Osun 2018: How opposition will overrun APC – Akinbade

Former Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG) and governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2014 governorship election, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, is eyeing the same governorship seat in 2018. He speaks with KUNLE ODEREMI on the battle for Osun State and the challenges ahead of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition parties in the state. Excerpts:

 

YOU are leading broad-based consultations ahead the 2018 governorship poll in Osun State in the state. What exactly has informed these manouvrings that should warrant your engagement with the PDP you dumped at the threshold of the 2015 polls?

When you look at what is happening now in the political space, coupled with what most Nigerians are yearning for, there can only be two parties in the country: the party in government and the opposition. The definition of opposition here is apt; it is an aggregation of all parties that are not in government at a point in time. So, if you want to make any correction, you have to be in a formidable alliance that effect a paradigm shift in the days ahead. I have been leading the campaign for such alliance; that all opposition parties must come together and form a formidable alliance capable of forming government. So, what we are doing is to bring everybody together and ai am delighted that the effort are beginning to yield fruit. That was exactly what we demonstrated at the July 8 Osun West senatorial district as we rallied the opposition to victory. We were not in the PDP, but we mobilised everybody for one party to be able to achieve that lofty goal and if that effort has worked, I think the same approach and strategy must be adopted and consolidated in all subsequent elections, so that Nigerians can truly reap the benefits of their sweat and sacrifice that culminated in the restoration of civil rule in the country. I believe everybody in the opposition have learnt their lesson. We now appreciate and value what the principle I have been propagating, which is for all of us to work out together and pursue a common goal.

 

You stood a better chance in 2014 when contested for the governorship. But the stake is higher for the outgoing governor who may want to fully exert the power of incumbency against the opposition. Aren’t you walking on a tight rope?

It is normal for a ruling party to want to hold on to power. But I want to tell you that it is not only the Osun people that are fed up with the present state of inertia because there is greater awareness across the country. Our people are ready to exercise their voting power. The public awareness is so high that the incumbency factor you talked about is not sufficient to save the government. The people have tasted three successive governments elected under three main political platforms in Osun, and they know the difference. People now know the one that is better not necessarily the best. Are we really progressing, stagnant of retrogressing now? So, I think the performance of any government determines its fate before the people, who have since become wise, more focused and forward-looking.

 

But the government says it has made giant strides in a number of critical sectors such as infrastructure and education; that it has been able to transform the state capital and raised the bar in governance?

Nobody does above his knowledge. Maybe, their abysmal performance is the best they can offer. But, the people know and openly say that what those in government at present consider as their best is nothing to write about. The people are saying they deserve the current pain, poverty and letdown that stare all in the face. One of the major yardsticks through which you can use to show whether the state is progressing in education is the performance of its candidates in the WAECS results. Thank God, the WAEC now rates all the 36 states in terms of the performance of their candidates. Two years ago, Osun was rated 31 or so; the other time, it was 29th position, whereas, the state used to be rated between eighth and twelfth before. In the current year, the government is celebrating that the state 24th. Is that what our people bargained for and actually deserve? So, what are you celebrating, a steady decline in standard? When you go through the state capital, Osogbo, you would discover that what they claim to be great strides in infrastructure is arrant nonsense. All roads that lead to the state capital are impassable. Is it through Iwo, Gbogan, Ilesa or the Ogbomosho axis? The story is the same. You feel ashamed that these booby-traps called roads lead to a state capital. Perhaps, what they are showcasing as their real achievement is the humongous debt they have incurred for the state. It constitutes an albatross.

 

Are you saying those that championed the creation the state, in the first instance, must be biting their fingers today?

Not really, because the fact that the people now have a state they can call their own is a plus and provides an opportunity for real and genuine development, given the right. So, to some extent, the vision and dreams of the founding fathers have been partly achieved because the foundation for the growth and development and prosperity of Osun has been laid before the present government came into office. But if the kind of government we have at the moment subsists in the state, then we are in trouble.

 

You have been part of the political establishment since 1994 under the military. Many see you as being part of the problems of Osun as a leader; that you had opportunities to make a difference in the past?

No, they may say people like me, but not me. I am proud of my contribution under the various government that I was involved to the progress and development of the state. I do not want to claim total glory for a number of achievements they were record while I served in different official capacities.  But I know that I am a major contributor to the glory of the state. You mentioned 1994, I was very green in government then, and if successive administrations had followed what I did and laid as a foundation, I believe the state and indeed, the country would not be confronted by the miasma of uncertainty and ineptitude. Let me give you a few instances. When we came into office, we inherited a World Bank project from the old Oyo State, and it was called the multi-state road project. Osun inherited about N800 million from Oyo (after state creation), while Oyo had about N1.2 billion. So, I was lucky to be the state Commissioner for Works. The execution of all the projects fell under my shoulder. My input enabled us to achieve 100 per cent.  I studied Civil Engineering and had been into construction and consultancy, all the experience of which I brought to bear on my office. And I want to thank my governor, Captain Anthony Udofia, who gave me all the support and free hand to operate. We engaged consultants to identify and select the roads, and by the time we brought in the money factor, we discovered that we would need more than three times of the available fund. So, we decided to priotise and re-design the projects to suit the peculiarities of the state. We designed the roads in such way that instead of each of the roads being 7.5metres wide, we reduced it to 4.5metres without compromising standard, as the World Bank had their own consultants working with us and we decided that the road should be asphaltic. What I am saying is that my experience and expertise really assisted us. But beyond that, when it came to awarding contracts, we followed the standard set by the World Bank completely. That is what we now refer to as due process in the country. The contract went to the lowest bidder. When the consultants complete their own job, we invited known and qualified contractors that we knew will deliver. So, we checked their papers, assessed their past works and pre-qualified them. The contract went to lowest bidder in terms of cost. I am saying that if all successive governments in the state had followed that procedure, they would have more money to do a lot of good things meant to bring succour to the citizenry. So, if all contracts in Nigeria can be executed in the way I managed the multi-state road project in Osun between 1994 and 1998, honestly, Osun would not be a sorry state it has been thrown into by the APC government.

 

What gives confidence that your chances are brighter now in the governorship race?

The last time I contested was under the LP, and I believe it is not the party this time that actually matters so much. We are talking of a coalition or coalescence of ideas and people, a coalition of positive forces. Let people, including the promoters see the seriousness in their coming together. What led to the victory of the opposition forces in the July 8 Osun West senatorial election was that the people saw the seriousness in us. That if Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party (LP) could attend a PDP campaign rally; if Omisore, Adagunodo, and others could come together, then they mean business, and that is exactly what I am advocating and propagating now. That it is not the party that is the issue now, after all, the parties could as well individually present qualified candidates for the election.  But, we are saying that if we really want to show that we really want to take over power, let everybody come together and fight together.

 

You should be concerned that the principle of zoning might not favour you at the end of the day, given the discordant tunes over the issue among stakeholders in Osun politics?

Why do you think so? It is the turn of my zone to produce governor. Even in the Nigerian Constitution, there are some unwritten issues that we still honour and practice. In Osun,  a preponderance of the people are talking about the need for fairness. The Osun Cntral senatorial zone has been on the driver’s seat for almost 12 years; Osun East is completing their second term and in the case of my district, we have never done anything. Some people can be deceiving themselves when discussing the issue of zoning and need for fairness, equity and justice by telling people that it is Ijesa and not Ife or it is Ife and not Ijesa. I mean such arguments do not add up. But by and large, I think what is important is for you as a politician to demonstrate your seriousness and readiness to govern and not the issue of zoning, which is just a factor. It is about the candidate, his seriousness and readiness to really go into it.  And when you look at pedigree, you discover that I don’t know who else can , except if you don’t want a candidate of with an exceptional quality in governance, that people are yearning for now.

Hunger is universal. Osun has suffered enough in the hands of the present government to the extent that not only in the PDP, LP even those in the APC are coming out to join the massive movement with the singular mission to rescue the state from paralysis. The APC government has turned everything upside down. The state needs to rediscover itself. I represent the new hope and symbol of the genuine people that are determined to take the state to the next level; greater heights through vision, resourcefulness and exemplary leadership. I am not cut out to paying lip service to the cardinal principles of good governance which include transparency, accountability, due process, equity and justice.

Like I said earlier, what they have offered the state and people in close to eight years now could be their own best.  In education, they are a huge disappointment. In agriculture, they lead from the rear in any standard score chart. Farmers are given incentives because the government lacks focus and is bereft of meaningful ideas. The health sector is in shambles, as the hospitals have no drugs and facilities.  The crisis in LAUTHEC tells the whole story about the abysmal performance of the state and indeed a great irony of a state with the enviable epithet as the state of the living spring.

 

You spoke about huge debts that the APC government has alleged incurred under eight years for the state. That should be sufficient o discourage you from contesting as the debt might constitute an albatross you are elected as governor?

I love challenges. It is when there are tough challenges that you are at your best. As it will provide an opportunity for a competent and resourceful candidate to embark on a serious rescue operation. Those in government at the moment are just sitting on a goldmine, whereas what the state needs now is re-engineering and due process.  But, when the head is rotten, the whole body is gone. From whom do you make your internally generated revenue? Definitely not from the sky! You get it from the people but, they are not happy now because you have impoverished them, failed to empower them, but made empty promises, which included plans of turning stone into bread. No! Miracles do not just happen any longer. It is by cause and effect. There has to be reciprocity; good governance will translate into collaboration, understanding, cooperation and support from the citizenry.

Opposition forces in the July 8 Osun West senatorial election was that the people saw the seriousness in us. That if Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party (LP) could attend a PDP campaign rally; if Omisore, Adagunodo, and others could come together, then they mean business, and that is exactly what I am advocating and propagating now. That it is not the party that is the issue now, after all, the parties could as well individually present qualified candidates for the election. But, we are saying that if we really want to show that we really want to take over power, let everybody come together and fight together.

You should be concerned that the principle of zoning might not favour you at the end of the day, given the discordant tunes over the issue among stakeholders in Osun politics?
Why do you think so? It is the turn of my zone to produce governor. Even in the Nigerian Constitution, there are some unwritten issues that we still honour and practice. In Osun, a preponderance of the people are talking about the need for fairness. The Osun Cntral senatorial zone has been on the driver’s seat for almost 12 years; Osun East is completing their second term and in the case of my district, we have never done anything. Some people can be deceiving themselves when discussing the issue of zoning and need for fairness, equity and justice by telling people that it is Ijesa and not Ife or it is Ife and not Ijesa. I mean such arguments do not add up. But by and large, I think what is important is for you as a politician to demonstrate your seriousness and readiness to govern and not the issue of zoning, which is just a factor. It is about the candidate, his seriousness and readiness to really go into it. And when you look at pedigree, you discover that I don’t know who else can , except if you don’t want a candidate of with an exceptional quality in governance, that people are yearning for now.
Hunger is universal. Osun has suffered enough in the hands of the present government to the extent that not only in the PDP, LP even those in the APC are coming out to join the massive movement with the singular mission to rescue the state from paralysis. The APC government has turned everything upside down. The state needs to rediscover itself. I represent the new hope and symbol of the genuine people that are determined to take the state to the next level; greater heights through vision, resourcefulness and exemplary leadership. I am not cut out to paying lip service to the cardinal principles of good governance which include transparency, accountability, due process, equity and justice.
Like I said earlier, what they have offered the state and people in close to eight years now could be their own best. In education, they are a huge disappointment. In agriculture, they lead from the rear in any standard score chart. Farmers are given incentives because the government lacks focus and is bereft of meaningful ideas. The health sector is in shambles, as the hospitals have no drugs and facilities. The crisis in LAUTHEC tells the whole story about the abysmal performance of the state and indeed a great irony of a state with the enviable epithet as the state of the living spring.

You spoke about huge debts that the APC government has alleged incurred under eight years for the state. That should be sufficient o discourage you from contesting as the debt might constitute an albatross you are elected as governor?
I love challenges. It is when there are tough challenges that you are at your best. As it will provide an opportunity for a competent and resourceful candidate to embark on a serious rescue operation. Those in government at the moment are just sitting on a goldmine, whereas what the state needs now is re-engineering and due process. But, when the head is rotten, the whole body is gone. From whom do you make your internally generated revenue? Definitely not from the sky! You get it from the people but, they are not happy now because you have impoverished them, failed to empower them, but made empty promises, which included plans of turning stone into bread. No! Miracles do not just happen any longer. It is by cause and effect. There has to be reciprocity; good governance will translate into collaboration, understanding, cooperation and support from the citizenry.

 

What are your fears as the Osun governorship election approaches?
Before we used to have the fear of thugs. But, the major fear now is the activities of moneybags because those people in government have really stocked so much money that they may want to display before, during and even after the election. They did it during the July 8 election. However, they failed because the people were determined to secure their political freedom. The government has also turned the state-owned electronic media into a propaganda machinery trying to misinform the people. But trust the Osun people, they have come to realize that the government will only tell you what they prefer you hear and not the truth. They are wiser. But, let me tell you that whatever their antics might be, we are ready. I appeal to them to remain patient with the government. In about year from now, they will get out of the wood because, as it is now, everybody is fed up with the administration, including a lot of them in government. They are not enjoying it. There is an end to everything and the end in this case is very near. Light is at the end of the tunnel. I know everybody is suffering.


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