2027: AIYEDATIWA, BTO WORKING FOR TINUBU’S RE-ELECTION, OTUNBA BENJI CAUTIONS TOXIC SUPPORTERS
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
In a chat with the Bashorun of Owo Kingdom, Otunba Benji Oloye, he shares his thoughts on the alleged rivalry between Governor Aiyedatiwa and Dr Bunmi Tunji Ojo, crisis within APC leaders in Owo, Akure Flyover among others State issues. Excerpt
What’s your take on the political leadership crisis rocking Ondo State between Governor Aiyedatiwa and BTO?
To the best of my knowledge, in politics, Mr. Governor is the leader of the party in the state, except somebody who wants to say otherwise. If that is the case and Mr. Governor repeats himself and says he is the leader, what is wrong? You want him to lie? You want him to say he is not the leader? Or you want him to promote the opposition to be the leader? He is saying the right thing. What is wrong? Secondly, there are a lot of things we outsider may not see. The people inside, especially the governor, will see things that may make him hammering on the statement that he remains the number one leader of APC in Ondo State.
A lot of leaders said the fear of BTO, the Honourable Minister of Interior, is the beginning of wisdom for Mr. Governor. What does this implies?
Look, BTO and Mr. Governor, they are two parallel lines.The Honourable Minister of Interior, he does his job and he comes to the state to show appreciation to Mr. President for giving him the opportunity to serve Nigeria. So, what is wrong? He is promoting the reelection of President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election and the governor on his own is playing his own role, putting machinery in place to ensure that Mr. President wins the coming election. They are trying their best to promote Mr. President. That is the way I look at it. If the public or some group of people or opposition think otherwise, that is their own problem.
Some group of leaders attributed division within Ondo APC to Governor Aiyedatiwa. If that is the case, how genuine is the Reconciliation Committee set up by the governor?
Talk about division. In a party, before and during the election, everybody aspires to be appointed into a position. If for any reason, you are not appointed, most people will automatically turn against the government. Meaning that, the people who are appointed and the people who don’t have appointments form themselves into a different camps. When that happens, it is the duty of the governor to bring them together and make sure everybody works as one family. As the leader of the party, he should do everything within his power to unite aggrieved, most especially ahead of 2027 elections.
Governor Aiyedatiwa was accused of anti party, of which he has denied; in your own view, do you believe anti party will affect the chances of President Tinubu and APC?!
To me, I would call it mere allegation. If you aspire to go to the House of Representatives, Senate or House of Assembly and eventually, the things slip out of your hands at the party’s primaries and you believe you are popular, nobody can stop you from defecting to another party to actualize you dream. Of course, people close to you, the governor and other people and friends, will appeal to you not to go. If you strongly believe, “I will get my goal in another place,” and you want to go, there is nothing anybody can do. At least, the governor will not fold his hands and say, “Let them go. He will call them, talk to them. If they decide to go eventually, there is nothing he can do about that.
On the so called supremacy battle between the governor and Honorable Minister of Interior, Where did the two leaders get it wrong?
To me, like I said, the presidential election is what we are working towards now. The governorship or whatever election is far ahead. Let us join hands together and work for Mr. President. Like I said earlier, BTO is showing appreciation to Mr. President, and the governor is busy governing the state. So, there are two things which do not disturb either side. I don’t know why people are too worried or heating up the polity when it comes to these two people.
It was believe that, their supporters popularly referred to as “Data Boys” are the main issue.
That is what I am saying. I don’t know why people are causing unnecessary tension where there’s none. But for me, if I were to be in their shoes, of any of them, I would embrace my partner.
With huge allocation coming to Ondo State, how would you rate the performance of the governor in the last 18 months in office?
If you have to look around in terms of development, Mr. Governor has performed wonderfully well within the available resources in the last 18 months but when it comes to percentage of performance, it may be difficult to judge because I don’t have the data which we can put side by side and say, he has done this or not. Like, for example, if the government has a program on Channel TV or TVC, showcasing its activities and achievements, it will be easy for members of the public to access the performance of the government. But because that one is not there, I don’t have a gauge to measure what he has done or what he has not done. However, having said that, we should also look at some ongoing projects in the town, projects going on with our counterpart fund, whether it is MDG or World Bank project, the state is developing under Aiyedatiwa’s administration. Mr. Governor, like I said, I don’t have the scorecard to measure. Maybe I would advise they have a program on the television that will showcase what they are doing, so that all of us will have updates of government activities.
Rate of kidnapping in the state are gradually going down; would you attribute this to Mr Governor and Security Agencies resilence in curbing crimes in the state?
Well, I will tell you, I will give kudos to our security agency either in the state or at the national level. If something happens in states,, it’s the security in the states that will make the first attempt before any back up from Abuja. But generally, I give kudos to the governor and his team and also to Mr. President, the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If you look at the system adopted in Oyo students and teachers kidnapping saga, you will know that Federal Government under Tinubu will do everything possible to keep Nigeria safe. When some Nigerians are thinking that they are not doing anything, they are doing a lot. The government has devised a means of arresting the families of Kidnappers, in exchange for kidnapped victims, and it is working.
Some critics described Akure Flyover project as waste of money and unnecessary. Do you have contrary views?
We look at it from different angle; the way civilized person will see it, is quite different from the way a local person will see it. If Aiyedatiwa onstructs flyover, when another government comes in future, he has considered it done. He’s not going to spend money on Akure Flyover again. And I want to tell you what the government use in constructing this Flyover this year, whether you call it billions or whatever, in the next 25 years, the cost is going to be doubled. And if it has been done, It has been done. It will only enhance the movement and reduce traffic at the end of the day. So, Aiyedatiwa’s should be praised and commended for this legacy project.
Governor Aiyedatiwa just appointed 1000 aides; it was perceived in some quarters that Mr Governor is overbloating the overhead cost of the state with these bogus appointments. What is your takes on it?
For a governor to appoint 1000 Aides, definitely he has reasons for it. This appointment you are talking about cut across all the 18 Local Governments of the state, meaning Mr Governor has representatives in all the wards, units and local government, that will be reporting to him. He can’t be in Akure and at the same time be Ilaje, Akoko and other parts of the state at the same time. They are the eyes of the governor and government in their respective domains. To report Health, Education, Judiciary, Works, Agriculture among others effectively, he needs more than 1000 aides. So if the governor graciously employed these people, it is for governance before political patronage as Critics want us to believe. People appointed are Indigenes of Ondo State, and I don’t see it as a waste of resources. I think it’s enhances information and intelligent gathering about improvement and development of the state.
As a leader and stakeholder in Owo, in your own opinion, what led to division among the APC elders in the town?
First of all, that is one area that I don’t want to talk about but if you ask me or if I must tell you something, whatever I say is my personal opinion as an indigene of Owo. Yes, there’s faction unless if will want to pretend as if all is good among various interest groups within the ruling party. As we speak, we have pending case before the court, of which I don’t want to talk about. What should be paramount to all loyal party men and women is the forthcoming Presidential election and differences must be put aside.
The leader of the party in the state, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has set up Reconciliation Committee to look into whatever crisis might be rocking the party, bring all factions together and work for the victory of President Tinubu and all APC candidates ahead of the 2027 polls.
Are you aware of the supremacy battle between the Deputy Governor and Honourable Commissioner of Finance, where she was accused of hijacking party’s structure in Owo?
I don’t know what you mean by hijacking political structure of APC in Owo. As far as am concern, APC is one and if the party has internal crisis in Owo, they will settle their differences and they will come out stronger. For example, like I said earlier about BTO, the Commissioner for Finance is a professional and she do everything for prosperity sake by prioritizing accountability, probity and prudent spending of the state resources, likewise, the Deputy Governor will play the role of his office according to the dictate of his office. In politics, you have followers and most of the time, perceive crisis are handwork of overzealous followers. Like I said, the crisis will soon fizzle out.
On the litigation filed by the Honourable Commissioner of Finance against some elders in Owo, with the Reconciliation Committee set up by the governor, would you advise her to withdraw the case for genuine reconciliation to take place?
Like I said, the reconciliation is ongoing and withdrawing the case from the court is part of the reconciliation. So let’s leave the matter for them to reconcile and do the needful.
Ahead of the 2027 election, do you think people votes will count like what happened in Osun State Governorship election?
We have seen it demonstrated in Osun State and Nigerians should be assured of free and fair election. Mr. President is a true Democrat and will not tamper with the votes of Nigerians. He has no reason to rig election because Nigerians are ready to return him to office for the second term, considering the giant strides recorded in the last three years. Governor Ademola Adeleke won the election because Mr President allowed the Will of the people of Osun to prevail. Nigerians should be free to exercise their franchise and vote for candidates of their choices.
