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'I'm just a top civil servant' – Nigerian governor tells constituents

'I'm just a top civil servant' – Nigerian governor tells constituents

Nigeria

A Nigerian governor has told the people of his state not to see him as an executive governor and that he was only a ‘‘top civil servant.’‘

Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, was speaking earlier this week at his official swearing in as governor of the state located in Nigeria’s south-western region.

He said, “I am not an executive governor, there is no executive governor anywhere, I am one of you, I am just a top servant.

“If you don’t receive salary, as your governor, I don’t deserve to receive any salary too, if you are not being paid, no one is should be paid,’‘ he added.

He won recent elections as candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He defeated the incumbent Segun Mimiko of the largest opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

I’m grateful to all who attended my inauguration. Work starts in earnest. For us; Changing the lives of our people is a goal we must pursue. pic.twitter.com/u6REjRylZE

— Arakunrin Akeredolu (@RotimiAkeredolu) February 27, 2017

He promised to operate an open government and tasked people in the state to prepare to the land as a means of rejuvenating the economy of the state. He also promised that in two years, Ondo will begin to exploit bitumen as a means of industrializing the state.

His position is in stark contrast to a recent proclamation by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who told citizens that he was not a servant of the people but rather a freedom fighter whose ideals the people shared and elected him as such.

‘‘I hear some people saying that I am their servant, I am not a servant of anybody. I am a freedom fighter, that is what I do.

‘‘I don’t do it because I am your servant, I’m not your servant. I am just a freedom fighter, I am fighting for myself or my beliefs. That’s how I come in, I’m not an employee.

‘‘If anybody thinks he gave me a job, he is deceiving himself. I am just a freedom fighter whom you thought could help you also,’‘ he stated.

Ondo State – known as the Sunshine State, was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. It originally included what is now Ekiti State, which was split off in 1996. Akure is the state capital.

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