Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (middle); his new deputy, Barr Bayo Lawal (left); and Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, during the Swearing-in of Barr Lawal as the new state deputy governor
Lawal sworn-in as new Oyo deputy governor
Following last Monday’s sacking of Rauf Olaniyan as the Oyo Deputy Governor by the state’s House of Assembly, the Chief Judge, Munta Abimbola, has sworn-in Barrister Bayo Lawal as the new second in command to Governor Seyi Makinde.
Until his swearing-in, Barr. Lawal was the Chairman, Oyo State Housing Corporation and also recently announced as the running mate of Governor Seyi Makinde for the 2023 governorship election.
The swearing-in and Oath of Office taking held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Monday, top government functionaries, Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin, who led other principal officers of the Assembly, service commanders and party chieftains, among others, in attendance.
Members of the party and loyalists of the Deputy Governor had also stormed the Governor’s Office in celebration of the new appointment.
Lawal’s inauguration followed the removal from office of the former Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, after lawmakers of the state House of Assembly adopted the report of a 7-man panel set up by the Chief Judge to investigate Olaniyan.
The panel, in the report, said Olaniyan was guilty of all the allegations leveled against him, which include gross misconduct, insubordination, financial recklessness and abandonment of duties, among others.
In a brief remark at the event, Governor Seyi Makinde said Lawal was chosen as a result of the successes he achieved in the capacity which he had served under the current administration.
He said to his administration, the reward for hardwork is more work, noting that the position of the Deputy Governor is that of trust, while announcing some capacities and ministries that would be under the watch of the new deputy governor.
Remarking at the event, Governor Makinde told the new deputy that he will continue to oversee affairs at the Oyo State Housing Corporation while doubling as deputy governor.
“You will continue to supervise the Housing Corporation even from your position as the Deputy Governor, Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency will also be under your direct supervision. The ministry of Justice will also be under your directive, having served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state in time past,” Makinde said.
Responding, Lawal said the new task would be delivered with full trust and loyalty to the government of Oyo State, even as he thanked the Governor for finding him worthy of the task, assuring that he would use all within his disposal to complement and ensure more service delivery to the people of the state in line with the vision of the Makinde-led administration.
Lawal, 68, was a former Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of the State, under the administration of the late ex-Governor, Lamidi Adeshina, between 1999 and 2003.
