Oyebanji swears in three commissioners, 10 special advisers

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Wednesday swore in three commissioners and 10 special advisers, charging them to work hard to translate his administration’s electoral promises into visible, concrete and life-changing outcomes for the people of the state.

The governor said his administration would be guided by discipline, integrity, excellent service delivery and speed, warning that he would not tolerate any appointee found wanting in these areas.

Speaking shortly after the swearing-in ceremony at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji said the appointments demonstrated his administration’s resolve to ensure that its second term commenced without delay.

He stressed that a second term in office should not be a period of complacency or self-indulgence but an opportunity to deepen governance and deliver on electoral promises.

Describing the appointments as a demonstration of confidence in the appointees’ abilities and recognition of their previous contributions to the state, the governor said their selection was based on their proven capacity and the value they could add to his administration.

Oyebanji urged the appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them by redoubling their efforts and delivering excellent results in their respective portfolios.

He also charged them to ensure that administrative processes and projects undertaken by their respective ministries, departments and agencies met the highest standards of technical competence, transparency and professionalism while being executed with speed and in line with global best practices.

The governor said, “Today’s event is a further demonstration of our resolve to ensure that this administration takes off quickly without any further delay and to prove a point that a second term in office is not for complacency or self-indulgence.

“That you have been recalled to continue your job is proof of my confidence in you and an affirmation of your performance. I will therefore like to counsel you to resist the temptation of invincibility and indispensability, which could ultimately bring arrogance. At the end of the day, only God is indispensable.

“I must make it unequivocally clear that I will be very impatient and completely intolerant of any kind of indiscipline, unethical behaviour and corruption. We must work very hard to successfully translate all our electoral promises into visible, concrete and life-changing outcomes for the citizens.”

Responding on behalf of the newly sworn-in cabinet members, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), pledged his colleagues’ commitment to honesty, impartiality, transparency and hard work in the discharge of their duties.

Apata described their appointments as a call to service, stressing that the swearing-in marked the beginning of their responsibility to work closely with the government in implementing its development agenda.

He said the cabinet members were conscious of Oyebanji’s desire to leave lasting legacies that would stand the test of time and contribute to the development of Ekiti State.

He also described public office as a position of trust rather than a commercial enterprise, pledging that the appointees would serve the people with honesty, impartiality and transparency.

Apata thanked the governor and the people of Ekiti State for the opportunity to serve, assuring them that the commissioners would hit the ground running and work towards translating the administration’s vision into tangible results.

The newly sworn-in commissioners and special advisers subsequently took oaths of secrecy at the Executive Council Chambers, after which they commenced their maiden Executive Council meeting.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye; Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye; Secretary to the State Government, Habibat Adubiaro; Head of Service, Folakemi Olomojobi; members of the State House of Assembly and Executive Council, traditional rulers, community leaders and family members, among others.