Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has declared that the completion of the first-ever dual carriageway in Iwo is proof of his administration’s commitment to the ancient town, saying the landmark project demonstrates his genuine love for the people and signals the end of years of neglect.

The governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, in which Adeleke said the dual carriageway, alongside the reconstruction of the Iwo City Centre and Palace Square, reflects his administration’s determination to transform the town and accelerate development.

According to the governor, previous administrations failed to give Iwo the attention it deserved, while his government had fulfilled its promise through visible infrastructure projects.

“In the past, Iwo had suffered neglect. These great people were abandoned by many past leaders. Our administration changed that story. We stopped the fake saying of ‘Iwo is my second city’. We opened up this city for genuine development,” Adeleke said.

He recalled that many people doubted the sincerity of his administration when the dualisation project was announced but noted that its successful completion had vindicated his government’s commitment to the people.

“Today, we prove that we truly love Iwo people. Iwo City Centre and Palace Square are now redesigned and reconstructed. This multi-focused dualisation project is concluded to the glory of God and man,” the governor added.

Adeleke also accused the opposition of instigating the local government funding crisis in an attempt to frustrate his administration’s developmental agenda across Osun State.

“The opposition was shocked by our commitment to the development of Iwo and other cities and towns in Osun State. That was the reason they invented the local government crisis to financially strangulate us,” he alleged.

Despite the challenges, the governor said his administration had completed several major infrastructure projects across the state, including in Iwo, Ila-Orangun, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Osogbo, Ede and other communities.

He maintained that the overriding objective of his administration is to fast-track development through life-changing projects implemented on the principles of fairness, inclusiveness and shared prosperity.

The governor further pledged to commence the second phase of the Iwo dual carriageway if re-elected in the August 15 governorship election, urging residents to sustain their support for his administration.

“We are committed to taking this vision further. We are determined to commence the second phase of the project once we are re-elected on August 15. We need your continuous support and backing for more transformation to take place. Iwo city and Osun State in general should never go back to slavery and deceitful governance,” Adeleke said.