BY OLA AJAYI

IBADAN—GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has dismissed the myth that Ibadan people and by implication Oyo State, don’t serve a governor twice saying the proponents are poor students of history.

Senator Abiola Ajimobi

Ajimobi who has not hidden his second term ambition said this during the swearing-in of the 33 local government caretaker chairmen in the state.

According to the governor, such people should cross-check their records to discover that the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief S. L. Akintola, Premiers of the Western Region, ruled the West from Ibadan and were given mandates to rule twice by the people.

“Those who say they don’t do second term in Oyo State should cross-check the records.

“Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo and Samuel Ladoke Akintola did it twice. Those who say Ibadan people don’t serve anyone twice may not be wrong, however, but they are wrong in the context. What they may be referring to is Ibadan and we are not serving Ibadan people alone but the whole of Oyo State. Perhaps, they are referring to the throne of Kabiyesi, the Olubadan. When someone ascends the throne, it is until that person dies that another person comes to the throne. It means a king only rules Ibadan once and not twice. In any case, we are serving Ibadan people and they are not the ones serving us,” the governor said.

Governor Ajimobi also expressed optimism that with the various unprecedented achievements of his administration, the people would not leave a development-oriented government for those who will drive them backwards.