At various points in your career, you were the ASUU chairman of the University of Ilorin branch and also the president of the Nigeria Computer Society, why are you now venturing into politics?
I have been a politician in academics, having been in ASUU, all along the line. Then in my chosen profession, I rose from being the second vice president to first vice president until I became the president of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS). At the time I was there, there were drastic and meaningful changes we put in place. For example, we started our office that is now being built at Alausa, Lagos and all the papers that we were supposed to get were gotten and my successor continued the work I did and he started the construction of the building.
You want to contest in the next general election as a senator, what is your motivation?
We model our democracy after that of the United States of America (USA), I believe we should have senators of note that can compare to that of the US senators and you cannot go to the Senate without bringing anything that is tenable to the table. For instance, today in the Green Chamber, you have former governors and for me, I have reached the zenith of my career. As an academic, I became a professor and, also, I reached the peak of my professional career as the president of NCS. Currently, I am a member of quite a number of councils and boards, both in and outside government. That is to say I am capable of bringing to my senatorial district training of the youth, getting them well positioned for the Nigeria of tomorrow and not that of today. And for them to be able to participate actively in what is currently happening at the moment, that is the major aspect I would be focusing on. Again, our own community must improve such that they would bring someone that has seen it all so that they will bring something to the table for the Nigerian State.
When you look at the country, there are a lot of things that still need to be done. Going to the Senate gives one the ample opportunity to do that; not getting there only to become selfish. You have to know that your primary constituency is your senatorial district, but at large is the Nigerian State. Therefore, you must be someone who has contacts, who has feasibility and who has succeeded in all what he has done before going to the Senate. It is not all about making money for you; it requires one to have seen it all.
You are not a core politician, how would you slug it out with established politicians in your state?
Like I said earlier, as a US congressman, you just don’t become a senator overnight; you must be someone that has seen it all. I have not been far from politics. I have been into politics, even in academics, as president of NCS, my constituency then was the whole of Nigeria. So, now if I start to work, it will just be in Ondo North Senatorial District and that won’t be a problem for me. Even those who are in politics all this while, we have been meeting. I have not been far away: even when President Muhammadu Buhari was contesting, we campaigned in Akure; when Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was also seeking for election, I campaigned. In that respect, I have been within politics.
How would you rate the level of your acceptance by the people in your constituency?
I can say I am well accepted. I won’t give it 100 per cent; let me put it at 85 per cent and I am ready and determined to go the whole log.
On which platform are you contesting?
I will be contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I am a card-carrying member of the party in my local government area, Akoko North West.
What are your chances against the incumbent senator in Ondo North Senatorial District?
I will not choose to compare myself to him now; he has been a senator for two terms now. I am not far from him because while in school, we were class mates.
Does that imply that a lot of people in APC would accept you?
I am in touch with quite a lot of them and I am making my intention known, while I am trying to get in touch with most of them. All I will ask from the people in my senatorial district is to give me massive support because I know what I am capable of doing, if given the chance.
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