… ‘we’ve been managing your aggression, we’ll no longer keep quiet’
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The lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Adesoji Akanbi, has lambasted Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state for what he described as his anti-people style of governance and politics of intimidation, warning him not to set the state on fire. The senator, who is re-contesting for a second term on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, insisted that Ajimobi could not win a free and fair election in Oyo State. He spoke to TIMOTHY AGBOR in Ibadan. Excerpts:
Everyone is looking forward to the elections that will hold in a few weeks from now. But in Oyo State, analysts have said the Oyo South senatorial election is one the people of the state are eagerly looking forward to. Why do you think this is so?
As you are aware, the incumbent Governor (Abiola Ajimobi) and the incumbent Senator were initially in the same party, the All Progressives Congress. Now, the incumbent senator, Soji Akanbi, has moved to a new party, the African Dmeocratic Congress, a party, which is growing stronger by the day, owing to its people-oriented ideologies, the sincerity of leaders of the party at the national and state levels, and the fact that many of those who moved into the party, as presently constituted, have performed well above average in their political careers.
Don’t forget that this election is going to be the first election and whoever wins will influence who becomes the Governor of Oyo State. Secondly, there had been a kind of rivalry in previous elections between Ajimobi and Akanbi, during their days in the Alliance for Democracy. In a way, people believe that the so-called rivalry is back. People are keenly interested in that election, knowing well that it is going to be a major game changer in the next political scenario in Oyo State.
Do you think ADC, as a new party, has a very bright chance in, not just your election, but other elections across all levels?
To my surprise, the party, ADC, has spread to all corners of Oyo State. The party is getting stronger by the day; members are increasing by the day; supporters are growing in leaps and bounds; the acceptability is just unquantifiable. The people of Oyo State believe that the set of people in the party will make the change and bring an end to the one-man-show style of governance in Oyo State currently. They also believe that what ADC stands for is taking power away from one person and his family, back to the people.
You are the incumbent senator in Oyo South; Governor Ajimobi is the incumbent Governor. How easy do you think it will be to defeat him in this all-important election, considering the fact that he should have access to more financial resources?
People have information, and they are asking questions. They know what he did when he was a senator representing this same senatorial district, and they know how I also represented them. He should come out to lay on the table, what he did when he represented them in the 6th Senate. People are asking for our scorecards; why they should vote us to represent them in the 9th Senate. But we have found that we don’t even need to sweat too much, our scorecards are there for them to see; and to the glory of Almighty God, the testimonies have been awesome. The governor should come out to present his also.
Yes, the issue of money is important, but people are wiser now. They know that whatever desperate politicians give you today will not alleviate the effects of future bad representation. But we won’t fold our arms; we will continue to educate the public.
You released a statement two days ago, condemning the act of intimidation by the opposition APC, led by the Governor. Can you expatiate on this?
We had to voice out. We can’t be intimidated, not in this state. We’ve been managing their aggression for a long time, refusing to be distracted because we knew we had to go out to educate the public and get them ready for the battle to claim power back to the people. It’s not about ADC or Soji Akanbi; it is about the people of Oyo State. We refused to engage them when they were removing our billboards and posters because we wanted to remain focused, and we knew that if they removed our boards, they could not remove the love the people had for us.
We are, however, talking now because they are trying to block us from giving our people what they are yearning for, when they have refused to do it for them; because they are blocking the masses from enjoying the dividends of democracy. For instance, at the Adelabu Market, they requested strongly for solar-powered streetlights, and even within our own small means, we set out to grant their request. But the Baba Oloja (male head of the market), Alhaji Balogun, who, in this case, is a surrogate of the Governor, led policemen to arrest our workers. It was a chaotic scene that marked the height of the callousness of the ruling party. That was why we had to react strongly. The market people, who had initially put up a strong resistance when the workers were arrested, jubilated when they saw them back on site.
People think you have a bright chance in the forthcoming elections. But don’t forget that there is something called state might, even as regards INEC. What are you doing to ensure you’re not short-changed?
What we’re asking for is fairness. This is a national issue, and the INEC chairman has always echoed his determination to make the Commission an unbiased umpire. But we are not going to be careless; we will be vigilant and insist due process is followed. We are preparing our people to appreciate the fact that voting alone is not enough; you can only claim that you have voted if your vote is counted.
Some people have said that the Governor’s camp seems calm because they know they will win. What do you think?
They are calm because they think they have the resources and power to win the election. But looking at the Governor’s performance when he was a senator, and his performance as a governor, it’s not a success story at all. Economically, our people are poorer, and that is one key indicator that can be used to assess a good leader. Our people are wiser.
Do you really think you can win this election, against an incumbent that you said would not even allow the opposition to mount billboards?
If I did not think I would win, there would have been no need for me to pick a ticket on the platform of the ADC. I have never been a pretender. God on our side, and with the people’s unflinching support, we will put an end to this unholy imposition by one individual.
What strategies have you put in place to withstand possible intimidation by a sitting government?
Looking at the people in the Governor’s camp at the moment, you will know that he is planning to unleash violence on innocent people in Oyo State. But we are ready for him. The whole country is watching. We strongly believe that the resistance this time around will be very strong. Like I said before, it is not about the African Democratic Congress, neither is it about Soji Akanbi. It is about the masses. At this point, we all must unite to seize power back from a single individual, who has made governance a family
affair.
It’s been said that you were a close associate of Governor Abiola Ajimobi before the issue of the Oyo South senatorial ticket tore you apart. What went wrong?
Yes, we were like one big family, and I don’t hold anything against anyone still. But Soji Akanbi is someone that believes in people and will never renege on any promise he makes. The governor made a promise behind closed doors, and even in public, that he would never contest again.
What happened to that promise?
He is the one in the best position to answer that question. But in this particular election, going back to your question on possible intimidation, I would say the governor should have seen that Oyo State people, and Nigerians in general, are wiser. He won’t want to bring the roof down. People are fed up; they are expecting the worst, and they are well prepared to resist intimidation or imposition. They do not have to go violent before saying enough is enough. I know he won’t want to set the state on fire. I would advise him not to do so. What people are asking for is fairness.
What is your advice to the people of Oyo State in general as we prepare for elections?
The major thing is that they should shun intimidation and prepare to rescue their state. They should reject direct and indirect acts of vote buying by the ruling government and consider future devastating effects of allowing politicans buy their conscience.
You seem so certain that in a free and fair election, you will be returned to the 9th Senate. What gives you this confidence?
If this contest is about people, we will surely win; and it should be about people. Almighty God is always on the side of the people.
