I’ve been nursing governorship ambition since 1999 —Adelabu, Oyo APC gov candidate

The heat is on and it is an indication that the elections are  approaching. Coupled with that is the increase in violence during election campaigns in Oyo State and people have been pointing fingers at you, probably being one of the major contenders. How did you feel with violence cases on campaign grounds all over the state?

First of all, I am happy that you also observe that for this election, I am the candidate to beat and it is something that we can all see that I am the most popular candidate for this election. The old, the young, male and female, they all have Bayo Adelabu on their lips and that shows some degree of acceptability and I am happy about it.

One major thing that I believe influenced that easy acceptance is my family antecedents: My grandfather was a politician and was a friend of the masses and he lived all his life for humanity, though he died at a young age. Secondly is my own personal profile too. Without sounding immodest, I believe I got my career to a level that is commendable at a young age too. I have also not left the state. Throughout my working career in Lagos, Abuja and outside the country, I always identify with the state. The third reason is that I am contesting on the platform of the incumbent party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC). So that kind of acceptability is expected.

It is disheartening the spate of violence that has been trailing campaigns all around. If you know my antecedents, you would know that I am a peace-loving person. To have come from the corporate private and public sector, with 27 years of living that life, I have lived a quiet, peaceful life. Nobody could associate me with violence. I drive myself around, without policemen or any bodyguards. I can move within and around town anytime. And I have got businesses where when you walk in, you would just see me sitting down, just like any other person. So, you should know that I am a peace-loving person. And can you imagine that someone leaving that position of the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), coming to contest an election because of the love of the state would encourage violence? It is not possible; it is not a part of me; it is not in my DNA. So, I am not part of it.

It is painful that opposition parties are getting too desperate. Probably because of my acceptability by the public, they are feeling uneasy; they are getting uncomfortable and they know that they have virtually lost the election, which is why they are engaging in violence. Without condemning any party specifically, I will appeal to the opposition not to be desperate because all efforts should be for the public good. We want to serve the people. So, it is not a do-o-die affair. I have got my businesses; I have got my private life and I have got my funding.

How did you think this spate of violence can be curbed?

I want to use this opportunity to call on the governor of the state who is also the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi- he is being doing a lot which I know and which I am aware of and that has been one of the landmark achievements of this administration- to raise the bar by not being complacent and by not taking things for granted. At this election time, we also need to improve the security, especially around the contestants and the parties going for campaigns. I also want to appeal to the state Commissioner Police to also live up to the expectations of the public, especially during this turbulent period. I am appealing to them, the governor, the Commissioner of Police, our elder statesmen in the state and even the religious leaders to organise a peace parley whereby all the major candidates would be called to sign a peace accord. This is because we are all struggling to get to this position. So, it is not something that we must get there by hook or by crook. I am encouraging my co-contestants and I am ready to sign the peace accord with them all.

Talking about your private life, in the last few months, you have been in full public glare. How did you now feel leaving that quiet private life coming to scene where you are now being guarded all over the places because of the violence trailing the electioneering process? 

Talking about the sudden change or transformation of activities around me, you are right that I have always been a quiet person. But I am not too quiet because I have always been a man of the people because I run a hospitality business which is hotels. I also run other businesses and these have made me to be in the public glare for some time, not for politics but for employment creation and, again, for philanthropy because I run an NGO too that gives scholarships; that helps the poor, the needy, the vulnerable the less privileged, the widows, the orphans and the disabled.

But now, during the election period, it is true that I want to serve, but  only the person that is alive  can serve. Protection of God anyway, but if you are aware that there is violence out there, you must get people to protect you; you must also try within the ambit of the law to get security around yourself. Even at that, it is only when I go on campaigns that you will see security outfit around me.

You said you are the candidate to beat, what gives the assurance that you would emerge the winner of the election?

I don’t deceive myself; I tell people that they should accept the truth. Before you could assess me, I would have assessed myself and self-assessment is the most objective, if you are very sincere. I always lay a point of five reasons: Number one, I am contesting on the platform of the ruling party, both at the federal and the state levels and it is a popular party that has done a lot for the country, to start with. President Muhammadu Buhari is the president of the country and he is also contesting on the same platform. We all know that this man is an upright man; he means well for this country and he has done a lot within the three and half years that he has ruled, even than those who spent 16 years ruling. So, I am enjoying his credibility too.

Governor Ajimobi is not a perfectionist but I can tell you, without being partial, that the man has done a lot more for this state than previous governments in terms of laying the foundation for good governance; laying the foundation for modern Oyo State.

There is also my family pedigree. You know my grandfather used to be the father of grass roots politics in this country and there is something about a man being a product of nature and nurture. There is the gene of Adelabu that is in me; let me love the people and work for the emancipation of the masses. So, that Penkelemesi is a popular name; people accept this name.

Another factor working for me is myself; what have I done for myself? Am I just leveraging on my family name alone to come out? No! I am not an opportunist. You can look at my life; everything I have done, I have always come first. I always excel in everything, right from school; from primary school to secondary school, I never came second. When I was in the university, I made First Class. When I left the university, I got a job; I worked with a renowned international consultancy firm for about eight years and that is where I cut my teeth; I underwent a lot of tutelage. When I got to the banking industry, I blazed the trail; I was the youngest executive director, board member and the chief national officer of the largest bank in Nigeria, First Bank at a very young age-37, 38. After five years, I was appointed the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria at age 43. They have not appointed anybody below 50 before. My records are there; I excelled.

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The people of Oyo State are very reasonable; they are very logical people; they are very dispassionate people. They go for the best because we deserve the best; we are the pacesetter. My job is to accelerate all the good projects that Governor Ajimobi has initiated. I will accelerate and consolidate on these projects. That is why I believe I am going to win this election.

You have been a boardroom person all through your life. At what point did you decide to jump into the murky waters of politics?

Visibly, I made my intention known about three or four years ago. But I have had this aspiration since 1999, that is, 20 years ago. I knew that, one day, I am going to take part in determining the future of our dear state. One, I want to live in an environment where I will be comfortable. I don’t want to wait for two weeks’ vacation before I enjoy good life. That two weeks’ vacation that I am going to Dubai or UK or US to enjoy, I can create it here in Oyo State.

The moment we transited into democracy in 1999, I knew that in the next few three, four administrations, I must play an active role and I was working towards it. But I needed to cut my teeth too; I needed to train myself; I needed to learn how to look before I leap. I needed that public training to prepare me for public governance in the future. That is why I did not rush into politics since that time because I stayed back in the private sector. I also needed funding and financing. If you are not comfortable, you cannot seek to be the governor because it is also expensive. That is why I stayed back in 1999.

Secondly, our family has a legacy and I knew that, at a point in time, that legacy would need a renewal. My grandfather died about 61 years ago and although people still remember him as if he died only yesterday, but, at a time, legacy fades. A generation of Adelabu needs to come out. I am the first generation of Adelabu to come to join partisan politics since the death of my grandfather. My intention is to renew my family legacy.

Thirdly, I believe that youths are presently apathetic when it comes to partisan politics. That apathy needs to be removed. We need to encourage our youths that they must take part in determining our future. Look at the population of youths in this country: age 18 to 35 years is about 51 or 52 per cent; age 18 to 50 is 61 per cent of the Nigerian population. How can you push that bulk of your citizens out of partisan politics? They must take part. And look at the trend globally: go to Spain, Russia, Canada, the leaders there are less than 40 years old. You will need mental alertness and you are at your best during your youthful age. Secondly, you will need physical agility and energy to govern. Thirdly, you are in tune with the current realities. We know what it required. Gone are the days of analogy; it is now the digital age. It is people that are conversant with the current realities that must take part in partisan politics.

I want to use myself as a tool to encourage other youths. All of us are afraid of partisan politics because of violence, thuggery and all of that but mi o le wa ku kii je oye ile baba e (coward don’t claim their legitimacy). If I can come into politics without having occupied any elective position before and I eventually succeed, I believe it is going to be a major incentive and encouragement to other youths. You will see a lot of people that will express interest come 2023 and 2027. We need to demystify these politicians; they are stylishly scaring us away from politics. But my coming into the scene is to remove that mystery. The politician is like a product: when you have a good product, you don’t have to start marketing. Let us go there and sell and that is what I am doing. I have baked myself as a product for the past 20 years, now I am offering myself for public service.

Given the circumstances of your emergence as the APC candidate, the expectation is that you must have worked round the clock to foster cohesion and unity within your party, but the insinuation is that you are isolating some groups from the scheme of things. How far is this true?

I am happy that you used that word, insinuation and it remains an insinuation as there is nothing like that. Oyo APC actually recorded the most peaceful primary in the country and this was attested to by the national chairman of APC himself, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. In the build up to the primary, I had a great apprehension in terms of difficulties to allow one person to emerge, given the calibre and of number of people that expressed interests to be governor. Are you not amazed by the way this was managed from 31 to 22, down to eight people, down to six and about five of them came out on the day of the primary election to publicly announced that they were stepping down? What can be more peaceful than that? There was no violence; there were no ill-feelings.

It is human that they targeted a particular position within the party and they will not be happy, but all of them have their jobs. They are all people that have a second address. They only expressed interest because they have the love of the state in mind. And if the party has settled for one candidate, so be it. Since then, we have all been doing things together.