Hon. Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, is the running mate to the All Progressives Congress candidate in the September 22 Osun Governorship election , Isiaka Oyetola, In a chat with Rotimi Agboluaje in Ibadan, Alabi says, if voted into power, his experience and that of Oyetola in the corporate world would set Osun State on the trajectory of unprecedented economic development. Excerpts.
What informed your nomination as the running mate of the APC Governorship candidate?
Zoning, in the sense that you need to spread key positions. Since the governorship candidate is from the Central Senatorial District and the incumbent Governor is from the East Senatorial District, it’s expected that the Deputy Governorship candidate should come from the West Senatorial District.
And considering the vote of our people from Irewole Local Government Area, the party hierarchy considered it is worthy that the position should be zoned to our Federal Constituency. Lastly, the party must have seen some qualities in me and believe that I’ll add value to the incoming government. That’s why I was chosen.
But you’re not the only aspirant in your Federal Constituency and Irewole Local Government Area …
The party must have seen some qualities in me. My age is a factor and being a Christian to complement the governorship candidate. Also, as a technocrat, the party hierarchy realized that I’ll add value to the incoming government and the state in terms of development and economic growth, judging by my pedigree as an economist and entrepreneur.
How popular is your party in the Osun West Senatorial District?
The party is well entrenched in the district. The party leadership also knows our worth. That’s why it can’t do without us. Looking at the last election of the governorship election, the gap between my party and the party that came behind us is around 70 per cent to 30 per cent.The margin is just wide. So, such a district can’t be ignored.
What will be your unique selling points to the electorate?
Obviously, the government in power has done very well with the meagre resources available. Just name it; in education, infrastructure in the schools, we have mega schools that can compete globally. Students have a conductive environment to learn and study. We are creating these to ensure that we have a sustainable education improvement. In infrastructural development such as inter-change roads that can bring investors to the State especially the one at Gbongan axis. In the agricultural sector, there are farm settlements which the government has created to ensure that we’re moving from the subsistence farming to commercial farming. These are some of things the government has done.
However, the grouse people have against us is the mutilated salary which was agreed upon to ensure that the number of workers we have is retained with the little available resources. More than a half of the staff are being paid full salary. That is the critical mass of 70 per cent of the workforce. Mutilated salaries are being paid to ensure that workers get their salaries at the end of the month. Staff on the level one to eight, who constitute the 70 percent of the workforce are being paid in full.
The next level is eight to 12 who are being paid 75 per cent. So, those who earn half salaries are less than 10 per cent. Those are the workers from level 13 and above. They are higher calibre who have more allowances to cater for their families. The truth is that it’s actually not the best but the fact is that; it was the demand of the time. You would recall that the government had been paying salaries regularly before recession, even paid 13th month salary. But now, the government has started paying a full salary and it’s going to pay the arrears.
You’re from the corporate world and the governorship candidate also from the business world. How are you going to handle political machinery when two of you are not professional politicians?
When you talk about a career politician, Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola has been the Chief of Staff to the Governor for eight years. That means he learned the rope for these years and he’s not a dullard. Mind you, if you’re there for those years you’ve become a politician and mastered how the public sector works. I’ve also worked in the public sector department of a bank for years. I know the working of the public sector. What we’re talking here about is that we want to combine the public sector experience with our professional backgrounds which are very germane for the understanding of the principles of economic development and societal growth to take the State of Osun to the next level. It’s a win-win situation. We have a formidable team who will bring economic prosperity to
the state.
What should the people be expecting from you?
One, continuity. A continuation of growth, infrastructural development, welfare and security of our people. Two, employment of the youth through the vocational training. We’ll ensure that cottage industries are energised to add to the formidable workforce of the state.
