Leading contenders in the governorship race in Osun State, [b]Alhaji Fatai Akinbade [/b]has assured that if given the mandate to lead the state,he would among other things, place premium on local content development.

Akinbade who is angling for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party at the party primary slated for Tuesday, 17th July,this year,asserted that such measure would go a long way in reducing capital flights currently bedeviling the state and its people.

"Naturally, this will come as an easy chip for me because I am conversant with the turf. I know the state too well and the needs of our people. So putting smiles on the faces of our people, legitimately,will not be a difficult thing for me with their support and God's backing" he said.

This, according to the former Secretary to the Osun State Government, would assist greatly in buoying up the state's economy now in tatters occasioned by the policies of Aregbesola.

Akinbade who made these known in a statement issued by his Media Office, bemoaned that the people of the state,have,in the last 8 years of Aregbesola's administration, being wallowing in penury due to policies which encouraged capital flights.

"Mostly, complaints rent the air in Osun today because of lack of patronage of our people and activities related in the state. The implications of these are that, these activities related things that should readily serve as catalyst of developing the state's economy, are unfortunately, largely imported from Lagos while the money made in the process, are ferried back to Lagos and other states" he decried

The former SSG lamented further that most of Aregbesola's appointments equally encouraged capital flights which had decimated the economic powers of the people of the state.

He assured that all these would be attended to by him if given the mandate by his party and the people of the state to take reins of affairs after the September polls in the state.

"Apart from appointments that will evolve from among us and not "foreigners", local artisans will be heavily patronized. This will not only put our people in proper economic shape, it will as well, help a great deal in empowering them" Akinbade averred.

He then called for concerted efforts by stakeholders in the state, to make the coming election an opportunity to give the state a new face by choosing him as the next governor due to his experience about governance.

Akinbade Media Office (AMO)