Need to liberate my constituency brought me into politics —Prof Oyeweso

Nigerian politics is said to be heavily monetised at the expense of principle. As an academic now in that terrain, what is your take on this allegation?
The allegation is true to some extent. But I must also say that we also have within Nigeria those who still play politics of principle and ideas. Of course, they may not be many. We can also say that see-and-buy and vote-and-cook-soup practices are a symptom of decadent society. If you collect N5000, the implication is that what you have collected is your benefits for four years. But if we see men and women who are after development of the society, it is time we follow them to liberate us from the decadence of the past.

PHOTOS: Aisha Buhari flaunts her ‘Four More Years’ tattoo

Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency has passed through some unpleasant experiences in the past and it is time we move away from that ugly past. Road infrastructure remains our major problem today, and unfortunately this issue is not included in the 2019 budget recently presented by President Muhammadu Buhari. If there is anything that unites all the wards, it is legacy of bad leadership and bad roads. From Oke Gada to Ido Osun; from Oke Gada to Awo, Ara, Ojo, down to Iragberi, these routes are in terrible shape. They are evidence of poor leadership and poor legislative oversight. It is sad that Ede, Egbedore and Ejigbo are not provided for in the 2019 Budget. The roads would continue to be in terrible shape for a long time. That is what this unfortunate development means. Apart from The Polytechnic, Ede and the Nigeria Army Engineering Corps, there is no other federal presence. The constituency is in total neglect.

The Primary Health Centre in Ido-Osun and the dumpsite in the town are symptomatic of a decadent leadership. Ejigbo, as a major town, is crying for development. Power supply is epileptic and does not support industrial or entrepreneurial development. Ejigbo also lacks modern banking institution to the extent that big business men and women need to travel to Ede, Oko and Osogbo to do banking transactions. Ife Odan, a historic Yoruba town, has suffered too much neglect from successive governments. Except for the accessible road, all indices of development are lacking. The Ife Odan Mini Water Works is still uncompleted despite the fact that we all know the roles of water in human survival. Water has been scarce because of monetisation of politics.

Can you shed more light on the implication of the claim that 2019 budget did not take into cognizance the state of your constituency?

It means for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years, the roads of the constituency would remain as they are. It is against this background that we need to chart a new direction in Nigerian politics. We need new patriots and nationalists who are truly hungry for the development of the nation with conviction and courage and sense of accountability. In terms of dividend of democracy, we need men who have innate ability to lobby effectively their colleagues in the National Assembly to ensure adequate and relevant or appropriate project in the federal budget on yearly basis.

Why are you contesting for the House of Representatives?

As a Nigerian, as a true son of Ede and Egbedore, I am qualified to vie for any political office of my choice. I belong to three local government councils by birth, by genealogy and by physical address. I grew up in Sekona where I spent my formative years. I reside in Ede South. My family House is Number 3, Ile Olojo, Ede North Local Government Area. When you look at my relationship with these three local government councils, it is possible for me to seek election for the people who have suffered neglect over the years. More importantly, the legislative leadership of Ede has been restricted to one ward by default or by accident for 20 years. While we pay due respect to the constituent of Ologun Agbaakin Ward in Ede North Local Government Area, it is a forceful and striking observation that three individuals from that same ward have been providing legislative leadership for Ede for the past 20 years.

Why are you contesting under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)?

The Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended) recognises the right of all Nigerian citizens to belong to any political party of their choice.

Is that all?

Today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accorded recognition to 91 political parties and ADC is one of them. The dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are both responsible for the greatness and otherwise of Nigeria. ADC represents an alternative platform for the development of Nigeria. I am not aware that any of the leaders of ADC is a guest of the ICPC or EFCC or under any investigation whatsoever.

ADC is for the young and old to chart a new, better direction for the politics and governance of Nigeria. Since the Nigerian Constitution recognises multiparty system, my choice of ADC is in order.

How did that happen?

That is not as important as saying it that it is not good for democracy. Democracy does not support aristocracy. Democracy does not support oligarchy. Democracy connotes participation of all constituents in decision-making. A situation where a few individuals have succeeded in lording their leadership over the people of Ede and over other wards needs self-appraisal and new thinking. There are 21 wards in Ede; power must fairly rotate among all participating wards in Ede. A situation where one ward and its stalwart control the lever of power for 20 years and two among them are now seeking seats in the House of Representatives is not good for democratic culture and democratic ethos. It is antithetical to all known tenets of democracy. Again, while we have 21 political wards in Ede and one is calling the shot and dictating to the whole, this is undemocratic. Even in traditional leadership of Ede, this is not the pattern of selecting traditional rulers. The ruling houses of Ede know one another. No ruling house in Ede succeeded in dominating traditional leadership at all time. In Ede’s chequered history, such royal household as Ajenju, Arohanran, Oduniyi, Lagunju and Agbonran have had fair share of becoming Timi of Ede. If traditional leadership has not moved from one ruling house to the other, it would have been impossible for families who had not had shot at the Timiship such as Laminisa to become the Timi of Ede. The people of Ede today are very happy that the Laminisa Family, which had long been denied the opportunity since the founding of new Ede in 1817, has now made history with his Royal Majesty, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, who is popularly addressed as The Laminisa I. What I am saying is that all wards and all families in Ede are equal stakeholders in the Ede project.

Why are you contesting under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)?

The Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended) recognises the right of all Nigerian citizens to belong to any political parties of their choice.

Is that all?

Today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accorded recognition to 91 political parties and ADC is one of them. The dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are both responsible for the greatness and otherwise of Nigeria. ADC represents an alternative platform for the development of Nigeria. I am not aware that any of the leaders of ADC is a guest of the ICPC or EFCC or under any investigation whatsoever.

ADC is for the young and old to chart a new, better direction for the politics and governance of Nigeria. Since the Nigerian Constitution recognises multiparty system, my choice of ADC is in order.