Paul Erewuba
Following his recent endorsement by socio-political group, Ondo State Youth for Good Governance (OSYGG), Adeyinka Egunjobi, who had contested for the ticket of Akoko North east constituency, has opened up on his ambition for the governorship seat and why Ondo APC needs a breathe of new life.
During the last Ondo elections, you contested for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket of Akoko North east constituency, how do you think this would help you for the governorship race this time?
The experience was an eye opening one. It really afforded me the opportunity to see and realise the need for quality leadership in the state at a very close range. The experience also exposed me to the hypocrisy of our leaders at the level of party administration. I was particularly disturbed that a former president of the Nigeria Bar Association, a senior advocate of Nigeria and a sitting Governor, can disregard party guidelines and regulations and encourage undemocratic means of selecting party candidates for House of Assembly elections. However, this wicked and dastardly act by the powers that be has enabled me to interact at close range with other aggrieved aspirants across the state, who were duped and cheated of their hard-earned money and were denied the opportunity of testing their popularity at the primary election. Today in Ondo State, these group of politicians along with the vast majority of our abandoned party men and women are the largest political structures in the state. By the grace of God and with the support of my political block across the state, I am going to emerge as the All Progressives Congress (APC) party flag bearer in next year’s governorship election in Ondo State.
The governorship position is the highest office at the state level; don’t you think it is a tall order given that you have not held any political post in Ondo before now?
I have held several political and corporate positions right from my school days till now. If it is about service to our people and not for self-aggradisement, it is never a tall order. The good people of our dear state are looking for a young, vibrant, unpolluted, incorruptible and a purposeful leader to be their governor. All these aspirations can be realised through me. I have what it requires to take Ondo state out of its sleeping mode into a more prosperous state. I am ready to use my youthful energy, enthusiasm, strength and mental alertness to make Ondo State better for all of us. I am old enough, educated enough, experienced enough, prepared and very ready to be the governor of Ondo State come year 2020.
How do you assess your chances given that the incumbent governor is also interested in a second term?
If the incumbent feels he has delivered on his promises and the people are happy with him, that means his feedback mechanisms are faulty. My chance is very bright indeed. The vast majority of the people of the state are disenchanted with the unsatisfactory level of development in the state. There is a total breakdown of trust between the people and the government in power. The election will be a referendum on the incumbent as he’s spent already and will be easily discarded for ample evident non-performance reasons. The youth, market woman and men, traditional rulers, farmers, civil servants and artisans having been fed up, are the ones calling upon God to anoint me as their governor. Our party is in disarray, our party men and women are treated like fugitive within the government. I am a unifying factor that represents the aggrieved aspirant and the forgotten members of the APC that formed the grassroots and are the party pillars.
What are you bringing on board and your blueprint for Ondo State?
I will bring on board a breath of fresh air and a radical departure from every wrong of the past. I will ensure Ondo State becomes the destination of choice for both local and foreign investors. I will simplify the ease of doing business in our state by deploying technology and retraining of our civil-service to guarantee prompt and quality service delivery. Security of life and properties will be given the topmost priority it deserves by engaging the locals, deployment of technology and provisions of necessary weapons and motivations of security personnel.
I will harness the energy of our youth, their enthusiasm, intellectual and physical abilities to drive our industrial, agricultural, entertainment and sport revolution to create massive jobs for our teeming population. Programmes, such as youth talent discovery, talent honing and harnessing will be vigorously pursued in all areas of human endeavours. Our market woman will be organised into cooperatives for easy access to interest-free revolving loans to support and expand their businesses. For the elderly, a social security will be provided.
Our educational system will become more functional and tailored to the needs of 21st century problems and challenges. Existing infrastructure will be upgraded, teachers and non-teaching staff welfare will be our attention. Technical and vocational education will be accorded the priority it deserves. Education will become affordable for all.
Ondo State will become an hub for medical tourism in Nigeria; our health institutions will be upgraded, medical professionals will be retrained and their comfort will be well taken care of. Alternative medicine will be regulated and encouraged by my administration.
Rural communities will be connected to the urban centre’s through good roads network and provisions of basic social amenities. Food security will be given top priority. We shall create massive jobs opportunities through agriculture and agro-allied Industries. Our farmers will be exposed to modern farming technique and experts, improved seedlings and fertiliser. Land will be available for agricultural purposes. We will deploy technology in our revenue generation by blocking leakages and we will encourage more of our people to pay their taxes. As a government, we will be prudent in the management of our common resources in our care for the good of all.
You have been endorsed by a socio-political youth group; Ondo State Youth for Good Governance (OSYGG),
How do you think this would help your aspiration?
Ondo State Youth for Good Governance is one of several groups within the state that have publicly endorsed my candidature; others have done so in private and are waiting for the right moment to make it public. Highly placed sons and daughters of our dear state are massively backing my aspiration. My ambition is divinely ordained and for this purpose I was born, therefore no mortal born of a woman can say no when God has decreed yes.