• Promises transparent, people-centred government if elected
• Unveils plans for technology-driven security, education, healthcare and agriculture
• Urges parents, security agencies and INEC to ensure peaceful poll
By Boluwatife Adedokun
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) governorship candidate in the August 15 Osun State governorship election, John Adesuyi, has rated Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration “zero,” arguing that no government can be considered successful if it fails to guarantee the safety of lives and property.
Speaking on Issues That Matter, a current affairs programme on City Mirror TV, Adesuyi said the primary constitutional responsibility of any government is to protect citizens, insisting that insecurity in Osun over the past 12 years has undermined whatever achievements successive administrations may claim.
“I will rate Adeleke zero. He hasn’t done anything. Everything is zero. Any governor that fails to protect the lives of the citizens is a failure, no matter what he has done. Adeleke has failed to protect the lives of Osun people, which makes him a failure,” he said.
The ZLP candidate maintained that security would be the top priority of his administration if elected governor, promising to establish a transparent and accountable government that would return power to the people.
“If I become governor, we are going to run a transparent and accountable government. We are going to run a government of the people, returning power to the people. The basic and number one priority, backed by the Constitution of Nigeria, is the safety of lives and property,” he said.
According to him, his administration would adopt technology-driven policing by deploying surveillance systems and other digital security tools across the state to prevent crime rather than merely responding to it.
“There won’t be any space for criminal elements. Technology has made things easier. We will make sure the four corners of Osun State are under surveillance. Once you put these measures in place, it becomes easier to isolate crime because offenders know they are being watched before they commit any offence. These technologies are not expensive to implement,” Adesuyi stated.
He also criticised what he described as poor enforcement of traffic regulations, arguing that authorities often focus on apprehending offenders instead of preventing violations through proper road signs and public awareness.
“The traffic officer hides, waiting for someone to violate a rule, even when there is no sign indicating the restriction. We need preventive measures because many people become victims simply because they are not aware,” he said.
On healthcare, Adesuyi pledged to make quality medical services more affordable by providing hospitals with modern equipment and strengthening supervision across the health sector.
“Health service delivery is expensive in Nigeria. We will make it affordable by providing enough equipment and machinery while ensuring proper supervision to guarantee quality service delivery,” he said.
The ZLP standard-bearer also promised sweeping reforms in the education sector, lamenting the poor state of public schools across Osun.
“Today, there is hardly any school in Osun where you will find a functional physical library. We will establish both physical and digital libraries. Practical lessons can also be enhanced through simulation technology. More than 100 schools in Osun do not have competent teachers, and we are going to address that,” he added.
Adesuyi further outlined plans to transform agriculture into a major economic driver, promising to create 10,000 jobs by treating farming as a business capable of boosting local production and employment.
“We are going to run agriculture as a business. We will produce what we consume here in Osun and create at least 10,000 jobs through the sector,” he said.
He stressed that governance should be driven by the needs of the people rather than the preferences of political office holders.
“We will first ask the people what they need before implementing projects. Previous administrations were not people-oriented, and that is why many of their projects failed to meet the expectations of the people. They gave people what they did not ask for,” he said.
Adesuyi also called for a peaceful governorship election, urging security agencies, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), parents and political actors to play their respective roles in preventing violence before, during and after the poll.
He added that good governance requires leaders to draw ideas from across the political divide, irrespective of party affiliation.
“The best way to govern is to gather knowledge from different political parties, even if they do not win elections. Every party has good ideas. Bring them together in peace and use them for the benefit of the people,” he said.
