African Democratic Congress (ADC) House of Representatives candidate for Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State, Prof. Siyan AbdulGafar Oyeweso, speaks with KAYODE OLANREWAJU about his programmes, challenges of the constituency and his plans to address them if elected
There is apprehension among Nigerians concerning failed promises by politicians, how do you intend to change the narrative of poor representation in your constituency?
Well, our primary preoccupation is to render good governance, good representation and qualitative leadership for the people of Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State. The late Chinua Achebe said pointedly that the problem with Nigeria is purely the failure of leadership. Let me put it further that the problem with Ede is squarely that of failed leadership. The failure of the people of Ede, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency to identify the people, who have greatest potentials to represent them selflessly and for the greater good of the people, has been the problem.
For the past 20 years, only one unit, one ward in Ede has continued to provide leadership for us at the state level. That is, the Ologun Agbaakin Ward, which provided legislative leadership for Ede for a period of 12 years in the first instance; a position which Hon. Adejare Bello filled and during which he served for eight years as Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, and as number three citizen in the state. Currently, it is the same unit and the same ward that has provided and is still providing legislative leadership for Ede through Hon. Debo Kamorudeen Akanbi, the person for whom I owe tremendous respect. But, in all we should hold them responsible for the greatness and the challenges that Ede is facing today in terms of legislative leadership and development. Take a look at the Osun State University; all the key stakeholders in Osun State during Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration imparted on their communities through Osun State University.
In the last 20 years, Ede has not been provided with streetlight. From Akoda to Okegada through to Ido-Osun, or on the other side to Awo, Ara and Ojo axis, streetlight is conspicuously absent in Ede. What is the nature of leadership that has kept Ede in total darkness with dark spots in various parts in the community, whereas in our neighbouring towns we have streetlight provided throughout the length and breadth of the capital city. What that means is that the nature of politicians in those areas is people-centred, while the ones that have been providing ‘leadership’ for us in Ede have been somehow self-centred.
If those who represented the constituency in the past were self-centred, what new are you bringing to the table?
Our belief is to change the narratives of governance and give our people quality representation which has been denied them all these years. We have asked repeatedly why it is that all these years that Akoda-Ede road, Ejigbo-Iwo road, Awo-Ejigbo road have not been provided for in the federal budget. The 2019 budget, which is currently before the National Assembly, has no provision for federal roads in Ede. The implication is that Ede people will continue to be in that state of jungle throughout 2019 and certainly 2020.
The fact is that you cannot spend the money that has not been appropriated, and this money won’t be appropriated for in the 2019 budget, and what that means is that work cannot commence on the roads this year. Even when we succeed in getting it in 2020 budget, the implication also is that there is a timeline for mobilisation for projects. So, people should be able to tell it pointedly that they have not been fair to the people, who invested their votes in them.
There is this strong apathy among the electorate that votes no longer count in the country, do you share such belief?
I don’t believe in that. I strongly belief that votes count and still count, but votes can be manipulated. Today, we are sensible enough to know that the person with popular majority should get elected. But, we have the challenge of the ‘moneybags,’ who are daily preaching against vote-buying, but are the managers of vote-buying. Indeed, that is why we will continue to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be vigilant and establish mobile courts to provide instant judgements for those caught selling or buying votes. Those people should get justice or justice should be taken to them.
What we need is that our justice system must be improved. Electoral security is also very important in the sense that critical security stakeholders like the police, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other organisations that do business with election must be provided with their needs and comfort before the election and not after the election. Election is a well-known area to the Nigeria Police, who are effective and efficient organisation if they want to work.
Let us look at what happened during the recent governorship election in the state, don’t you foresee a similar thing happening during this election?
That governorship election in the state was a “stand alone” election, which had concentration of all police, and all other security apparatus, as well as several state governors who performing magic in Osun State. This year’s election is a regular election, which will be taking place simultaneously across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. In fact, the capacity of the police will be stretched to the limit and also the capacity of other security agencies will be stretched to the limit too.
The governors, who came to Osun State during the election will not have the benefit of coming because they are either contesting for the second term, or busy campaigning for their successors. Of course, some of them who are contesting also want to emerge as senators. For this reasons, they will be confined to their states campaigning seriously so that they don’t lose their seats. So, for all those people who are not stakeholders in Osun election project, it would be difficult for them to come to the state during the election.
The election to the office of the President, Senate and House of Representatives will take place simultaneously the same day and if one polling unit is disrupted, the entire election will be disrupted in that unit. If you want to cart away the ballot papers for the House of Representatives election and you don’t carry that of the Senate, the people will then know that it is that particular contestant you are after. So, for this election, the entire world is watching the country, the civil society is watching and it can’t be business as usual. 2019 will represent a watershed in the making of Nigeria.
What other areas of quality representation are you bringing to the constituency?
Well, my programmes for my constituency as enshrined in the party’s programme are people-oriented and they are aimed at ensuring and bridging the leadership gaps in the area. First and foremost, we are focused on contributing meaningfully to the overall development of the federal constituency in the following areas, but which are not limited to these ones. We want to offer bursary and scholarship to students in tertiary institutions of the four local government areas in the constituency; set up women and youth empowerment programme; establish vocational and skill acquisition centres across the constituency.
Besides, under our great party, I want to use the next four years for the service of the people, as we have planned to construct modern libraries with Information Communication Technology (ICT) facilities and internet connectivity for our people, especially students across all the local government areas to improve their literary level and promote good reading culture as well as provide basic healthcare facilities for the people, among others.
Today, many people go into politics for pecuniary gains and the perk of the office. As a professor, who resigned his appointment to contest for the House of Representatives seat, don’t you think people will look in such direction?
The House of Representatives is not a place to make money. It is a place where to impact on our law positively, engage in legislative oversight to hold government agencies accountable and to make good laws, which can guarantee good governance for the greatest majority of our people. The House of Representatives is the parliament and a supreme organ for making good laws. Today, every Nigerians can discuss the problem of Nigeria, but we have not had the courage and enough political will to effect the necessary changes.
The fact is that the Federal Government of Nigeria is a very big government; the President of Nigeria is the most powerful president in the world. He has absolute control over men and material resources of the country. He is the official minister of oil and all other resources. Take the example, resources allocation in the country today is tilted in favour of the Federal Government, while the state and local governments are merely puppets. In fact, the Nigeria federal experiment has been described aptly as ‘feeding bottle federalism’ where 36 state governors go caps in hands begging for their allocations at the end of the month.
Given this anomaly, where do you stand on the restructuring debate?
When people talk about restructuring, most Nigerians think that it is harmful. No! Restructuring is a very decent language; it does not mean separation, it does not mean secession or regionalism, but it means prudent and quality governance. What restructuring means is that let us cut the waste; let us invest more power in the local and state governments, where the people actually live. Indeed, a situation whereby we have the Ministry of Agriculture without land is anomalous; a situation where we have only the federal police, and we don’t have state or community police, is unthinkable.
Even, where we borrowed this federalism from, they all have community or state police. So, why can’t we still reflect, dialogue, reason together and see how we can make Nigeria work better to allay the fears of the North, East, West, South and everybody so that this country can work. I strongly believe in the unity of this country and the integrity of the Nigerian state. I know that we have much to gain from our unity, but we can still always discuss about Nigerian state.
Source: New Telegraph