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Exclusive! Aregbesola’s New Cabinet Taking Shape; Likely Members Unveiled

 That Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is yet to appoint his commissioners and other members of the state Executive Council expected to assist him in office for the next four years should not spring surprise to many especially the citizens of the state.

 Governor Aregbesola, sworn-in last November for a second term in office after defeating his major opponent from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Otunba Iyiola Omisore had in his first regime introduced an unusual style of governance as he governed the state for almost a year without constituting the executive council.

 At the expiration of Aregbesola’s first tenure on November 26, 2014, he had dissolved the executive council to pave way for his assumption of office for the second term, as the constitution provided.
But the question on the lips of many is whether Governor Aregbesola would adopt his first tenure style of delaying the composition of members of his cabinet for a very long time or not.

 The governor had explained some of the reasons behind the delay in the composition of his cabinet in the first tenure saying key among those factors was to conserve money for the government to take off.

 As it stands now, the state could be described as not bouyant financially; a situation that informed the non-payment of workers’ salaries for about four months now, no thanks the dwindling revenue from the federation’s account.

 To this end, the governor has not been hiding his joy that his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) would on Friday, 29th May, 2015 assume government at the federal level thus assuring the citizens of the state of better days ahead.

 There are speculations that the governor may appoint members of his cabinet after the swearing-in of the President-elect, General Muhammodu Buhari (retrd.). digging deep into what the new cabinet may look like and the discovery was very interesting.This medium learnt that most members of the previous cabinet may not likely make the new cabinet, no thanks to their dismal performance during the governorship election last year.

Thegazellenews learnt that most of the cabinet have no basis at home as they were not popular in their various communities. “Most of them, after their appointments, became detached from their local base, hence there was heavy resentment against them during the election. We only thank God that we have a popular and overwhelmingly accepted candidate like Ogbeni, if not, the story could have been different,” source told our correspondent in Osogbo.

 Investigation in the party circle in Osogbo by this medium revealed of all the members of the previous cabinet, only about seven have realistic chance of making the new cabinet. The seven are: Wale Bolorunduro, Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning in the previous cabinet; Mrs Temitope Ilori, former Commissioner for Health; Arc Muyiwa Ige, ex-Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning; Sunday Akere, previous Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Ajibola Bashiru, Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties in the last cabinet; Bola Ilori, ex-Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment and Alhaji Izamot who was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health in the previous executive council.

Thegazellenews learnt exclusively that due to the wide power wielded by Wale Bolorunduro as Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning in the previous cabinet, the Governor may break the ministry into two to be manned by two proven professionals.

 Thus, there will be Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
As expected, the Governor intends to bring in new faces into the new cabinet with attention focusing mainly on young, energetic and committed professionals who possess the intelect to deliver on the Governor’s people-oriented programmes.

Thegazellenews learnt that one of such new names expected in the new cabinet is former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Kazeem Adio who is expected to bring in experience and competence gathered during his term as a commissioner and SSG in the state.

 Another name being touted is Honourable Lawrence Ayeni, who is bringing into the cabinet, eight years experience as a lawmaker in Lagos. A source in the state government disclosed that Governor Aregbesola would re-appoint few of the cabinet members in his first regime. Another name being touted is Honourable Rotimi Makinde who was defeated in the last National Assembly election.
Also in contention is Honourable Abdullah Adeyanju Binuyo, current Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Milliennium Development Goals (MDGs).

 Yet another name being considered, according to thegazellenews’s investigation is Honourable Nathaniel Agunbiade, currently a member of the House of Representatives but who lost his re-election bid in the last election to Honourable Wole Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Another name being bandied about is immediate past Chairman of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Elder Adelowo Adebiyi.

Thegazellenewslearnt further that current Executive Secretary of Odo Otin Local Government, Tope Adejumo, has a bright chance of making the list. This medium learnt that Adejumo has been acting as Security Adviser to the Governor since the ouster of Barrister Amos who was reported to have had an unholy romance with Senator Iyiola Omisore and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election. Amos has also been accused of not delivering whenever the Governor gave him assignment to give people or organisation money.

 Also being considered is Micheal Oluwole Idowu, a young structural engineer who has been acting the Governor’s unofficial Special Adviser on Works since the previous cabinet was dissolved.
As this write up was going to bed, thegazellenewss learnt that a current member of the Osun State House of Assembly and Chairman of the Assembly Committe on Works, Honourable Ojo from Ede is also on the list of possible nominees.


By Timothy Agbor, Osogbo
thegazellenews

 

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