Otunba Bisi Kolawole is the Peoples Democratic gubernatorial candidate in June 18 election in Ekiti State, a former, supervisory. Councilor, commissioner and Party chairman in the state, Kolawole’s political credentials places him above other candidate, in this interview with National Insight he said the Party cannot trust Governor Kayode Fayemi led government again and that he would win the next election because he has the masses support : Excerpts:
You are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State. How confident are you that victory will be yours at the pool?
This is a project started by God. Because it’s God’s project, I am as good as the next governor of Ekiti State. And the fact that the good people of Ekiti State are tired of the current APC government from head to bottom, just like their president said, it’s been a terrible situation of insecurity, no life is secured. Meanwhile, the situation is not conducive for businesses to survive in Ekiti State; everybody is just waiting for this government to park and go. So, it is a done deal by the grace of God. Ekiti State is a PDP state; they came up with rigging the other time but it is not going to be the same situation again because we are determined to guard our vote, we are determined to vote them out and we are determined to protect our votes. So it’s a win-win situation for us in Ekiti State and the people are willing: you need to know what we experienced in our rallies, you see the masses jubilating, just praying that we gathered ourselves together and chase this person out.
Political observers and analysts considered Segun Oni’s exit from PDP to SDP as a factor that may negatively affect the chances of PDP in the state. What’s your take on this, sir?
Yes, he came with his people from APC, he is a nomadic politician. When he moved in 2014 to APC we still won, so, moving away now won’t affect anything. He went with his people that he came with from APC and some disgruntled members, the third force in the history of Nigeria politics have never had an opportunity of winning. We have two established parties, PDP and APC, so, any third force being led by Segun Oni, I don’t know how they want to win. You know the party is about the structure and within that short period I don’t know where he would put his structure together to dislodge the well-established parties; yet, he moved notwithstanding. Even though he congratulated me when I won the primaries, he moved. That is his style: he is always chasing tickets here and there. Political tourists like him move with him, it doesn’t matter, PDP is a well-established party, a united family, we will come together and Segun Oni will come third in the election.
The APC candidate is anointed by the incumbent governor in the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi. It could be said that they have the resources and the power of incumbency is also there. Do you think it would be easy defeating APC in Ekiti?
Nothing good comes easily. Yes, BAO is being promoted by Dr Kayode Fayemi but is Fayemi loved by the people? We equally have eminent people backing us and with the backing of the masses, the voters which are more important and with the support of friends here and there we will match them.
What distinguishes you from other candidates aspiring to take over from Fayemi as the next governor of Ekiti State?
With every sense of modesty, I want to tell you that none of our previous leaders in Ekiti inclusive of Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni, Kayode Fayemi and my leader, Ayodele Fayose, was as experienced as me when they became Governor of the state. I was a supervisor in the council, a member of the state House of Assembly, a commissioner in the state, a member of the BoT of PDP, a member Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic Bida and I was the immediate past party chairman in the state. None of them has gone through that. My political credentials can be very intimidating, so, you cannot be considered any one of them as experienced as I am. I think all those things I stated distinguished me from other candidates. I am not a neophyte, I am an indigenous politician, we live in Ekiti, and we know how it happens we are on the street with the people, which is differentiated me from other contestants, none of them has ever been to what I have experienced politically. I am well-known by people across the state. I was the Director-General for two important Governorship Contestants. Before you can be appointed as the Director-General of a campaign, that is, the face of the campaign, you must have gone across the state; that means I have done that twice. So, I am far from their levels.
So, what should the people of Ekiti expect from you if elected as Governor?
They should expect from bottom to top. The present experience in the state is a nosediving top to bottom government. Everything will be taken up again. Ekiti is on ground zero as we are talking, we‘ll take everything up again. We would improve on the Education and Agricultural sectors, we will take boiz off the street to reduce vices, and crime and all that. Ekiti people should expect a brighter future for the state.
As a stakeholder in the PDP, do you think the party is faring well in the South West?
I can tell you confidently that with the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo State, I think we are picking up by the grace of God. When we win the election in Ekiti State, Osun follows, Ondo will come and we will be back again. Makinde is leading us well and everything is picking up in the South West.
What are the lapses you think PDP should close up for the party to bounce back in the region?
There is no perfect situation, the advantages we have now can still be built upon, and we can still improve on the mobilization. Meanwhile, unity among our leaders will bring the party together more.
In a few days there will be an election, what advice do you have for the people of Ekiti State?
They should deviate from the usual pattern of waiting for politicians to give them N5,000 for them to vote, and for the next four years, they won’t see them again. They should vote for the government of the masses, a crop of people that are familiar with Ekiti’s situation and a people-friendly government. We are going to have a people-centric government. By the grace of God, everybody would be involved in our government and we are going to be happy again in the Ekiti State; that is why the electorate should vote for PDP, the party they know very well. If you check the antecedent and history, a typical Ekiti-based person will agree with me that it is always a joyous and happy moment during the PDP administration. What they are experiencing under APC is a very sadistic situation; the APC government is starving people, people are not happy and that is why they should vote them out by June 18 and I am optimistic that by June 19 Bisi Kolawole would be declared as governor, awaiting swearing-in in October 16.
