Gov election: Why Oyo must stay in the progressives’ fold —LG chairman

The chairman of Oorelope Local Government, Honourable Samuel Okunlade (Ododo), in this interview with MOSES ALAO, speaks on the implications of the outcome of last Saturday’s presidential election for Oyo State.

 Your party’s presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, won in last Saturday’s election, though the APC lost Oyo State, are you not scared your party might lose in next week’s governorship election?

First, let me congratulate our president on that well-deserved and expected victory in the presidential contest. I said it is well-deserved because President Muhammadu Buhari has worked hard and earned that victory. You see, that victory was not a fluke or a happenstance; the president earned it and we expected it going by the way he has transformed the country and rebuilt Nigerians’ confidence in their nation.

Now, to your question about being scared of APC losing the governorship election; there is no such fear. Who do we have to fear? PDP? You should not lose sight of the fact that four or five opposition parties ganged up against APC in the presidential election, yet they only recorded a margin of victory less than 2,000 votes. So, what do you think will happen when each party goes solo next week? I can tell you that our governorship candidate, Chief Bayo Adelabu will win.

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Even the PDP or any other party in the state cannot beat its chest that it is on ground in Oyo State; didn’t you see how we beat them badly in two of the three senatorial districts and in nine federal constituencies? In my local government, Ooreolope, it was total victory; the PDP did not win a single ward. All these results point to the fact that APC has come to stay in Oyo; it is part that has delivered good governance and as a result of that, the people will continue to support us.

But the PDP defeated APC in Ibadan, even in National Assembly elections in which the parties voted separately, a development that ended the dream of Governor Abiola Ajimobi to retire to the Senate…

I disagree with that choice of word, ended; no one can end anyone’s dream unless God says so and our leader and governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has never been desperate for anything. You can see how he demonstrated the attributes of an elder statesman by congratulating the winner and that shows that he is a great leader; he is not like some people who despite the weight of evidence against them that they have lost out in the presidential election, they are still threatening to go to court.

Are you talking about the presidential candidate of the PDP…

Let me stay on my thought flow; we are talking about the jinx-breaking governor of Oyo State and a man who has redefined governance in Oyo State. He conceded and has moved on, and if you want to know, Governor Ajimobi is a man who always sees the bigger picture and in this case, the bigger picture of winning the Presidency and retaining Oyo State in the progressives’ fold outweighs that Senate seat.

You are really confident of victory in the governorship election. Have you not heard of the planned coalition of political forces?

Which coalition? Coalition for what? Doesn’t that sound like desperation to run Oyo State aground again? Look, every lover of Oyo State knows that the state has been transformed under APC and it is important for it to remain in the progressives’ fold. If whatever gains we have recorded in the eight years of Governor Ajimobi are to last, we cannot afford to be in the opposition this time round. The people of the state understand this and they will put it into practice in next week’s election. As of now, the APC in Oyo State is rock solid and we are retaining the state in next week’s election, mark my words.

In any case, what credential does the opposition have show the Oyo State voters to convince them to vote for their candidate?

What credentials do you have too?

Good  question. The peace and order now being experienced in the state; the massive infrastructure development and the uplift of the people are enough testimonials for the APC.