Odunsi: I’ll Lead Ogun to Greater Height
Senator Akinola Kamar Odunsi is the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party in Ogun State. At a recent session with journalists, Odunsi spoke extensively on his plans and vision for Ogun State. Gboyega Akinsanmi was there. Excerpts:
Why did you decide to go into politics? Well, I decided to go into politics in order to satisfy the yearnings of my people. As you know, I have retired from advertising industry from 2003 to 2010. I had almost seven years break. But the call from my people for effective representation became a very strident call such that I could no longer resist responding to their call. Of course, because I knew I had the time to spare and I have a second address I can always come back to, it was not a big risk for me. I came on board in 2011. I have been at it since then. I believe the people of Ogun West needed effective and responsible representation in the National Assembly. I made up my mind from the moment I accepted to run that if I was eventually elected, I would serve my people and bring dividends of democracy closer to the people. So, I decided to go into politics in order to satisfy the yearnings of my people and provide effective and responsible representation. Are you done achieving your interest in the National Assembly before venturing into the governorship? I am not actually done with the task of providing effective and responsible representation. I believe my governorship aspiration is to continue to represent the people of Ogun State at a broader or higher level. But let me explain why I decided to throw my hat into the ring for the governorship. I am somebody, who believes in party supremacy. Originally, I intended to stick to my senatorial seat and continue serving my people. But few things happened that changed my senatorial pursuit. As you know, I was elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011. The ACN eventually merged with other political parties and became All Progressives Congress (APC). After the APC emerged, certain things happened and changed the entire equation. Even when we were in the ACN after the election, what we planned for the people of Ogun State was not what came to pass. We expected that we would work together collectively for the development and progress of all sectors in Ogun State. However, the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun decided to play the game according to his rules. In other words, he did not involve the rest of us, who brought him to power at the state level. He ran a one-man show as it were to the exclusion of the rest of us that were elected along with him to the extent that he didn’t consider it worthwhile to meet and consult with those of us that represent other constituencies. He ran a one-man show. Every effort to make him work with us as a team fell on deaf ear. In that situation, he did so many things about the input of other components of the state. I cannot truly begin to enumerate all things he failed to do as the state governor. But it was obvious to many of us that he was running a government to the exclusion of all of us, who represented other interests in the party and in the state. You are competing against the incumbent. A lot of people may not know the inside story of your party. What they wanted to see is what the Amosun administration is currently doing. Are you in this race to win? By the grace of God, you are speaking with the next governor of Ogun State. We are confident that we shall win this governorship election in Ogun State. What is the source of that confidence? Well, we have toured the entire state. We have gone round, speaking with people. We have reached out to the people. What we are getting from the people of Ogun State is total rejection of this administration. The building of bridges and roads you see around is a pure façade because there is no development at all in the suburbs. There is nothing to show and people are really unhappy with the Amosun administration. We have virtually gone to all wards in Ogun State. We have not just visited in urban centres. We have gone to all the rural areas. We have found that there is no development in those places absolutely. There are no roads. We have seen a huge number of jobless people. Farming is abandoned. The health sector is in a state of comatose. Like an interview I read, Amosun referred to our schools as “ramshackle schools.” Yes, our schools are ramshackle because that is the way he wants to leave them. He prefers to build his so-called model schools at the expense of the existing schools. He has left the pupils in the state in ramshackle. I can imagine a governor describing the schools in his own state as “ramshackle schools.” If elected, will you not build on infrastructure projects of the Amosun administration? We are going to review all on-going projects. We are not going to abandon the project per se, but we will prioritise our needs. For instance, some of those roads are inflated projects, even over-inflated. If you look at the cost of many road contracts in per kilometer in Ogun State compared with what it is elsewhere, you see what I am talking about. Most of them are over-inflated. When we get to power, what I am going to do is that we will re-organise our priorities. I do not even know how many of those roads have been completed. You came through Ilo Awela road here. Towards the end of the road, the contractor has stopped working for months now. Whenever it rains, those who live on the axis are susceptible to erosion. We know some of those projects need to be completed. It is public funds. We can’t throw it away, but we have to re-prioritise them. But are these issues potent enough to defeat Amosun? I know I am more experienced than the man, who is there now. I believe I am a team player. I believe I have the fear of God. Aside, I am a very successful person in various businesses that I have run. I have track records to show my performance. Even as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I can point to several projects that I have executed across the Ogun West senatorial district. So, I am not a failure by any standard. I know I am honest. I do not lie. I am a very honest person. What we need at this stage is somebody who has the desire to serve the people and not to improve his/her own lot. I think we need a God-fearing person as well. If the people of Ogun West are desirous of producing a governor, how can there be some kind of cooperation among different parties? We do not form an alliance to defeat the incumbent. Already, the incumbent is gone. We have told our supporters that we heard they were throwing money around. We told them to collect the money. It is their money. We told our supporters to take the money from him, but should not vote for him. On the idea of alliance, we are different parties. I am in the SDP. Other candidates are in different parties. So, how do we construct that kind of alliance? Are you sure your conservative style will help realise your aspiration? I do not know what you mean by conservatism. If being honest is conservative, I agree I am conservative. If being hard-working is conservative, I am happy to be conservative. If having the fear of God is conservative, I am glad to be conservative. What we need is performance. I have told you that my whole life is all about performance. Many of you knew me in my period of active business. If you say I am conservative, I am perhaps by your own definition. But it is the result that matters. If you deliver to the people and the people are yearning for the dividends of democracy, people are not interested in your flamboyance or your aggressive posture. In this country, what we need least is aggression. I know the style of the people you are talking about. Their style is to win at all cost. That is what they think politics should be. I do not believe in that kind of politics. But I know if we work hard, we will win. What are you bringing on board as a governor? We have developed a 7-point agenda. The agenda contains our programmes of actions for the people of Ogun State. It is our article of faith, to which we stick. The agenda comprise integrated rural development and agriculture; qualitative education for our children; integrated power project, employment generation; qualitative healthcare service delivery, sports and recreation for all as well as promotion of tourism and culture. Precisely, we will not tell stories about what we will do and what we cannot do. We have seen how politicians make promises that in the end they cannot come near what they have promised the electorate. We are going put an end to that kind of behaviour in Ogun State. How do you intend to fund your programmes? That is why it is pointless making empty promises. We know what we can afford to do, even before going into government. We know the things that are feasible based on the resources of the state. There are some we cannot make projection for until and unless we get to the government and see the flow of revenues.