Ekiti poll: Stakeholders not addressing core issues —Bejide

Ambassador Dare Bejide, a former Secretary to the Government of Ekiti State and former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, is among the governorship aspirants in the PDP. He speaks with KUNLE ODEREMI on the intrigues preceding the emergence of candidates for the election.

EKITI, being part of a whole, is not insulated from the avalanche of challenges confronting the country. So, what do you think should be the core issues before stakeholders preparatory to the governorship election?

The main issues are matters relating to good governance, that is, transparency, accountability, and adherence to due process. There are also issues of the welfare of public servants and general poverty predicated on unemployment and rural urban migration.

The election is less than six months away, and the various interests are crisscrossing the land to put their ‘candidate and parties in a better stead. To what extent would you say the aspirants and their parties focusing on such critical issues you have just highlighted?

Unfortunately, aspirants are not addressing these important issues even when the election is just a few months away. This is due largely to the problem of lack of internal democracy in the process leading to the primaries.  For instance, there is palpable fear that the Presidency may impose a candidate on the All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Ekiti. Similarly, the unilateral adoption of the state deputy governor, Professor Olusola Eleka, by the governor, has become the main issue in PDP. This has relegated the main election issues to a mere consideration of how to create a level-playing field and ensure a free and fair process for the aspirants.

Your party is mired in a controversy over the contest for the governorship ticket. The governor has endorsed his deputy for the race, while you and a number of contenders have protested with PDP national headquarters, insisting on a level-playing field. What are the implications of the disagreement for the PDP?

The implication of the disagreement is very simple. We either get it right or be prepared for a heavy defeat.

What kind of governor do you think the Ekiti people deserve in the next political dispensation, given the mixed bag of experiences of the state in the last 18 years of civil rule in the country?

We need a governor that can heal old wounds and unite the people of Ekiti State. The morale of the people is completely low as they have lost confidence in the entire system. We need a governor that can re-energise them. A governor that is ready to place the welfare and interest of the people above other considerations and a Governor that will speak more and act more on issues affecting the interest of Ekiti people rather than national issues meant for the President and his cabinet. This is because the primary constituency of the governor is Ekiti State and is elected to serve the interest of Ekiti people.

Then, what are you bringing to the table that is bound to make a lot of difference?

If given the mandate, I will pay more attention to agriculture, welfare of public servants including payment of salaries and allowances, rural infrastructure, unite a politically divided state, promote harmony, peace and love in the state.