By Yinka Oludayisi Fabowale
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and governorship aspirant in 2015 in Oyo State, Mr. Femi Babalola , has made a strong case for Oke-ogun, Oyo and Ibarapa to produce the next governor of the state.
His argument is that it would only serve the interest of fairness, equity and justice, if any of the three sections of the state, which have not ruled the state, is allowed to have a shot at the governorship. Excerpts:
Will I be correct to say that PDP in Oyo State is dead since the state executive is not functioning, and there has been nothing to show that the party is alive?
You are not correct to say that. PDP is alive. We went through some problems which we have been able to resolve. If we have local government elections today, we will field candidate for all slots. We are aware that there is crisis at the national, which is indirectly affecting us. But within the family of PDP in Oyo State, we are going through some re-organization, which to the glory of God we have been able to achieve.
We have made advances to Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, Seyi Makinde and others. We had very useful discussions with them and people will start seeing the results very soon.
Will Akala be returning to PDP?
We have met several people in the name of fence mending and reconciliation and we have left the decision to them. This is the party that threw both of them up and I know that at the right time, Akala will take the right decision.
A court just ordered the council polls election, put on hold. How do you react to this and allegation that the All Progressives Congress government is unwilling to the exercise?
I think the governor is sincere on this issue of local government election. I have had discussion with him on the election and I could see the sincerity in all our discussion, very frank. He would actually want the local government election to take place.
Where do you stand on moves by various groups to form new political parties?
Nigerians are impatient. I am an engineer and I believe that failures are supposed to be stepping stones to further success. It has happened in the past and we have corrected those things. If some people feel that they were short-changed and if they feel that a new party is the solution, then it is alright. I don’t feel that what has happened is enough to justify the formation of another party. It is akin to saying that because the Democratic Party in America lost, there will be another party, or because Republican lost eight years ago, there should be another party. In Nigeria, people are usually in politics that are for other reasons; that is why you will see a PDP man today joining the APC tomorrow. That is not politics.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi broke the jinx of Oyo State governors not being re-elected. Would you say his second term has been a curse or blessing?
He was able to break that jinx because he is a smart person. He saw the situation and he took advantage of it. It is a blessing for the state because you learn from experience. I am being personal now. From his recent statements and policies, I think he must have learned from the past years either from what he did that he felt he didn’t do right or from what he did right.
In the first term, he didn’t owe salaries. I am not part of government and I don’t know why workers are now being owed. There are some things that when I don’t have insight about, I don’t talk about.
I am a businessman and there may be some reasons why some things are happening. I don’t know why the states are owing. A lot of people say that there is a shortfall in allocation, maybe if I see the figures I might put it in proper perspective.
You aspired for the governorship in 2015 and then suddenly withdrew. What’s your plan for 2019?
Yes, I prepared for it, but towards the approach of I got some classified information that it was not going to be a fair primary, so, I chose not to participate again. 2019 is two years away and I am not thinking politics deeply now because I need this three or four years to do some consolidation. I am not someone that just came into politics for the fun of it. It has always been in my blood, but I am a politician that would not want to leave my profession. I want to see politics as an interest, not as a profession, because you can impact life.
Where do you think the next governor of Oyo State should come from?
If there would be fairness, I feel seriously that Ibadan and Ogbomosho should be out of it, so it is among Oyo, Oke-ogun and Ibarapa.
Why do you say that?
Ibadan has ruled for 18 years- Kolapo Ishola did two years; Lam Adesina did four years; Ladoja ruled for another four years and Governor Ajimobi by the end of his tenure would have done eight years. So that is 18 years. Ogbomoso had done four years too. But, that is Ogbomoso in a civilian regime. Ogbomoso during military rule had Oladayo Popoola. For the sake of fairness and equity, the other areas need to be represented. I am not saying that it should be conceded freely to them, but in any just society there must be fairness and equity. It is like what happened in 1999, the northerners agreed not to contest the presidential election, but to give it to the southerners and that was exactly what happened. Again, you heard the former president Obasanjo speak recently in favour of an Igbo president, that after all these years of apparent marginalization, which is causing a lot of discontent and violent agitation, it’s time they get the highest office in the land too. That’s to tell you, that’s the way to go now.
Do you see Ibadan politicians agreeing to this?
I have made my point the way a lot of other people see it. You know I cannot force my own ideology on anybody, but that is the way I see it -that we all own the state. I don’t expect to see anybody come out from Ibadan to contest after eight years of Ajimobi. It is like saying that a Hausa man would come out after eight years of Buhari or eight of Obasanjo, a Yoruba. No, it won’t be proper! We have a lot of competent people who can do the job in other zones of the state. They should be given a chance.