established that the incumbent Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Ambassador Rufus Oluwatoyin Akeju, was a card carrying member of the ACN now APC and barred him from conducting election in Osun State.