The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Ade Adetimehin, in this interview by Hakeem Gbadamosi, speaks on the chances of the party in Saturday’s election.
What is your assessment of the current political atmosphere in Ondo State?
The current political situation in Ondo State is peaceful, though the tempo is high in terms of political campaigns. All the political parties are doing what they know how to do best. But to me, as the chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), I can say our party is more active than all other political parties. Politics is about people and to make head way, you must have structures; without structures on ground, the impact of your activities cannot be felt. I can tell you that APC is well grounded across of the state; we have the spread, and we are waxing by the day. I can assure you that APC is a party to beat in this election because we have formidable structures across the state.
While the APC remains a dominant party in this governorship contest, we can think of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as next in that order. Before the gubernatorial primary election in the state, there were only two active political parties. The defection of the embattled deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, increased the tally to three. Ajayi lured the PDP into a trap, and put the party in disarray. He assured the PDP leaders that his movement to their party would divide the APC. Unfortunately, he sneaked out of the APC a lone ranger.
Thereafter, he left PDP with a sizeable number of the foot soldiers and members after losing the governorship ticket, thereby depleting the PDP. This dealt a serious blow to the PDP as almost half of the members migrated to ZLP while some decided to join the APC. The APC has captured almost 60 percent of political structures in the state.
Most of the ZLP members have moved to APC even before the gubernatorial primary election, while others left the party, as a protest against the coming of Ajayi into the party.
Ajayi seems to be making more waves in the political scene than the PDP candidate. Do you see him as a threat to the second term aspiration of Akeredolu?
From the analysis I stated earlier, I never ascribed any strength to him. We never see him as a threat and he is not even in this race. But the point is that Ajayi has depleted the PDP, and his exit from PDP did more havoc to the chances of the party in the election. He moved with quality politicians within PDP to ZLP within a short period. If you look at it critically, APC becomes the beneficiary, as we have been harvesting defectors from both PDP and ZLP.
Besides all these, the ZLP is without structures in the state. How can their candidate be a threat when the party does not have political structures? It is just noise and politics is not about making a noise, but having structures that can win election for political party.
We have also received some notable members of African Democratic Party (ADC) from across the state, with large chunk from Ondo West and East local government areas, into APC.
The entire structure of the party has been collapsed into APC recently under the leadership of the House of Representatives member representing the constituency, Honourable Abiola Makinde. So, Ajayi cannot be a threat to us as we have done our homework well ahead of time, even before he decided to contest on the platform of ZLP.
Again, we paraded the best political actors today in the state. All the strong political gladiators in the state are solidly behind the reelection of Governor Akeredolu. All the aspirants who contested for the party’s ticket with Akeredolu have all pledged their support for Akeredolu. Chief Olusola Oke, Engineer Ife Oyedele, Chief Bukola Adetula, Ambassador Sola Iji, and a host of others. These great men shelved their personal interests for the party, and gave room for reconciliation. They all put the interest of the party and the state above personal interests, and have been working tirelessly for the same course. They believe that governance is about service delivery.
Remember, APC is the only party that is focused on the welfare of the people.
So,Ajayi cannot be a threat to us in this election. We know him; and very familiar with his political capacity.
Are you not wary of the former Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s support for Ajayi? He has been his backbone, and moving around, canvassing support for him.
I want to repeat that ZLP is a party without structure. In this state, and at this particular moment, it is only the APC that will be a threat to other political parties because of our intimidating credentials and the bigwigs in our fold. We are not scared of Dr Mimiko’s support for Ajayi at all. Agreed, Mimiko is a great politician and the leader of the ZLP, but I want to remind you that he was once the leader of Labour Party (LP) and PDP; and for one to be leader of three political parties within a very short time, one should know and understand what that means.
You should know that people can never be taken for a ride all the time. The people of Ondo State are well enlightened and a politician of a three political parties within a year cannot be seen or taken as a serious politician. Politics is about the people and if you want to lead the people, you must be consistent and live by example. These qualities are what will make people believe in you, and follow you.
Dr Mimiko contested senatorial election last year but lost. That is to show that his influence and platform are weak. If, as a leader, you cannot win election for yourself, in just six local government areas, how can you win election for others? I want you to understand that Ondo people have their peculiarity; they can never toy with their integrity, and will not allow any politician to toss them around. We know our onions, and are politically matured. They took the people for a ride in the past, but not any longer. No, it can’t happen again; we cannot afford to go back to Egypt. The state is just recovering from the debt they plunged us into. This administration inherited over N240billion debt; seven months arrears of civil servants’ salaries, and someone is talking of supporting them to take over government in this state?Before the current administration came on board, ours was the only state in the South-West without a teaching hospital! Akeredolu-led government deemed it fit to establish teaching hospital, and we are better off with it, less than four years after.
A few days ago, you promised that the state would witness a bloodless election, but many are wondering how this would be in the face of series of attacks and violence in the state. Do you still maintain that position?
I have made this promise repeatedly on the part of my party, APC, I wouldn’t know what the other parties are planning but I still stand by my promise. We have gone round the 18 local government areas, and what we preach is peace. The state belongs to all of us. I also think the APC is in better position to guard against violence. This is because we are the ones with the eggs and we must protect it to protect our good image. Talking about violence, we have never recorded any, and we always preach peace.
But the opposition parties are always pointing accusing finger towards your party.
It is left for you to do your findings. We have never been involved in any attack and I challenge you to prove otherwise. The recent one that happened in Owo, where violence was unleashed on our members and members of the community, the police came there, went round to investigate but no APC member was found involved. The incident that happened in Idanre, some hoodlums had been arrested and are still in police custody. So, they should tell us where we have been involved. All the cry over attack by the opposition is to attract public sympathy. We all know their gimmicks, but I am telling you this will not work. We will not attack anybody or resort to violence because we know we have the public on our side. We know they are voting for us on Saturday. All we have been doing is to sell our manifestoes and the party to the members of the public. Some parties resorted to image smearing because they have nothing to sell or present before the public. They have been there, and what did the people of the state get from them? PDP has been at the helms of affairs before but left the state worse off.
Now, within three and half years, APC has been able to turn the state around, particularly in the area of infrastructure and industrialisation. We have been able to attract seven industries to the state within the last three and a half years. All they boast of in their years of governance in this state is the destruction and neglect of projects initiated by the progressives under the administration of Pa Adekunle Ajasin and Adebayo Adefarati that established some of these industries in Ondo State. Such industries like Nirowi Wood Industry, Ifon Ceramic, Oluwa Glass at Igbokoda, Okitipupa Oil Palm, and many others, did suffer under these people. However, the APC government under the leadership of Rotimi Akeredolu has revolutionised industries in the state. Efforts are ongoing to revive some of these industries. We are creating an enabling environment to attract investors to the state. Industries will create employment opportunities for our young graduates. And when they are gainfully employed, they would cater for their immediate families. So in terms of thuggery and violence, count APC out; we are a party with the core value of what Yoruba referred to as ‘Omoluabi’.
But violence was recorded in Oba Akoko, Idanre, Owo and Ipele. Why do you think other political parties see APC as target?
This is simply because we have a good product to sell, so they think the best way to demarket us is through these orchestrated violence against APC. All they are after is to provoke us, but we will not stop preaching peace, even though they have nothing to lose because they have nothing to offer, and this is the reason we refused to be provoked.
What is your party’s chance in the Ondo South senatorial district knowing full well that Agboola Ajayi hails from the district?
Politics is about structures, party manifestoes, individuals and character. As at today, no political party parades the materials we have in the fold of APC in the southern senatorial district; I am talking about the quality of members and political leaders in the area. APC is the dominant party in the district in terms of structures, notable and credible politicians.
In 2016, we lost Ilaje and Okitipupa local government areas to Chief Olusola Oke, who contested under another platform, but he is now in APC and we are on the same page. So, you can rest assured that APC will not have any problem winning in these two local government areas, where Olusola Oke commands a lot of respect and followership. He has never lost in this area, and no politician from this state will contend it that Oke is grounded in the politics of the southern senatorial district. He is a grassroots politician who also understands the politics of his people from the area. So, the party stands the chance of repeating the feat recorded in 2016 in the zone despite the presence of Agboola Ajayi in the race because we have everything working for us. I want you to know that the people of the South will choose who becomes their governor, not that a failed politician who failed this state for eight years will now come and appoint a governor for them. They will never take it; some heavyweight politicians from other political camps are even working for APC. Judging from the above analysis, I am confident that our party will do well in the southern senatorial district during the election.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
COVID-19: Nigeria’s Deaths Last Week Lowest In Five Months
Last week’s record of seven COVID-19 deaths is Nigeria’s lowest in five months, Tribune Online analysis shows.
According to data sourced from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the last time Nigeria recorded fewer weekly deaths was the nine deaths recorded between April 12 and 18.
Restructuring: “I Won’t Succumb To Pressure – Buhari
Against the mounting agitation for the restructuring of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he is not moved and vowed not to succumb to pressure.
A statement emanating from the office of presidential spokesman…
#EndSARS: Nigeria Police To Host Naira Marley On Live Chat
In response to concerns and complaints by Nigerian youths on the issue of unprofessional conducts by some Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the force has invited Nigerian singer and rapper, Azeez Fasola, popularly known as Naira Marley, to a live interview session with its Public Relations officer on Instagram.
ICYMI: CROSSFIRE: No Going Back On Nationwide Strike — Labour
DESPITE court restriction, the total shutdown of government offices and all business activities is imminent as the industrial strike and a nationwide protest declared by the organised labour over the increase in the prices of fuel and electricity tariff commences early Monday morning.
ICYMI: Death Toll In Zulum’s Convoy Attack Rises To 30 ― Report
The death toll from Boko Haram attack on the convoy of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has risen to 30, security sources said Saturday.
TRENDING: Trump Says US Election Winner Might Not Be Known For Months
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Americans might not know the winner of the November presidential election for months due to disputes over mail ballots, building on his criticism of a method that could be used by half of US voters this year, Reuters reports.