This vibrant politician will be contesting for House of Assembly, Ifelodun Constituency in ijebu North Local Government.
In this interview with Assistant Editor, he told us why he has not been physically visible in the political scene of Ogun state of the nation, his assessment on Ogun State Labour party since OGD become the leader, among others.
You have not been visible in the political scene in Ogun State for few months now, where have you been?
It’s true that in the last few months, I’ve not been physically visible; I have been faced recently with the challenges of my professional duties.
I’ve been so busy with my job in the North. Relatively, my supporters are there back home heading to instructions and directives, we are relatively in the scheme of political affairs in our area.
Do you see Labour party or PDP taking over from the incumbent governor in Ogun state next year?
The issue of Governor Amosun winning his second term election in Ogun state is not negotiable anymore, the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun has collapsed when this government of Amosun started, some of us saw the trend with which the government came in, we k new that any house build on false foundation will collapse, we know their propaganda we know how they run down the former government of the ex-governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. But incidentally, because of the great acumen and experience of OGD, he was able to scale through but unfortunately he was able to handover the baton to likewise of it or people of good characters that can take Ogun state to the next level. Unfortunately for Governor Ibikunle Amosun when he came, he started with the politics of vendetta, vengeance. He did all these for almost a year without even having a plan for his government of where he is going. All he is able to do is to be playing the script of his godfather from other state. That culminated to so many losses for Ogun State. The free trade zone that was started by the former governor, OGD that would have become sky in Africa was withdrawn back. All the goods that OGD started as the number one like late Obafemi Awolowo did. Such as Tasued University which was the first in Africa, under three month of governor Amosun’s cabinet, he wanted to scrape it, if not that people stood against it. All the roads that OGD had developed were destroyed in the name of wanting to expand them while Amosun was doing all these, he was wasting the tax payer’s money and people were watching.
I’m a forerunner in the 2011 old Labour party and Amosun then called us to a meeting. I told our governorship candidate Rev. Awosedo then, that we should see what he want to offer before we join his government other people then rushed to him but later they rushed out of his government. I am one of those that believe time will tell. Today, we have ben vindicated because you will see that Governor Amosun has done virtually nothing in Ogun state now, he will say, he had constructed bridges ……… and there and I will tell you when Baba Awolowo started Cocoa House in those days of Western Region, he knew that London bridge was in London but he knew that what Western region, he would make money like Amosun and his contemporaries are doing now. All these bridges they are doing, who did they award the contract to? At what rate? I’m speaking authoritatively on infrastructural of governor Amosun because I am an expert. In the last 14 years I have seven World Bank project of infrastructural all ove the country. What Amosun have done so far in Ogun State is not what Ogun state people need for now. Go to Gbolagade in Ijebu Ode, the median bridge that was constructed with enormous money by OGD has been removed by the incumbent and they have replaced it with unstructural cable material in the name of making money. Intelligent team come together, they preside what they want to do. You don’t just demolish people’s houses without proper planning, without compensation and just give the Road construction contact to the Chinese people who does not even understand the terrain of the locality. Before you know it, shabby jobs have already been done. That’s exactly what governor Amosun is doing in the name of urban renewal. In the area of education, instead of adding more values to the schools, he has crept them. I know how Ogun State University worked many years back then and I know how it is now. The market people are crying with all these, we don’t need any suitsayer to tell you that the people of Ogun State are done with Ibikunle Amosun’s cabinet invariably, new government is coming in 2015 to Ogun state and the government will come under the platform of labour party. Politically in Ogun State, people that have governed in Ogun State have antecedent. I was not saying that government before Amosun was …… but it’s crystals clear and comparatively now that the government of former governor, OGD is for articulated and better than the incumbent government of Ibikunle AMosun. When you come to analyze all these things now, and don’t forget that Ogun State is a gateway state and people are enlightened. This is a state where the Ransome Kuti’s come from, Awolowo come from, Abraham Adesanya come from, Tai Solarin comes form, Wole Soyinka come from. People are knowledgeable enough to decide people have already made up their mind that they are going with Labour Party in the next elections in 2015. Even before Amosun came. PDP has been scattered by the PDP people in the name of wanting to bring OGD government down because OGD belonged to the future. Destiny of the state made OGD to find himself in their midst. People requested for OGD to be there leader, the market women, the elite the traditional ruler, they all want him because they know that Labour Party is the party of the people and OGD agreed to lead us. You can see what is happening in our recent constituency in our recent constituency visitation. For me, I lead some part of it with the way it’s moving, because I see it as a movement, people are saying where Labour party is going, they are going where OGD is going, they are going and we that have not gotten anything politically, people that know us are saying we are with you and with the leadership of Labour Party now, there is no going back. Labour party must take over the government house in Ogun Stte in 2015. Labour party is the only peaceful party in Ogun State now. APC is in disarray, and you know the antecedent of PDP. OGD is a man of progressive Labour party will deliver the presidency in Ogun state because Mr. President is performing in its transformation agenda.
We heard a rumour that your people are clamouring for you to become a ward chairman of Ogun State based on your antecedent as a grassroot politician who know his onion, what do you want to say to this?
Actually, my people to some extent have seen the traces of leadership in me. I have stucked my next out into the polity of 2010 it’s not chairmanship they are clamouring for me to go for rather into the state House of Assembly. If you will recollect, I also contested for senatorial candidate in 2011 and a lot of work that’s accomplishing now transpired. You’ll agree with me because as Yoruba people adage says. If you don’t know whom oyu are older than, at least you would know who is older than you, the antecedent to have the likes of ex-governor Gbenga Daniel to team up with Labour party now, obviously with his experience and achievement in Ogun state now, he automatically became a leader. By the special grace of God and by the backing of the leadership of Labour party, and with the support of our people in Ogun state and our constituency , I will be contesting for the House of Assembly, to represent Ifelodun constituency in Ijebu North Local government.
How will you access labour party since OGD became the overall leader?
OGD I have met in the recent time is a man of few words but with action. I am not surprised in him because he is an engineer and I can tell you by the virtue of our trade good engineers are great managers. That’s exactly what I see in OGD. Don’t forget that he is a man that has made his mark in the business world. He had made his mark in governance and people are seeking for his service again. After he had left the government house. People calmouring for him now are those who have not ben in government before or work for government in their lives. OGD is an epitome of what I could call the real follower of Baba Awolowo because of his giant stride that how government made while in government. OGD as the leader of Labour party humble himself, subjected himself to what I can call unnecessary humility we see people who are not even suppose to talk to him talking to him anyhow. There is difference between his leadership and the party leadership of Labour party in ogun State. In Labour party we disagree to agree, that’s why you see the party moving forward in Ogun State, I am one of the old Labour party leader in my own little humble way, where we are today, we have totally surrender to the leadership of OGD. He had passed through the road before he knows the road where there is pothole and it’s he who knows the road that could show you the road and that’s exactly what he is doing in …….. Ogun State is marvelous and unquantifiable . when you see people like Barrister Gboyega Okenla, Osunshina and pastor Olumade, myself and others sitting down in a meeting with OGD, we have seen that he can do it. Go to our head quarters in Abeokuta, go to our senatorial offices around the state, there is no doubt about it, LP is already at the Oke Imosan
What’s your view on the new political trend of impeachment in the country now, viz-a-vis the impeachment of one governor from the North recently?
I don’t see it as a new trend because this is not the first time a governor will be impeached in Nigeria former governor Balarabe Musa was impeached in those days of president Shagari’s cabinet. Any governor that misbehave and go against the constituency if removed will be a lesson to others.
Who is the authentic chairman of Labour party in Ogun state?
The chairman of Labour party in Ogun State now is Comrade Niyi Osoba under the able leadership of His Excellency former governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
What about his executives, are they really working together to ahieve one goal?
Definitely, comrade Niyi Osoba didn’t just got into that position by chance, he got there by …… of hard work. He has been doing marvelously since he emerges at that position. Other people working with him are Deji Kalejaiye, Chief Adeyemi, Gboyega Okenla,our former women leader in the old labour Party is also among the executives, Soyombo among others. Infact, the team is perfect.
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