A former member of House of Representatives for Akoko South East/Akoko South West Federal Constituency in the 9th House of Representatives, Adejoro Adeogun, insists in this interview, that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa will emerge victorious in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State. He says Governor Aiyedatiwa’s candidature will bring the best for the people of Akoko, the people of Ondo North and the entire of Ondo State. Excerpts:
What is your assessment of the All Progressives Congress campaign and the acceptability of your party and its standard-bearer in the governorship election coming up in a few days?
I am going to give you an answer that is based on my own experience, my political experience in Ondo State and other places.
The success of a campaign is measured by the enthusiasm of ordinary people not by those who follow the governor or party stakeholders or party members but by the people and it has been quite so far impressive.
And I must say too that I’ve been impressed by the response of the people.
The governor too noticed the overwhelming support of the people and he is humbled with the kind of support he is getting from the state.
This I am sure will translate to victory and I know this is going to be an election that is going to be easy.
One, we have a political party that is united more than ever before and I’m sure you’re aware of the efforts of the party’s leadership within the state and outside the state.
Since my foray into politics of the state, I think this is the first time we will be having a party that is together on all fronts and that will translate to everyone in APC working together and then taking advantage of what is happening in other parties, capitalizing on the divisions within the main opposition party too, which is splitting into two and at the end of the day it’s going to be a house divided against itself, while we remain strong and united.
So, for us in APC, it is not a matter of if we are going to win, it is about being ready for the election.
So you think the recent reconciliation has added advantage for the party in this election?
That is why I mentioned earlier that we are a solid party and this is an advantage for us. We are proud to have a united party where respect and unity prevail because in politics, sometimes, people fight for respect and our party including the governor and other stakeholders have shown respect to agree and they are all together again and working together for one sole goal.
Often, conflicts arise from a lack of respect rather than from ideological differences and bringing people together, despite grievances, you need to build trust and solidarity.
“I honestly identify with his sincerity to want to develop the state and we must take advantage of every opportunity that is open to us.”
Your party has been in the saddle for almost eight years; what is your assessment of the APC impact in Ondo State in the last eight years?
I think the party has done relatively well. I used it because there is always room for improvement and that’s the promise of the present candidate of APC, the promise to surpass what was done in the past and to expand the vision of the party and quality of governance to improve people’s lives.
Don’t you see people turning their back on APC because of some hard policies by President Bola Tinubu and the hardship people are going through across the states, which might rob your party of victory?
There is hardship in the country, I will acknowledge that. That the policies are harsh, I will not agree to that, but those policies are policies that are inevitable. It is like a child who has been sick, injection would be very painful but it has to be given and you will not say that the person giving the injection is wicked. No, because it is inevitable.
The removal of subsidies and aligning policies with global standards are actions the government had to take. These actions address issues that should have been dealt with years ago.
The consequences we face today are as a result of delayed decisions that we ought to have taken 10 years ago, stretching back to even former President Obasanjo’s era.
Don’t forget the issue of subsidy removal started with him and escalated under Goodluck Jonathan. So it is something we knew we had to do. While people face hardship, many sympathize with them, but the president understands the need for these tough decisions.
On the impact in Ondo State, our people are more reasonable and a lot of people, voters in the state, recognize the reality of these policies and can differentiate between necessary actions and political posturing.
The APC fold is stronger now but don’t you foresee a crisis in the near future over political patronage?
I don’t foresee a crisis. The Yoruba have a saying that the sky is wide enough for all birds to fly without collision. In a large political party, ambitions vary; some aspire to be councilors, others ministers, and some governors. A well-organized party streamlines ambitions.
What we have presently will provide or create a level playing field for the best in us to emerge as our leaders. It might be more difficult now because of the competition and will be more difficult for mediocre to emerge because in a midst of competition, the best will always come out, not mediocrity, rises to the top.
What are your expectations if Governor Aiyedatiwa should win the election?
We share a common vision in the development of our dear state, especially in the development of the coastal area linking Lagos to Ondo State, taking advantage of the opportunities by leveraging economic zones like the Dangote Refinery and the free trade zone.
We can serve as a link between markets in the West and East and Ondo State can take advantage of that. We also share the same goals for enhancing the agricultural value chain and boosting tourism, bringing economic benefits to our state.
I honestly identify with his sincerity to want to develop the state and we must take advantage of every opportunity that is open to us.
We’ve maintained open communication with our people, discussing their concerns and aspirations.
Our government prioritizes the welfare of all citizens, and we believe we can bring positive change for everyone in our state.
As a grassroots politician in the state, what are the steps taken so far to mobilise support for Aiyedatiwa ahead of this election?
It is very easy. We have been talking to our people, especially those who believe in us and our people know what is right and we’ve been having conversations and our interest is to bring out for everybody and we believe that Governor Aiyedatiwa’s candidature will bring the best for our people, the people of Akoko, the people of Ondo North and the entire of Ondo State.
So you don’t see the PDP as a threat to your party in this election?
As someone from this state who knows all the candidates personally, I respect them, but I believe our party, the APC, offers the best candidate at this time.
