Hon. Niyi Adeagbo , chairman Itesiwaju Local Government Oyo state in this interview with Insight crew express optimism that the reconciliatory move by Governor Ajimobi will work and restore unity in the party
What is your assessment of the last Saturday APC Convention?
I give distinction to the Chief Odigie Oyegun-led National Working Committee and the Convention Planning Committee for harmoniously working together to ensure a historic and successful elective national convention of our great party – the All Progressives Congress (APC). Meanwhile, I must laud the visionary leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari and our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the duo showed us the right direction.
Is there anything extraordinary that warrants your commendations?
The extraordinary thing about the convention is that Nigerians did not expect the outcome of the national convention. A section of political players doubted the party’s willingness to conduct another elective national convention since the June 13, 2014 maiden convention that ushered in Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led executives while another section predicted an inconclusive exercise. Amidst all these negative expectations, the party scrape through.
With the successful convention, we have shamed all the Doubting Thomases who insinuated we were scared to produce new set of executives at the wards, the local government areas, the state, the federal capital territory and the national levels.
Therefore, the national leaders deserved commendations for burying their hatchets and united to cement the foundation of our great party.
With the parallel congresses in over 18 states, the law suits against the party, do you think Oshiomole’s NWC will have a smooth administration?
It is a self-deceit if I say there were no parallel congresses held in some states but the reconciliatory moves by our leaders especially the APC governors are yielding positive results. We’ve viable internal mechanism to resolve our crises without necessarily resorting to legal battles. Immediately after the congresses, there have been realignments; the result of which we have seen at the convention ground. Let us take for instance, the nPDP leaders actively participated; Senator Magnus Abe’s group ended its feud with Minister Rotimi Amaech’s faction; Governor Rocha’s Okorocha and the opposite camp in Imo State were there; Lagos state contingents closed ranks; and from Oyo State, the leader of the Unity Forum, Minister Adebayo Shittu did not boycott the convention. This tells you the level of progress made as far as reconciliation of aggrieved members.
I have strong confidence in the leadership of our new national chairman, Com. Adams Oshiomole. He has track records of successful leadership as the then President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and 8years governor of one of the volatile states in the country – Edo State. The previous experience gathered by the national chairman will go a long way in helping the party to come out of the crises unhurt. The NWC under him will continue from where Chief Oyegun stopped.
While I congratulate our newly elected members of the National Working Committee under the chairmanship of Com. Aliyu Adams Oshiomole, I urge them to do all that necessary to not only keep our existing members but also bring more political gladiators into APC.
May I also use this medium to congratulate one of us from Oyo State, Hon. Hammed Hafees Bolaji Repete on his election as the Deputy National Youth Leader of our great party. He is a worthy youth ambassador and will surely represent the state well.
With the Unity Forum in talks with Senator Ladoja and the ADC, do you think APC will retain power in Oyo?
Our leader in the state, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, is leaving no stone untouched and unturned in reconciling the aggrieved members. In a matter of weeks from now, the real progressive within the Unity Forum will rescind their decision to leave APC we all founded together; there is no place like home. Governor Abiola Ajimobi is a father and leader of the party in the state; he has mandated every stakeholder to extend hands of fellowship to all displeased members and I am sure they will be reintegrated into the mainstream of the party before party primaries which are due to hold from September 2018.
While we await amicable resolutions, I enjoin the few aggrieved party members to shun divisive tendencies in order for us to forge ahead as one indivisible party; collectivism is our strength in winning elections.
With the entrant of heavyweights for the 2019 Oyo APC governorship ticket, do you not foresee a complicated primary?
As far as I assess all the gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of APC, all of them are heavyweights. Individual has his strength and nobody should be a threat to another. I am happy competent party members are signalling their intentions to run for the highest public office in the state. So, there will be no complication in choosing our standard bearer as the constitutionalised party delegates will determine their fates in the August or September primaries.
Are you saying Gov. Ajimobi has no anointed aspirant?
As far as I know, Governor Abiola Ajimobi does not have anointed aspirant at the moment. He is father and leader to all of them and he has encouraged many of them to come out to showcase their capacity and capability to the party faithfuls. So far, a number of them have shown great commitment and seriousness which is good for the party. However, if he has and present us a preferred choice among them in future, I can assure you we will throw our weights behind such a worthy successor. And the reasons are clear; he has done so well for us in terms of good governance and the qualitative leadership of the party in the state.
Are you jettisoning Oke-Ogun agenda for Ajimobi’s choice?
Oke-Ogun agenda to govern Oyo State in 2019 is a realistic dream and its alive. His Excellency Governor Ajimobi is the chief-supporter of the agenda. He is consistent in drumming supports for an Oke-Ogun man to be governor of Oyo State. Our men are among the leading aspirants for the top seat in the APC and I hope one of them is supported to get the party’s governorship ticket. You must understand that Governor Ajimobi is a very brilliant man with an exceptional sense of strategies. We trust the governor’s sense of judgment and I am sure we will be victorious in 2019.
What are your future plans?
The future belongs to God! I have a 3 years mandate as a local government Chairman, my concentration is on that for now, nothing more. Our people must enjoy the long term plans we have for them having seen us performed as a caretaker. I am still young man in my early 40s with so much dreams, but I believe the future will unfold itself.
