Aregbesola, Ajibola advise Mimiko to join S-West integration

BY GNENGA OLARINOYE

OSOGBO—GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and former Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, yesterday, advised Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, to stop playing politics and join the crusade for the South West regional integration being canvassed by other governors from the region.

Speaking at the opening of a four day South West Grassroots Business and Investment Forum, Governor Aregbesola noted that the struggle for power politics is gone in the south west and urged Dr Mimiko to collaborate with other Governors of the South West in the bid to ensure regional integration.

He also charged the Governors of the region to work for its development and make it a pace setter for other geo political zones in the country.

He said: “I want to use this forum to call on Governor Olusegun Mimiko to join other governors in working for the collective interest of the South West zone through the integration of the region for our collective development.”

He contended that the crusade for regional integration by other governors of the South West region was to accelerate economic development of the entire region.

Aregbesola noted that regional integration would enhance socio-economic development of the region and its people, saying, “our people under regional integration will be empowered economically.”

Similarly, Justice Bola Ajibola, contended that South West region as an agrarian terrain should be accorded priority to reposition agriculture which plays prominent position in the life of any government.

Also speaking, former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Olunloyo stressed that the idea behind regional integration was to improve what had gone wrong in the country and correct some ill feelings.