Barrister Akin Ogunlola is a lawyer both in the United States of America and Nigeria. He was one of the three lawyers that successfully represented the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Chief Anthony Enahoro against the past Nigerian military dictatorship in USA. He is also the current National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), USA-Chapter.
As a member of PDP in Oyo State, what are the realistic
chances of PDP in winning the governorship election in 2015 in view of the lack
of unity within the party?
The assertion or presumption of lack
of unity within Oyo State PDP is false. The party is much more united today
than in the year 2011, especially having watched with dismay and disbelief the
poor performance and gross marginalization of our people by the APC government
led by the present governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. What you refer to as lack
of unity was probably true prior to the 2011 election, when irreconcilable
differences, manifest indiscipline and personal ambitions of certain party
leaders led to the emergence of the present unpopular and elitist government of
Senator Ajimobi. It must always be remembered that ACN or APC did not win the
2011 governorship election in the first place. The PDP itself gave the state
away through immaturity on the part of its leaders at the time.
Presently, you are rumored to have about ten aspirants
within PDP trying to become the next governor of the state. Don't you think
that this may further tear the party apart if one candidate eventually emerges
as winner?
I don't think so. Of course, the
large number of possible contestants within the party is a positive sign and a
further testimony to the fact that the people of Oyo State are already fed up
with the current APC administration to the extent that each aspiring PDP member
is convinced that defeating Ajimobi at the general election in 2015 will be so
easy. The favorable atmosphere and the sensing of ultimate victory against APC
throughout the state are some of the factors responsible for the large number
of PDP aspirants. It should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness or
disunity. Above all, the freedom of every member to aspire, vote and be voted
for without imposition or hindrance is our hallmark as a democratic party. It
is a welcome development that will ultimately strengthen and further boost our
chances of reclaiming the state from APC. I'm sure that every member will
quickly come together and support the eventual winner after the primaries in
order to rescue Oyo State from Ajimobi and APC. Once we nominate a good
flagbearer for the party, the days of APC government in Oyo State are numbered.
This is because APC lacks the experience, lacks the people's support and, or
the ground political structure to defeat PDP at any state-wide election in Oyo
State.
Which of the current PDP gubernatorial aspirants will you
consider the most qualified or most likely to defeat Governor Ajimobi in 2015?
I must state quite unequivocally
from the outset that all of the current PDP aspirants are men of vision with
clear understanding of the collective aspirations of our people and the ways to
actualize them.
However, when we talk about the most qualified and most formidable of the potential PDP aspirants with best chances of easily defeating Governor Ajimobi and APC at the polls, that person is the former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala. Chief Akala stands out, not only because of his experience, but also because he is a true and passionate leader of our people with an exemplary ability to mobilize the people at the grassroots.
However, when we talk about the most qualified and most formidable of the potential PDP aspirants with best chances of easily defeating Governor Ajimobi and APC at the polls, that person is the former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala. Chief Akala stands out, not only because of his experience, but also because he is a true and passionate leader of our people with an exemplary ability to mobilize the people at the grassroots.
In addition, he is genuinely loved
and admired by the people of Oyo State due to his committed belief in
empowering the people, most especially the masses and the less privileged in
the state through his personal actions and policies as a leader. Furthermore,
going round the state today, you'll discover that no other candidate can match
the political structure and support of the masses enjoyed by former governor
Akala. Neither is there another person, in my opinion, that can elicit the type of
excitement being generated among the masses, which his candidacy brings to the
table. In short, Chief Alao Akala represents, not only the most formidable and
intimidating opponent for Governor Ajimobi, but also represents a kind of
political nightmare that is justifiably feared by the APC in Oyo State. In my
opinion, he is the best candidate that can easily cruise to victory and ensure
that PDP returns to power in Oyo State.
But what about the pending EFCC case against the ex-governor
or do you consider it reasonable for the party to nominate someone with ongoing
court case?
What pending case? Although I don't
know the facts or details of the case against the former governor, I can
categorically say that the EFCC case is nothing, but a mere allegation at this
point. I'm sure that the EFCC is doing a good job, but a crime is not committed
simply because the EFCC says so. Furthermore, a fundamental principle of
justice worldwide is that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
You cannot put a man's life and career on hold or in limbo indefinitely by
merely alleging or accusing him of a wrongdoing. The former governor has
neither been convicted nor found guilty of any crime up till now and just like
any other Nigerian citizen; he is free and must be allowed to pursue his life
goals and ambitions. A pending case without conviction can only be used as an
issue by those that are afraid of his candidature. Is it not almost four years
ago that the man left office as a governor? I think that's more than enough
time to have him tried and convicted for any offense he may have truly committed.
But how will you rate the record of PDP in Oyo State under
Chief Akala as governor?
I remain very proud of the achievements
of PDP in the state under former governor Akala. As a society, we need to start
learning to judge political office holders on their actual and practical
record, not on mere propaganda by political opponents. When you look at the
totality of his record as governor, Oyo State under Chief Akala, witnessed
enormous infrastructural development and fair allocation of state resources.
For example, he constructed and
rehabilitated over 1000 kilometers of roads, built hospitals in each of the
state’s local government areas, and built a teaching hospital equipped with
modern medical facilities. He also distributed amenities to the component parts
of the state very fairly in addition to empowering the people and other notable
capital projects within the state.
Unlike the present APC Governor, Akala never imposed punitive and destructive taxes on the struggling masses and okada (motorcycle) riders in the state. Governor Akala never destroyed people's homes or demolished family houses of the poor under any guise without adequately compensating the victims of such demolition as Ajimobi is doing throughout the state. I'm sure that the clamor by the people for Akala's return is not unconnected with the realization on the part of the Oyo State people that Chief Akala and his PDP administration has certainly performed much better than the present APC administration of Ajimobi. Yes, PDP administration under former governor Akala performed much better than the present APC administration and I'm very sure that the next PDP administration will certainly perform much better than the previous one.
Unlike the present APC Governor, Akala never imposed punitive and destructive taxes on the struggling masses and okada (motorcycle) riders in the state. Governor Akala never destroyed people's homes or demolished family houses of the poor under any guise without adequately compensating the victims of such demolition as Ajimobi is doing throughout the state. I'm sure that the clamor by the people for Akala's return is not unconnected with the realization on the part of the Oyo State people that Chief Akala and his PDP administration has certainly performed much better than the present APC administration of Ajimobi. Yes, PDP administration under former governor Akala performed much better than the present APC administration and I'm very sure that the next PDP administration will certainly perform much better than the previous one.
Any particular example of Ajimobi's bad policy that makes
you think that he cannot win again in 2015?
Examples of his bad policies with
their disastrous consequences on the good people of Oyo State are too many and
unacceptable as evident in his low approval rating throughout the state.
Seriously, we cannot fully itemize the mistakes, bad policies and demonstrated
incompetence of the Ajimobi-led APC administration in Oyo State in this short
interview. But quickly, look at his “YES O” policy which further increased
youth unemployment throughout the state when the Governor refused to pay
those, who participated in the program. Look at the unprecedented demolition of
houses without adequate or reasonable compensation for which the Governor
became known. Look at his initial imposition of arbitrary penalties and high
taxes of three hundred naira (#300.00) on the struggling ‘okada’ riders in the
state without any meaningful reciprocal benefit. Look at the totality of the
major state contracts that are awarded by his administration and see who the
major beneficiaries of those contracts are. Many in the state believe that Governor
Ajimobi has benefited individuals and organisations outside Oyo State much more
than those from Oyo State.
For example, how do you justify the
taking away of the school's programming duties from the IT Department of Ladoke
Aknitola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso and then contracting
same to a Lagos corporation, neither the school's Computer Science Department,
Computer Engineering Department, or IT Department is capable of handling its
own programming? If the job must be out-sourced, is there no competent
company in the whole of Oyo State that is capable of doing the job? Okay, let's
look at the issue of unascertainable monthly salaries of state workers in the
state by which the civil servant is not even sure of the exact monthly salary
to expect. I was told that if a worker insists on knowing why he or she is
short in salary in any month, he is simply directed to contact Lagos State for
explanation.
You see, I personally respect Governor Ajimobi because he appears to me to be a very nice person. But as a Governor, he has demonstrated gross incompetence, lack of adequate knowledge of the state politics as well as an unprecedented high level contempt for the poor and needy, who are the vast majority of the electorate in Oyo State throughout his tenure.
You see, I personally respect Governor Ajimobi because he appears to me to be a very nice person. But as a Governor, he has demonstrated gross incompetence, lack of adequate knowledge of the state politics as well as an unprecedented high level contempt for the poor and needy, who are the vast majority of the electorate in Oyo State throughout his tenure.
APC, in Oyo State administration,
ought to have known that every politics is local and no idea, policy or
practice, no matter how attractive is of universal applicability. You cannot
uproot an idea or copy a project wholesale from Lagos and simply impose that on
the people of Oyo State because each state is different and has its peculiar
challenges. A thorough understanding of these challenges and dynamics are
essential to good performance and success in office. The administration of Governor
Ajimobi appears to be ignorant of this simple fact or politics and the time has
come for a true government of the Oyo State people, by the Oyo State people and
for the people of Oyo State as represented by the PDP to return to power in
2015.
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