‘Only direct primary method can guarantee APC victory in Ondo gov poll’

Dr Adebayo Orire is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview by ‘YOMI AYELESO, the medical doctor talks on the chances of his party ahead of the Ondo State governorship election later in the year and other issues.

WHAT is your assessment of the Governor Rotimi Akeredolu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration Ondo in the last three and half years?

I think there is no government that will be in place that will not have done something, but I think we could do more as a party and as a government. When you think of governance, you are talking about the people. You are talking about the politicians; you are talking about development in place. How much about agriculture, industry and other areas? How are the politicians thinking about their performances and how the populace sees the government. These are the parameters you will take into consideration before you can really assess government and this assessment is left to the people to decide especially during the election.

There seems to be crisis in the state chapter of the APC and many people believe that Governor Akeredolu is the cause of the imbroglio in the party. Considering this and other factors, do you think he deserves the second term ticket of the party?

There are issues such as anti-party activities leveled against him during the 2019 elections as well as issues of non-performance, under-performance, insensitivity to party members and so many other complaints. Some are subjective and others are objective.

But don’t forget that it is the right of a sitting governor to seek a second term. However, it is the pertinent right of the governed and the party members to determine whether they will give him the chance or not. We have a kind of conspiracy of silence, conspiracy of docility, conspiracy of insensitivity and conspiracy of potential greed on the side of followership. The stakeholders see it that the governor might call them anytime for contract. The common man is docile because he feels his voice is not going to be heard. All these have culminated to give us a bad fellowship and very stubborn and irresponsive leadership. These are the situations. And what are we going to do? If he has done well, it is at the purview and the responsibility of the governed and stakeholders to decide, but it is his right to seek second term and in good climes, he should be given the opportunity.

At the moment, there are obvious crisis with the Unity Forum and other issues in the party. Don’t you think these issues will affect the chances of the party in the October poll?

Let me tell you that the way forward is that if they know they are not going to give it to Akeredolu, they should come together and have a consensus candidate that will face the incumbent. Don’t forget there is nothing to share in failure. The Unity Forum must come together, if they desire to defeat the incumbent in the primaries. They should unite, if truly they are serious about defeating him, though I am not happy they want to drag him away. Akeredolu is my friend. If they have decided in sending him parking, it is only through cooperation. It is dispassionate cooperation. All the aspirants should throw away their ego. They should throw away that bloated ego, work together with one person to win first and they can then form the government together later. That is the only way to drive any incumbent away, otherwise, it will be a waste of time for them that a person they don’t want will come back to rule over them.

What is the best method you advise the National Working Committee (NWC) to use for the upcoming governorship primaries in the state?

If you are talking about democracy and true democracy, it is the participation of people and the majority for the highest good of the people. Direct primary method is always the best.

Also, if you look at the history of indirect or delegate primaries, it is always being bought. In recent time, you will just see a delegate who will just go and meet about five aspirants over the night and collect millions of naira and voted just one person. He might not even vote for any of them. Nobody in his right senses in this country will call for an indirect primary. I don’t want APC to lose any state again. They should go for direct primary and ensure majority of the populace determine who rule them. We are not supposed to be bought and sold anyhow. Let the people elect their leaders.

Are you saying people cannot be bought during direct primaries?

It is easy to buy one thousand people during the indirect primaries than buying over million people that will do the direct primaries. If it is direct primary by queuing, it is most difficult to buy and it is the most popular candidate that will win. My concern now is that APC must not lose Ondo or any other state again.

But some leaders of the party have said that the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was responsible for the defeat of the party in some states during recent elections. What is your take?

Let me tell you something; let anybody come out and allege how Oshiomhole has gone against the constitution of the party. He has only gone against the unguarded excesses of our party leaders and that is his offence. Don’t forget Oshiomhole had always be a politician whether as an activist, a labour leader and former governor. He knows the constitution and he wants the system to run and function. To me, I have not seen how and why he has contributed to APC losing in some states, rather than the fact that he wants a discipline system.  If God should come down and rule any place in Nigeria, people will complain about Him. I am not saying he is a saint, but I have not seen him going against constitutional provision of the party. We need more people like Oshiomhole in APC.

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