Senator Ayo Arise of Ekiti North, in this interview with newsmen speaks on the politics of Ekiti State as presidential aspirants jostle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket. SAM NWAOKO brings excerpts:
Going into 2023, how would you describe the chances of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr Kayode Fayemi in the presidential contest?
The chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr. Kayode Fayemi in the upcoming presidential contest in are quite bright. First, Dr Fayemi is one of the foundation members of the APC where he served in different capacities including membership of the policy and advisory committee of the APC during its formative years. He has also been a two-term governor in the same party. He was also at one time or the other the Chairman of the APC Progressive Governors Forum and later Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum. I believe the last and current position as chairman of Governors Forum has exposed him to immense opportunity to interact and bond with governors from different parts of the country. This has largely exposed him to the inherent diversities of our polity and the yearnings and aspirations of our people across the nooks and cranny of our nation.
What factors, in your consideration, would determine the aspirant that will pick the APC’s presidential ticket?
This is a difficult one to decipher because so many factors can still come into play in the last few minutes leading to any election. It appears that the mode of election is tilting towards direct or indirect election as the issue of consensus might be off the table because the law expects 100% acceptance of the consensus candidate without a single dissenting candidate.
The incumbent President could be a factor by soliciting for a particular candidate if he so desires. This is most unlikely judging by the nature of our president who would most likely allow all his close allies to slug things out at the primaries.
Money could be a factor as most delegates are warming up to becoming very rich if a theater of bazaar is allowed to fester during the election. It has always been in our laws that vote buying is a crime, but I doubt if anyone has ever gone to jail for such crime in our country. This vote buying culture might become a major determinant in electing the candidate of the party.
The comradery factor could be the most potent factor in determining who the next president would be. If it is the determination of the governors to rally around one of their own during the primaries, any presidential aspirant that benefits from such wholesome decision would most likely be the next president of Nigeria.
You’re from Ekiti State; can you profile the strengths and weaknesses of Fayemi as a presidential aspirant?
Given the fact that Ekiti state is one of the smallest States in Nigeria with a very meager monthly allocation from the Federal Purse, it is evident that Fayemi is familiar with managing and optimizing our resources to benefit the larger population. Even though monthly salaries gulp about 80% of our resources as a state, Fayemi has managed to embark on many projects hitherto reserved for the oil producing states. He has in partnership with the Local Government councils embarked on tarring 10 Kilometers of roads in every Local Government of the State to improve accessibility throughout the state.
Within the last three and half years, he has been able to complete the Oba Adejugbe’s hospital and turned it to a modern and functional health delivery center for the people of Ekiti State. The same hospital became the centre for covid-19 testing. This centre catered for most of the poor population who otherwise could not to pay for testing. His passion for educational advancement for the people of Ekiti is reflected through the establishment of the Ekiti State Polytechnic. Considering that it took over 30 years to have such establishment in Ekiti has further endeared him to Ekiti people. There is no doubt that earning a doctorate degree before dabbling into politics will endear him to the younger generation as a role model in their preparation for the future.
As part of his quest to improve the economy of the state and further establish him as a man constantly thinking about the future, he embarked on building a cargo airport to cater for the produce of farmers in Ekiti and environs towards encouraging export of their products.
The airport which is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year is also expected to be an aviation center for training of pilots and aeronautical engineers through partnership with the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti and the prestigious Afe Babalola University also in Ado Ekiti.
Looking at the best strategy to bring government closer to the grassroots, Dr. Fayemi created additional LCDAs in Ekiti to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach the grassroots of the state.
Dr. Fayemi is at a disadvantage when it comes to the limited population of Ekiti, particularly in the number of delegates that Ekiti can put on the table. This might not be a big challenge as no single state can produce the number of delegates to significantly alter the outcome of the primary election.
His youthful energy is also a potential advantage when it comes to traversing the length and breadth of the Country. His ability to touch every state and further bond with his colleagues, would certainly earn him the desired delegates to win the primary election.
His declaration of intent to run for president is supposed to be pivoted on his record of achievements in Ekiti State, how then will you rate his performance as governor of Ekiti State?
As a two-term governor, some of his key achievements are listed below. Considering the limited funds available to embark on any capital project after deducting statutory payments for workers and political appointees, Fayemi can be rated as a very efficient manager of resources. He did very well in positioning Ekiti for the future.
In the economic front, Fayemi has repositioned Ekiti inindustrial production. This was demonstrated through the revamping of the Gossy water production at the Ikogosi warm springs that was dead during the immediate past regime in Ekiti.
The Promasidor dairy farm in Ikun is now in active dairy production that now sells fresh milk to many states in the country.
The Ire burnt brick making factory is now back into full production. These industries have certainly reduced the unemployment challenges in Ekiti.
The upgrade of the College of Education to a University of Science and Technology is one of his landmark achievements is advancement of education.
There is no doubt that a major cause of our security problem is due to lack of quality education and unemployment of the citizenry. Fayemi has demonstrated that he understands these issues and would proffer solutions to curb illiteracy, unemployment and sociological problems pervading our society.
In some other quarters, people are saying that Fayemi’s aspiration is a peripheral ambition. They claim he lacks grassroots support. How then can such a person be a good material in the race for the presidency?
I do not agree with this assertion. Apart from President Buhari who had been president before becoming a politician and who could boast of 12 million followers, there is no candidate that can lay any claim to grassroots support as his basis for contesting a presidential primary election. Fayemi is one of the few that can boast of grassroots support from a substantial number of governors who enjoy grassroots support in their respective states. As a serving governor who has the ears of the elderly through the owo-arugbo, and numerous policies backed by law that supports the rights of women in his state, he is one of the closest to the grassroots amongst the contestants.
How do you think a Fayemi’s presidency will impact Nigerians across board?
It is my hope that Fayemi as president will continue to strengthen our democratic development process. The idea of electronic voting would become one of his legacies. With his understanding of development and management through layers of government, Nigerians will breathe a breath of fresh air through the embracement of technology in resolving our security and other challenges in the coming decade. Fayemi would be a bridge builder between the old and the young. His candidacy would usher in a new era in developing our younger men and women to light the touch for Nigeria of tomorrow.
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