Politics has to do with violence but one can choose to be civil —Gbolarumi, ex-Oyo dep gov

Former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, speaks with KATE ANI on the fortune of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his brand of politics, vis-a-vis, the dynamics of the politics of Oyo State.

 

The beginning of disunity and defection from PDP to other parties prior to the 2015 governorship election in Oyo State was during the primaries where you and other strong contenders refused to step down for an ‘anointed’ candidate. What really happened?

I believe the problem stemmed from the national headquarters of the party. They just handpicked candidates and dictated to us. The powers-that-be in the party already had their candidate in mind, so, I wasn’t surprised when they said it was Senator Teslim Folarin that won the primary and I came second, while Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala came third —according to them.  That fraudulent action didn’t provoke me to dump my party which I had worked so hard for. It was a pre-arranged primary. I was angry and I said to them, ‘You people conducted this primary fraudulently and handpicked candidate. Expect to be shocked when the election result is announced’ and it came to pass. Those that defected to other parties wanted to be governor by all means, hence their decision to leave the party and pursue their ambition on other platforms. What I can say now is that the whole brouhaha is water under the bridge. What is important now is for us to set aside our grievances and unite as a party to re-strategise on how to win the confidence of the Oyo State people back.

 

When Chief Alao-Akala was governor, there were reports that he never actually wanted you as his deputy but because you were the late Chief Lamidi Adedibu’s right hand man and most trusted foot soldier, he mandated Chief Alao-Akala to make you his deputy. Was there a cold war between you two?

Let me put it this way, in politics, you have to forgive and forget and let go of the past, especially when the issue has been resolved and reconciliation made. Chief Alao-Akala is my brother and friend. He may have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) but we share the same political ideology. Politics is all about pursuing interests, there is nothing personal against anybody. There is the tendency of disagreements with your associates. Of course, in any political gathering, there are bound to be disagreements, ego and interests.

 

Do you see yourself leaving PDP?

I will never leave PDP unless it is necessary to do so and it will be a joint decision between me and my numerous supporters. Some political figures that are looking to create the so-called third-force party have held meetings with me. I believe these people want a strong party/force to face the APC in 2019 and I have been asking them critical questions, but they haven’t given me satisfactory answers. I don’t believe in any other force than PDP. There is the need for us to put our house in order and restructure the party.

 

What moves is your party making to appease aggrieved members and bring back those who have defected to other parties?

We have been working on how we can integrate ourselves and make reconciliatory arrangements. We have held meetings with the elders of the party, the leaders as well as the stakeholders, a move which I initiated. The meetings are still ongoing and have been yielding positive results. We have also resolved in Oyo PDP not to associate ourselves with the warring Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Markafi factions. We want to be careful so as not to be divided in the state. You know, the problem started from the top, so we have to be very careful so they don’t split us into factions.

 

Is there any attempt to woo Chief Alao-Akala back to PDP?

Yes, we have made an attempt. I was one of the few people that were sent to meet with him but I have not been able to see him. I hope to meet with him very soon, before the year runs out. Some delegates were sent to persuade Engineer Seyi Makinde, too. I believe he will return to PDP very soon. He is probably waiting for his supporters’ consent but I can assure you that he is interested in PDP. We have equally spoken with our brother, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, about returning to the party. He said to me and I quote, ‘Azeem, why should I return to a divided house? Which PDP caucus will I belong to? If I accept to return today, which of the groups would I align myself to?’ Those are good reservations but I told him to prepare to come back to the party. By the time he sees that the whole party has come together, it is my fervent belief that he will return to PDP.

 

Are you still nursing the dream of governing Oyo State?

A Yoruba adage says nobody knows tomorrow. For now, I won’t say anything regarding political ambition.

 

People seem to have lost confidence in PDP and APC has virtually taken over the South West. Do you think PDP will ever win elections again in Oyo State?

We can’t predict God. We have already realised our mistakes and I believe that those responsible for the mistakes are working to correct them. The leaders of the party in Abuja caused the whole problem. They handpicked candidates who everyone knew could never win any election. It was not fair and, of course, people were not happy.

 

The kind of politics you played in the past was one associated with violence and thuggery. Are you trying to clean up your act by becoming a lawyer? You just finished your LL.B.

Politics has to do with violence, but that doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t be civil. I believe that one can be violent where one believes violence is needed so as to prove a point. It is also advisable to be calm when a situation calls for calm. There are some people who are very aggressive with their style of politics. Some time ago, we went for a PDP campaign but a certain party hired thugs to waylay us on the road so that the campaign would not hold. They shot sporadically in the air. People panicked in the bus. In that situation, what would you do? Would you just run away? You would need to face them! But the problem is that if one fights back, they would label one as violent. It is like someone wanting to kill you and you trying to defend yourself. People would then brand you as a violent person.

 

So, you see violence as essential for winning elections?

Not all the time. Sometimes you don’t need it. It is not about killing people but about fighting for one’s success. I worked for the late Chief Lamidi Adedibu’s interest. That time, if you wanted to get something from the government, you needed to be violent because the government wasn’t ready to give it to you. They believed we were opposition. They believed they could wake up one morning and order the demolition of the opposition’s house but we resisted them. I was one of Baba Adedibu’s political boys. I have never been a thug.

 

During that period, you and your camp were believed to have terrorised the state with violent acts. The incumbent governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has, however, restored peace in the state, especially within the transport union which, many believe, your group used to your advantage.

(Cuts…) Point of correction: it wasn’t Governor Abiola Ajimobi that restored peace in Oyo State, in Ibadan. He cannot even lay claim to that. We all thought that there is no gain in fighting each other; that we are supposed to be brothers and sisters. What power has Governor Ajimobi got to stop violence?

 

He initiated security teams and operations and has held meetings with factional transport unions.

When we were in government, didn’t we have the police and other security outfits at our disposal? Is it not the same security which existed then that exists now? We resolved to stop the violence. That is why there is peace in Oyo State today. Governor Ajimobi didn’t restore peace; we resolved to be peaceful. Ajimobi has no power to do it. If there is a restoration of peace in the state, he can’t take all the credit. He must have been supported by others – the people and the transport unions. A Yoruba adage says, ‘Enikan kii je awade’. Peace was restored through a collective effort.

 

Were you also advised to sheathe your sword?

God must have used some people but then, I am not even a violent person. I am a lawyer and with my noble profession, I can’t be seen to be a violent person.

 

The highest political position you ever held was that of the deputy governor, which was just for 11 months. Do you actually think you have all it takes to win a political contest in Oyo State?

I am a grassroots politician and I am loved by those at the grass-roots. So, why would I not be able to win an election? I have the conviction that I have all it takes to win an election.

 

One of the people that the late Chief Adedibu had a quarrel with is former Governor Rashidi Ladoja and you played a prominent role in the crises then…

I led the operation [against Ladoja]. There is no doubt about that. But please, let us not open healed wounds. Politics then was like an investment and returns were expected but they never happened. That was what caused the whole problem.

 

Was that ideal?

If it wasn’t ideal, why didn’t he use his own money for his ambition? If you don’t have that kind of money to become a governor of a state and someone says he wants to sponsor you, are you not supposed to pay back the money? What are you talking about? Baba believed he invested in him and expected returns. Or what other reason do you think he would want to spend millions on a candidate to actualise his dream? He didn’t have any other job than sponsoring people into political positions and would want that money back thereafter – with interest.