By Dayo Johnson
AKURE—THREE governors in the South-West have agreed to form economic bond towards the upliftment of the lives of their citizens. They include Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti.

Their plan was unfolded when Fayemi and Aregbesola paid a visit to Mimiko.
Briefing newsmen after a meeting they equally agreed to push for the review of the 1999 constitution that would enable the practice of true federalism in the polity.

Speaking Aregbesola noted that “it would not be in the interest of the people if the states see themselves as separate entity, saying they were connected politically and economically.

He said they “should work towards integrating policies and politics, saying it was right time they resumed the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s policies that made the zone the leading light among the committee of zones in the country.

On his part Dr Fayemi said there was need for regional integration among the states of the zone.

He said the state governors should not allow complacency so that there would not be disconnect between the government and the people of there respective states.

According to him “we must no allow complacency. Our people love us but we have burden of the mandate. There are lesson to learn. There are core values people know us for and these values must not be jettisoned because of politics.

“We have to deliver dividends of democracy to our people. We have ties and we must not do anything to undermine the ties. If we allow the tie to slack, the opposition will penetrate our ranks and that will not be in the interest of our people who voted us into office.”

In his address Dr Mimiko thanked God for ensuring victories of the two governors at the courts adding that there was urgent need for the regional integration for the benefit of the people of the zone.

According to him “since the three governors have recreated the politics of the region, they should now recreate the politics of the region.

One of the ways to recreate the politics, Mimiko said was for the region to have zonal rail-line and Zonal Power plant that would guarantee economic development of the people.

He advised his colleagues to create policies that would alleviate poverty so that the region would become global economic players in the future.

Dr Mimiko said the governors should allow their people to feel the effect of governance so as not to create disconnect the people who voted them into power.

Regretting the fall in standard of education however advised that they should focus of education, health and Information Communication and Technology.

“We must think of economic collaborative effort, we must have Yoruba rail-line, generate electricity and create market for investors. We must resume part to development.”

The governor added that the governors should use any opportunity available to them to push for the practice of true federalism where the states would be able to use resources at their disposal for the benefit of the people instead of the quasi-unitary system of government being practiced by the federal government.