Mr Adebiyi Micheal Adedayo, an engineer, is the Action Democratic Party (ADP) candidate for Ijesa South Federal Constituency of Osun State. He speaks with MOSES ALAO on his plans for the constituents, the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 and why the electorates have to look beyond the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the next election.
AT a point that everyone is joining politics due to its attraction financially, it has become imperative to look into the manifestoes and plans of candidates. You are contesting to represent Ijesa South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Why?
The major reason for seeking to represent my people is because I want to bring about qualitative representation that will improve their lives. You see, my constituents have not been well represented by the office holders and as a result, they have been shortchanged in terms of good governance and provision of basic amenities.
For me, my attraction is not about the money or perks of office. I have the desire to uplift the society through my representation and I am going to the House to make a difference, because I believe that representation must be all-inclusiveness.
FG approves disbursement of N161bn intervention fund to varsities, others
As the saying goes that it is easier said than done, it is not uncommon for candidates to make promises only to get elected into the House and become inaccessible…
(Cuts in) Let me inform you that unlike the past, the constituency would have in me a representative that will not be a bench-warmer and one whose doors will always be open to the people. I will always agitate for the meeting of the immediate needs of my people in terms of sponsoring bills that will have direct bearing on their lives and the nation at large.
Aside that, I will also not relent in efforts to move reasonable bills/motions that will be of good benefit to my people as well as supporting reasonable bills and motions being put forward by my colleagues on the floor of the House for the overall benefit of the nation.
You are talking about uplifting the society, are you aware that you will have restrictions as a legislator in terms of delivering capital projects?
Yes. Though my primary assignment is to make laws for the betterment of my constituents and the country at large, I will ensure the judicious use of my constituency projects allowance to better the lots of my people.
One of my key programmes is the financial empowerment of market men and women, artisans, farmers and students with a view to reducing unemployment and making lives better for the people. I have taken a stock of the unemployment situation in the constituency, so I will be doing all within my capacity, if elected as the representative of the constituency, to secure federal appointments for youths. Similarly, we will be organising entrepreneurship training for the youths and giving them start-up capital for businesses of their choice to encourage self-employment
I will also ensure that the people have easy access to me as their representative; we will have a two-way communication. I will update them on my activities in the National Assembly and get suggestions and words from them on the other way forward.
In the area of infrastructure, I intend to ensure the facilitation of many infrastructural projects for the benefit of my constituents. So, I am in this race to bring laughter to the faces of my people through excellent and qualitative representation.
But you are contesting on the platform of a party that is not so popular and you will be slugging it out with more popular parties like the APC and PDP. How do you intend to navigate that water?
You see, that the ADP is not so popular is not the issue; the issue is which party or candidate has the interest of the people at heart. I can tell you that the ADP and I fit that bill. The electorate must try this time round to vote for the ADP, which has their interest at heart instead of sticking with the APC or PDP which we’ve all tried all these years. The ADP is now the only better alternative for Nigerians and it will be in their interest to vote for its candidates in all elections, because they are people of proven integrity and good characters. The ADP candidates are out there to change Nigeria for the best.
Are you speaking for yourself or that advocacy also involves the presidential contest, which has become a two-horse race?
I am speaking for all candidates. The ADP presidential candidate, Sani Yagbaji, if elected, will address the challenges of insecurity and Boko Haram insurgency and they will become things of the past. Aside that, our economy will be revived and it will come back to normal under ADP leadership and the issue of youth unemployment would be forgotten. The party’s manifesto is people-centric and this is reflected in the programmes on infrastructure, commerce and social welfare that are contained in the document.
While you are canvassing voters, there is already fear that the elections might be marred by violence. What is your view on this?
Well, I will advise Nigerians to allow peace to reign. They should shun violence before, during and after the election. It is also important that they not allow politicians to use money to buy their consciences; they should not sell their voter cards, because the PVC is their power to change the things going wrong in our country.
How would you react to the refusal of President Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by the National Assembly?
To me, the refusal of Mr. President to sign the bill into law was a good one. For God’s sake, how do you expect Mr President to sign such a bill into law when the date for the conduct of the general elections is already approaching? If Mr. President should sign it into law now on the eve of the election period, it will create a serious constitutional problem. I’m not saying that Mr President should not sign it into law, but he should let the 2019 general elections be over before doing that.
and then