APC’s chances at guber poll still high in Osun —Oyebode

Apostle Samson Oyebode is a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State and was the assistant Public Relations Officer of APC in the state for four years. Currently, he is the senatorial youth leader of the party. In this interview with YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE, he speaks about his party’s chances at the polls, what his party had done, among other issues.

How long have you been in politics?

I have been a politician for a long time; since we went back to democratic government nineteen years ago. We began the political journey in Osun together and I thank God that I have been able to play my part in the political circle.

As a politician of almost two decades, what can you say about allegations your governor is more at home using Lagosians in his cabinet than politicians on the ground in the state?

That is a lie. I say this because people that say that speak ignorantly. Many of the people in his cabinet have been with us for long and have been a part of what happens here. For example, people say that about the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola too and this is far from the truth because the man is a grassroots politician that has been in the politics of this state for long just like others, in fact, he has been in politics for a longer period than many that now make noise around the state. The only difference is that he is not a loud politician that makes noise about. He is the only financier of the party when we were in the Alliance for Democracy (AD), there was no other person that we saw.

Are you saying he had been in politics in Osun for long?

Yes, he has been in politics here in Osun state. He has been on ground for long and we at the grassroots know what he has done for us as a party and for his community. He has been in politics at the state level for long and he is known in the political circle. Anyone that says otherwise is either not part of politics in Osun state or is a liar. I can talk about his antecedents and I am sure if you ask around, others will tell you same too, Oyetola is just a silent but very committed politician. He is important to the politics of this state and had always been because he pulls his weight, he stood by us even when things were tough; there is no month that he is not in Osun even before this dispensation and had always been involved in the decision making process of the party, he is a man that can take the state to the next level. This goes for others in the cabinet too, they are not strangers.

So if your party fields him, you as a youth leader and your people will support him?

Of course, he has what it takes, he knows the terrain.

What are his antecedents that gave you this confidence?

He has done a lot. In fact, he was the one that brought Ogbeni Rauf Aregesola to Iragbiji in 2004 for the first Iragbiji day and hosted him in his personal house, he lives here more than he lives in Lagos or any other place and that had been the case for decades. He is involved in every activity in the community and in the party. He is a man of the people. He was the first person that bought public address system for us in AD when I was the chairman of the party at our local government, we as a party were the first to have a party bus and he was the one that bought it. He tried for the party at the state level and especially in Boripe Local Government. And in the community, he has sponsored so many youths to higher institutions of learning, at least, I know of over a 100.

So what is your opinion about people saying he cannot contest for election?

Those saying that are merely wasting their time because they didn’t follow us to our community and are not part of us, if they are on ground in the community, they will know better. Had it been he had acted like others before and had been fighting for positions, they won’t be saying this. It is irrelevant.

As a youth leader, out of the 27 gubernatorial hopefuls in your party, from your assessment, who do you think is capable for your party to field?

For me, the most qualified candidate is Gboyega Oyetola because only a committed person can govern Osun. For instance, by the time Aregbesola came, how many people can come out and proudly say they are here, it is these people that supported the party and even the government. No previous government had done what Aregbesola did for this state, it is commitment and we need a committed person for continuity of good works.

With what had been done by the Aregbesola administration, what is the chance of APC to get win Osun in the coming elections?

From all Ogbeni Aregbesola had done which is so obvious to all, we have a very good chance by the grace of God. No party has done what APC has done and is still doing in this state.