APC cannot afford to lose in Ondo —Akeredolu

WITH the governorship poll in Edo State won and lost, the battle shifts to neighbouring Ondo State, where Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) is seeking re-election. Featuring on a live programme on Silverbird Television last Wednesday, he spoke on the perceived weaknesses of his opponents in the October 10 election in the state, row with his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, former Governor Segun Mimiko, among other issues. KUNLE ODEREMI, brings excerpts:

 

What legacy are you carrying into the second term that people will say this is what the governor has done in the first term? 

Well, I have a lot to show people that we have done in our first term. I can point to a number of our schools. We have touched over 600 primary schools. We have renovated and built new classrooms all over. That is on the issue of schools.

Now on roads, I have always believed in what one of the American leaders said, I think it was John F Kennedy, that it is the infrastructure that have made America what it is. It is not because of the money. I am one of those who believe in the ideology that with good infrastructure the state’s idea on internally generated revenue will improve. I had gone all out to work on major roads in the state and one of the key areas that I believe will last for long or forever is the redemption bridge which we have in Ore today. It has changed the landscape of the whole of Ore. When we came in, that very spot used to look like a place where road accidents occurred. But today it is clear. Everybody just moves freely; everyone is happy about it. I believe that is a legacy.

The issue of industrial development is also a legacy and we are working on bringing up issue of bitumen that over the years, everybody has been saying that they want to start mining but which nobody has ever done anything about.

Today, we have South-West bitumen starting off at Irele. Also, a modular refinery has been started, and one other key project that I’m working at and I pray when I have another opportunity after this election to do, is to have a port in Ondo.

 

Ondo is an oil producing state and it should not even complain when it comes to finances. So, what is happening? 

The oil is giving us a little edge, although, we are number five in the country. There was an analysis I tried to make people see. There was some payment that was supposed to be made at a point. The number one state was greater than $500 million; number two was above $400 million; number three was above $300  million, number four was also above $200 million and we that are number five was about $90 million. So, why we have problem is that most of the oil found around Ondo State is off-shores. All the money goes to the Federal Government. If, for instance, the nautical mile between us is extended, so that we can be everywhere, then our oil revenue will change.

 

How are you tackling the challenge of reconciliation in your party? 

There is not much I am doing. I have said it openly everywhere that with what I am doing, I have not done less at any given time. So, if there is result now, it is because my colleagues and members of our party have resolved to work with us, to work together. So, the credit should go to them not me, because the last time I contested, I did the same thing. I went round. But when people were not convinced that we should work together, there were still some crises. Today, I thank God Almighty. It is not me, the glory goes to God and I want to thank my colleagues, who were the co-aspirants then. All of us in the party believe that the party must come together. That is where we are now. Everybody is saying ‘let us all come together, let’s work together.’ And I believe that we have every reason to work together. We cannot lose Ondo State. It is not possible. We cannot.

 

But, there has simply been one man that is difficult for you to work with, that is your deputy, Honourable Agboola Ajayi. What happened? Is it that Mr Governor does not want to work with his deputy or what was the issue that led your deputy away from your party?

He will be in a better position to answer that question: why he had to leave, not me. I assume that his problem is ambition and he is entitled to it. That is why he left from here and went to PDP. He did not stay more than two to three weeks he left from there to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). I am sure by the time he suffers that great loss in the ZLP, he will now be moving to another party to be able to contest in another election. So, I do not see anything that we have done. We have not wronged him and I believe so and I can say so.

 

 That is what you think?

No, we have not wronged him, but he is right to be ambitious. It is good. What over-ambition can cause you is this and that is his case. He will face it. But it is better for him to answer why he left.

 

At what point did you start to notice the crack in the wall between you and your deputy? You didn›t get security report in that regards? 

I did not and even if they had given me, I probably would not believe it because I felt that I have somebody that I expect to work with me and be loyal to the ticket. What I got to know later was that even from the day he became the deputy governor, he had been planning. So, there is nothing you can do. You cannot stop people with ambitions. One of the most difficult positions to occupy in life is to be a deputy.

 

One of the most difficult position? Why do people say that?

I am telling you now. It is difficult because it could be tempting except you have the grace of God. If you are somebody that does not really believe in God, you do not serve God, you would not be at peace. There would be other things that would push you and they would push you to make mistakes. So, for me, why I believe it is difficult is that since we came in, people had been complaining. I discountenance it. I did not even listen to them. And I let him know and he would be there and he would tell me, ‘oh, don’t worry sir’ and I will say ‘look, you will be the one to gain.’

Not every deputy will be like Philip Shaibu, who felt that ‘look, this is a ticket’ and he stood in it. But, this is somebody (you can ask all the governors, deputy governors), I gave him all the opportunities, and he himself, told my colleagues when he saw them, ‘look, help me thank my oga o, he has done so well for me.’ But with the issue of ambition, there is nothing anybody can do.

 

You have within these three and a half years, had so many friends, you have also made enemies. And former Governor (Segun) Mimiko was your friend and you people were in good terms, but if what we read in the papers these days, is anything to go by, he is giving support to another political party which means he is not supporting you for a second term. How do you feel that things have turned this way?

No, I do not. I really do not feel bad. Seriously because what is there is simple, you need to see my friend’s path in life and in politics. You need to look at the path he has followed. If anyone expects him to change, then that person is the one that is a fool.

 

I don’t understand that.

I will tell you. I did not expect Mimiko to do otherwise. He cannot do otherwise. He worked with Adefarati, he betrayed him and left. He worked thereafter with the late [Dr Olusegun] Agagu, he betrayed him and left. Right? So, his case as some have said and tried to describe it, is like that of a scorpion and a toad. Both of them were at the bank of the river and storm was coming and the scorpion said to the toad, ‘you know I cannot swim, why don’t you take me across?’ And the toad said to scorpion, ‘I know if I take you, I know you will sting me.’ The scorpion replied, ‘I am begging you, don’t let me die. I will never sting you.’ By the time he took him, before he got to the bank…

 

 Did you know this of him all the while you were friends?

I knew that of him. That is why I am saying that he can never change. So, by time the scorpion got near where it knew it can go on its own, it stung the toad. And the toad now said, “but you said, you won’t sting me.’  He said, “please, forgive me, it is in my character.’ So, I will forgive him, it is in his character. Who am I to now worry about a man like that?

 

 Election is just around the corner and you have the PDP, and you have the ZLP and other political parties. Now, tell your people again what you have for them in the next dispensation?

What I want to say to the people of Ondo State is very simple. You have seen me in the last three and a half years. You can feel the impact of our service. It is there for you to see and people say even if you are blind you can feel it because when you are driving and it is smooth you would ask, ‘why is this place this smooth.’ It is because Akeredolu has improved on those infrastructures. And if it is deafness, that is, you cannot hear, you can see it with your eyes. So, I want to tell our people that it has been a wonderful time serving them. I take delight in doing what I am doing, in being straightforward with them, in being honest with them and in serving them. If I have the opportunity of another term which I am begging them to give us, we have gone all out to campaign, begging them to give us another term. They should be assured that we would do more than what we have done in this first term because we are now more sure-footed. We now have the experience. We already have plans for the next 4 years. We have things that are in the office, we have things that we have not completed and the only way we can complete them is through continuity, so that the state will not fall prey to another governor who would take over and abandon a whole university for eight years. They should know that these things can happen so continuity is important. Continuity not only for Akeredolu but continuity for a progressive party like APC is important.

 

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