I worked againt Segun Oni as Governor but now working for him to return as Governor in 2018 – Hon Odebunmi

I am Gbenga Olabode Odebunmi from Ekiti West Local Government, a former deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly from Ekiti West constituency, I think things  are really and naturally coming up in the state, the development of  politics  in the state by 1996 when Ekiti was created, that really  brought political activities down to the grass root for our people, political activities vis a vis development of the state are getting better

The present Ekiti is not yet but definitely we are hoping to get there, we have not been able to do enough but we hope sooner than later Ekiti will get to the level where we expect it to be, in the area of self sustenance, interm of feeding we have a very landmass and every other potentials to make it work

 There are still a lot to be done , I won’t  deceive you there are still a lot of things to be done in Ekiti state, as at now if you go through the state , we have not been effectively using our landmass which is mostly agrarian, we have not been putting them into use, we would love to see Ekiti where imported rice will not be coming into the state, we want to see a state  that  will be self sustainable in term of farm produce, if we are  self sustainable definitely we will still be able to sell to others and we have not been there that is what I really wish that Ekiti should  be able ourselves and if we achieve that we will have excess one day and we will be able to  feed Nigeria  or southwest as a whole

 You are one of the people clamouring for Engr. Segun Oni’s return as the executive governor of the state

Yes

 You see I worked with Engineer Segun Oni for almost three and a half years, from 2007-2012, I worked with Dr Kayode Fayemi from 2010-2014 and now I am in Engineer Segun Oni’s camp working for him to become governor of the state in 2015, I believe and I  am quite sure that interms of governance, in term of anything that you can mention of  when you talk about real development , I think Engineer Segun Oni was a better period  for Ekiti peop;le , even we legislators that works with him from the opposing side, I think was a better period , you want to talk about  financial autonomy to the local government, to the judiciary, state house of Assembly and the way and manner he handle things , I think he is a better time and that is whey when you to the street of Ekiti today to you will see a lot of people yearning for his coming back without any inducement , me as a person I don’t think of him becoming the governor of Ekiti state  but you know we have two categories of political parties in Nigeria,  the registered party are PDP ,APC APGA, AD, and the rest, the unregistered ones are the electorate who are much more important  and greater in number in the registered political parties,  go to the street of Ekiti you will see whom they are yearning for, you will see them, they will lecture you on why, even I that was part of his government  listen to a lot of people that Engineer Segun Oni is the governor that people really love and want in power to continue his good work and as a stakeholder in this project we will try as much as possible by the Grace of God not by our might or power but by the grace  of God and with the support of the people to ensure victory

 But some people are already cautioning against what they termed recycling of past leaders

What do they mean by recycling?

You see Ekiti state started in 1996, and you know Ekiti we are unique people, yes if you go to the street of Ekiti state and talk to people they will tell you who and what they want, those that are saying that we should not recycle past leaders , may be they don’t listen to the world of wisdom of people in Ekiti.  Ekiti people are looking for tested hand, they don’t want to do any trial by error again, they want somebody that can be trusted and  delivered dividends of democracy to the people, most of us living here are civil servant, we have retirees too, go to them and hear what they are saying, it was during his tenure there is micro credit for peasant farmers and traders, so its not about what we want, it is about what people want, so people that are saying recycling, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria  allow people to be in that position for 8 years , two terms and the first tenure of Segun Oni is 3 years 5 months which mean he is  can still  contest  under the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria  so if we are doing something that is not contrary to the constitution of the Federal republic  of Nigeria and we are still on tract

 Segun Oni is likely to contest against some younger blood like Opeyemi Bamidele, Kayode Fayemi, Bimbo Daramola and others, do you think people will not prefer somebody that is younger

 You see its not about age, we are talking about experience, and what people really want, don’t forget that I was part of the 13/13 Assembly but I was in the opposing side, I wasn’t a PDP honourable member, I was in AC, then but we are here today all because we have been able to see and understand Engineer Segun Oni better and his plan for Ekiti people

 What brought you back into his camp?

 When he came to support us, to re-elect Kayode Fayemi for his re election bid,  that was the party that doesn’t even allow him to complete his first  4 years term is now coming back to support the person that send  him out of government house  to  rule  for 8 years but as God would have it we lost that particular election,  on the day he was decamping he said this not because of  himself but because of the future of Ekiti generations yet unborn, I look at it and ask myself  can someone still do this, and coupled with the fact that he is someone that he is supporting the party that is suppose to be his enemy ,as  the governor of the state under PDP, his style of governance is not selfish, he is so much passionate about Ekiti Project,  and in his mind it is Ekiti first, Ekiti first and Ekiti first so that is enough reason to partner with him in the projects

 It is not suppose to be reason for people to vote for people that are passionate about their welfare, welfare of ordinary citizen of the state, is it not more than enough

 But why do you think PDP led government in the state should be discontinue from the state in 2018

 Yes, see Fayose as the governor of the state  his style has not changed from when he first came, lets use the flyover as an example, any design of any construction project, of you do the design it is once and for all, the modification to the original designs of the brigde has been up to three or four times , he doesn’t have any articulated projects for the state it is still same way of when he wake up in the morning whatever comes into his head is what he will do for the state, he doesn’t have any plan, during Dr Fayemi and Engineer Segun Oni, we have midterm and long term project that you can see at  periodic intervals, look at the financial situation of the state, Our Governor Ayodele Fayose can never tell you the true financial situation of the state, if not of what happened recently that the budget support fund was not released because he did not comply how many people know that our governor is  has received  budget support of Billions of naira, so he is not sincere person, I think Ekiti people deserve a better person than Ayo Fayose

 Yes, Segun Oni is a credible and better option for Ekiti people and the state, because I have worked with him, I have worked with 3 governors in this state, I have worked with Segun Oni, Fayemi, and Fayose so I think I should be able to tell you with sincerity who among them is the preferred choice of the people