BY Dayo Johnson
The inauguration of a new state executive council by Governor Olusegun Mimiko last Friday was a definitive statement on his intention to sustain his political legacy in the Sunshine State.

The Governor had last July sacked the last executive council allegedly upon mutterings at the grassroots of loss of confidence in many of the cabinet members.

In a statement by his former Chief Press Secretary, Kolawole Olabisi, who himself was dropped few months after, the governor thanked the former cabinet members for their help in piloting the affairs of the state in the past years.

A big surprise came a month later when the governor forwarded the names of only four former commissioners to the House of Assembly and tongues started wagging that others not picked would have to look elsewhere for a job.

The four special ones were the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede; Works Commissioner, Gboye Adegbenro; Community Development Commissioner, Chief Clement Faboyede and Finance Commissioner, Chief Yele Ogundipe.

For two months thereafter, nothing was forth coming on other commissioners and the waiting game continued for interested party members. But when the governor forwarded another list of 16 would_be commissioners to the House only three members of the former cabinet were included. The trio were Hon Remi Olatubora; Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun; and Chief Akin Adaramola.

Besides them were Sola Ebiseni and Margret Akinsuroju; two former commissioners in the Olusegun Agagu and Adebayo Adefariti cabinets.

In a bid to placate the unlucky former commissioners the governor reportedly met with them behind closed doors where he offered some of them the post of special advisers and other political appointments. He was said to have told many of them that they were unable to return because of reports from their constituencies which were not in their favour.

Notable among the personalities who made the new list include Kayode Akinmade, who distinguished himself as Special Adviser to former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole. Also on the list were Ayodeji Falae, son of Afenifere elder, Chief Olu Falae; and  Mrs Yinka Alabi,

Falae’s son sought a ticket of the Labour Party for a National Assembly seat and lost. Also on the list are former Interim Caretaker Chairman of Akure South, Hon Tayo Oluwatuyi; former Special Adviser on Due Process, Igbekele Daudu; Dr Dayo Adeyanju; Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo; Ademola Olorunfemi; Tayo Akinjomu; Taye Akinyede and Nicholas Tofowomo, who decamped from the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN to the ruling LP in the state.

Meanwhile, the list of nominees from Ese Odo, Owo and Ose are yet to be forwarded to the lawmakers.

Investigations revealed that the stakeholders from the council areas where nominees are yet to be picked are still discussing and are yet to agree on who to represent them in the state exco.

The screening of the nominees was smooth as the pedigree of some of them worked for them.

Two nominees Remi Olatubora and Yekini Olanipekun both of the Fifth and Sixth Assembly received expressed approval as former members of the assembly.

Mr. Akinmade even though not a former commissioner got express approval like two former cabinet members Akin Adaramola and Sola Ebiseni who were commended for their meritorious past services to the state.

Inaugurating the new cabinet last Friday, Governor Mimiko said they were chosen based on their demonstrable sterling qualities and positive reputation and as such they should not erode the confidence reposed in them by the electorate.

He said as part of the government’s commitment to social transformation, “you are expected to hit the ground running. I expect you to within the next few weeks come up with your ministries well_articulated work plans that really align with our 12_point programme of development.

It has been my unique privilege to preside over and guide the unfolding transformation of Ondo State and its people from a position of apparent decline into that of accelerated development. We now have to face the task of building upon the giant strides already achieved in all departments of governance.”

The new commissioners and their portfolios are Kayode Akinmade (information), Hon Sola Ebiseni (Environment), while Mr Akin Adaramola and Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun returned to their former ministries of Economic Planning and Budget and Youths and Sports Development respectively. Former Natural Resources Commissioner, Hon Remi Olatubora is now in charge of Education.

Others include Mr Nicholas Tofowomo (Transport), Mr Igbekele Daodu (Physical Planning and Urban Development), Mrs Olayinka Alabi (Women Affairs and Social Development), Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo (Natural Resources), Engr Ademola Olorunfemi (Agriculture), Falae (Culture and Tourism), Mr Tayo Oluwatuyi (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs).

Mrs Margaret Akinsuroju (Adult, Vocational and Technical Education) and Mr Tayo Akinjomo (Commerce and Industry). Mr Taye Akinyele and Dr Dayo Adeyanju are in charge of ministries of Employment and Productivity and Health respectively.