Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has given an insight into who is likely to be his successor when he  completes his two terms of four years each on November 26, 2018.

He ruled out the possibility of whoever the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will field as candidate against the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard-bearer, saying a party that was in disarray could not pose a threat to APC.

Aregbesola stated this on Saturday at a popular audience participation programme tagged, :Ogbeni till Daybreak.

“When it comes to who will succeed me, I always pray to God to provide someone that would be better than me. But our party has ruled that nobody should aspire yet,”  Aregbesola told the huge crowd that gathered at the WOCDIF Event Centre, Ring Road Osogbo, venue of event.

He said APC would make sure that whoever would be its candidate in the 2018 governorship election had an in-depth understanding of his administration’s six-point integral action plans philosophy.

He stated that the major key to the continuation of the milestone developmental programmes and projects of his administration was for the people of the state to identify and vote the right candidate to succeed him in 2018.

Aregbesola also debunked the claim that the Osun APC is currently in disarray over who succeeds him in 2018.

He added: “We are united, connected and we are working so well. There is no part of our party’s organisation, administration and management that has suffered in any way. Our party is not in anyway being threatened. We are united, connected and working so well.

“If a party in power for six years is working so well and the opposition is scattered, dismembered, uncoordinated, very diversified as our opponent is now, where is the fair of threat to our party.

“If there is an incumbent government as peacefully co-exist as we are, then we can brag of such party. If not in the whole country, our party is one of the parties which had all those who ruled, there is no threat from anybody. We have a very cohesive political structure in Osun.”

On the rumour making the rounds about his senatorial ambition in Lagos State, Aregbesola said he has not made any decision to run for political office after the expiration of his tenure.

He, however, added that when the time to decide comes, he would not need to take permission from anybody.

“If I want to contest, I don’t need to consult anybody, I can contest anywhere. If we are genuine and sincere about regional rearrangement, then why are we concerned about where a man comes from? Rauf can appear when the time comes anywhere in the region.

“But let me tell you this that there is no such decision yet. On Tuesday November 26, 2018, when I will leave office, we will still have six months to election. In other words, we still have time to decide,” he said.

Aregbesola also reiterated his vow to the gathering that he would not leave any project uncompleted before the expiration of my tenure.

The governor equally commended the entire workforce of the state for his understanding, resilience and cooperation in the face of the current hard times arising from economic crisis.

According to him, the inability of his government to pay full salaries was as a result of negative financial pull and not because government is wicked.

“Firstly, I salute the perseverance, patience, commitment, understanding and unalloyed support given by our workers especially at tough times.

“As we all know, the issue of salary has become ubiquitous as many couldn’t pay salaries of their workforce. We couldn’t pay not because we are wicked, but because we are financially challenged.

“We have been rewarding workers based on their performance, diligence, merit and dedication to duties. We have been promoting workers based on our resilience and commitment.

“We has been providing a good leadership to Osun workers on their promotion. The state has been doing everything possible to support workers and prioritise their welfare.”

The Governor also responded to allegation of inflation of contract on road construction in the state, saying the cost of roads are not the same everywhere in the country.

Aregbesola also said that roads are different in qualities and characteristics and so the amount for the construction of a kilometre road would be based on the quality and its characteristics.

He said: “As we know, the cost of roads are not the same anywhere in the world. We can not compare the cost of a km of road in each of the states. To us, our roads are done with active participation with the officials of Ministry of Works with absolute transparency in the rate and cost.

“The rate is in line with international standard. You should ask how much they construct roads in other states. You can’t compare our roads with sensational roads. We have not inflated cost of any of our projects.

“In the history of Osun State, the quality of the roads we are constructing had never been seen or done by any government.

“Also, since the history of this state,  no administration has constructed the number of bridges constructed by our government in the last six years.”

– Nigerian Tribune