Ondo State Deputy Governor, Abdulazeez Oluboyo, in this interview with Special Correspondent, JULIUS ALABI, speaks on the forthcoming governorship election in the state and preparations of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He also talks on why he is not planning to succeed Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
Preparedness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the governorship election in the state, given the determination of All Progressives Congress (APC) to wrest power from it
We are well prepared. I don’t see any party coming up to give us serious fight. PDP has done a lot as far as developmental projects are concerned in Ondo State. We have overwhelming supporters and lots of projects are ongoing. Before the end of this administration, all the ongoing projects will be completed by God’s grace. It is the people of Ondo that will choose who will be their leaders, and I want to assure you that with the achievements of the PDP in the state, we are going to win the election.
I am a political scientist; it is not noise-making that matters. You see, some of us are silent politicians.
Let me go back to memory lane. During the 2007 elections, Governor Olusegun Mimiko did not come out until November 2006 and he defeated a sitting governor that had a federal backing (Olusegun Agagu). We uprooted them and the people voted for us. I want you to know that Ondo is very unique. The people are educated; they compare and contrast. So, if somebody is going from pillar to post now making noise, fine. At the federal level, let them show us what they have done. What is in their manifesto?
Making noise is not the game. In the 2011/2012 gubernatorial election, they made noise more than this, but where are they? I want to assure you that in this 2016 election, you will see what will happen. PDP will also win.
Assessing Mimiko in the past seven years
It is general knowledge that the Dr. Mimiko-led administration has done exceptionally well since its inception in 2009. In sectors like education, health, agriculture, urban and rural development, road construction, dualisation and rehabilitation among others, it has performed excellently.
In the area of agriculture, this administration has created an enabling environment for agriculture to excel. Take for example the Cocoa Revolution. This cocoa project is not only to increase cocoa production in the state; it is designed to create employment for the youths. Every year, we produce cocoa and grade up to 87,000 metric tonnes. Apart from the fact that it generates employment, it also generates revenue. One of our heritages from the old Western Region is cocoa plantation which has been moribund for years.
Oda Cocoa Plantation was established during Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s tenure. Previous administrations abandoned it, but when Governor Mimiko came on board, he did a lot to rehabilitate it and ensured that new plantations were established.
By the speed at which this project is moving, in four or five years, the whole 2,000 hectares of land for cocoa plantation abandoned by other administrations will be fully utilised. This will provide gainful employment for the youth and the farmers.
This administration is looking at the four legs involved in the utilisation of cocoa which are the production, processing, marketing and consumption. This is important because when you produce and there is no means of processing, it really affects income and the farmers would have worked for the exporters. Mr. Governor decided that the farmers should reap the reward of their labour and that is why the government is ensuring that the state goes into production. Very soon, we will be producing chocolate. The premium cocoa that we will be producing in the state will be turned into chocolate, and by God’s grace that factory will be at Alade Idanre. Ondo farmers will benefit from this project. It would also encourage youths to get involved in agriculture.
This present administration has given out micro credits. Over N200 million was given to Agriculture Input Supply Agency (AISA) to buy input and distribute to farmers at 30 to 50 per cent subsidy. Also, N1 billion loan was given to the agriculture sector at a single digit interest rate.
In the education sector, this administration did not only provide good infrastructure, but caters for the personnel. It provided enabling environment for learning by establishing mega schools. Our mega schools are like the universities.
About 50 mega schools have been completed. This is also the first time that teachers are upgraded to the rank of Permanent Secretaries. In this sector, this administration has achieved much both in infrastructure and personnel, and we hope to do more. Students and teachers’ welfare are receiving attention. To complement the education sector, the Mimiko-led administration put in place the free shuttle bus scheme. For the past three years, this programme has been running uninterrupted. This is very interesting and commendable. These buses convey not less than 57,000 students daily.
Ondo government is the first to pay N27,000 as minimum wage in this country.
In the health sector, Ondo is the benchmark in Africa. I am happy to say that the governor, as a medical doctor, has displayed his wealth of experience in this area. The introduction of the Mother and Child Hospital (Abiye) is outstanding. The general hospitals we inherited from previous administrations were in a very dilapidated state. Now all the hospitals and health centres in our major towns have been rehabilitated and are functioning well. Welfare of the workers is taken care of. Health workers are well paid. Due to this, Ondo has not witnessed any strike in the sector.
This has gone a long way in reducing mortality rate and maternal death in the state, and the safe birth rate has increased tremendously. The Gani Fawehinmi Diagnostic Centre is exceptional. The Trauma Centre is there too as well as the newly-established School of Medial Sciences. This has made the state and Mr. Governor to receive different commendations and awards nationally and internationally. One of such is the Bill and Melinda Gates Award on Abiye.
Urban and rural development neglected?
About urban and rural development, this administration has done many things. The Dome is there for people to see and this has added more beauty to the state. Now Akure looks like the capital city it is. Major roads in the main towns are dualised and the roads are provided with street lights powered by the state government. The present administration has established more than 600 projects in the rural communities.
There is no community in the state that you will not see any project commenced and executed by this administration. Soon, every rural area will be developed. However, there is the issue of financial crisis which is affecting all states. Hopefully, things will get better, and the state will witness more development.
Also, we need to diversify our economy. That is why the present administration is investing in agriculture. Agriculture will generate employment and revenue.
The focus of this administration is not enrichment of individuals, but the increasing development in the state that will move it forward. The governor wants to leave a good legacy behind which is sustainable, and we can be proud of.
Sustaining Mimiko’s projects
Surely, we are seriously thinking about who will succeed Mr. Governor. We want these good works to continue and that is why we need prayer. We don’t want a situation that someone will just come and say ‘the mega schools are hereby turned to something else’ or ‘what is free shuttle bus?’ If you look at all these programmes, you will know that these are people-oriented services. They touch the lives of both the poor and the rich. So, we pray that our people will appreciate these developments.
We started this struggle together, even in the dark days when people thought Mimiko could not get anywhere because they had some godfather somewhere. The people of Ondo are different from people from other states. If the present relationship between the governor and the people of the state can be maintained and sustained till the time of elections, I am sure that they will vote for the PDP. What people need is sincerity of purpose which the governor is doing. In Ondo, we are doing a lot of work.
The difference between us and other states is the N800 million we are getting from oil derivation. Apart from that, we are not having extra money; but because of the prudence of the government and sincerity of purpose of this administration, we have been able to move ahead of other states.
I want to assure you that if we can sustain these monumental achievements, they will vote for PDP.
Ondo governorship election
I can assure you that PDP will win in all 18 local government areas of the state. What we want is free and fair elections. If it is violence-free, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is able to maintain its integrity and neutrality, I can assure you that this election is going to be won by the PDP.
There is not going to be war in this election. Ondo people are learned, and we know what we are doing. I cannot fight because of election. I cannot carry ballot box. I have never participated in that in my life. We are products of rule of law. The election is going to be violence-free. You know Iroko (Mimiko) when it comes to politics. Look at them, somebody who wants to cut iroko tree is carrying broom. You use broom to gather refuse at the base of iroko as inorganic manure. I want you to go into their camp and tell me their candidate. I am happy that some of our party members have come out to show their interest. Let them bring their own aspirants, even mention them now. This is the party that cannot nominate just a single person for the ministerial position.
Among all the politicians in the APC, they could not find anybody to nominate because of their insincerity and their intra-party problem.
APC is not in Ondo. I have said it time without number that they are nowhere to be found (in the state). By the time we start the politics proper, we are going to showcase our achievements.
People of the state will continue to appreciate Mimiko because he is a visionary leader. When Mimiko declared for the election in 2006, he said he wanted to see Akure in the night looking like London. Look at what is happening now. Go out in the night and see what is happening in Akure.
Let us even go to personality of this Mimiko. This is somebody that had been Commissioner twice, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Minister of the Federal Republic, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or any anti-corruption agency has never gone after him. He has been governor now for close to seven years. You can say you don’t like Mimiko; that is your personal decision. But you can’t say Mimiko has embezzled our money. What people are saying is, how does this man get money to finance these projects?
Relationship with Mimiko
Very cordial! I want to thank God for the privilege of serving the state in this capacity. The time I have spent is very challenging and interesting. Mimiko is somebody to work with. He is a leader that develops leaders. I owe him a lot of appreciation. Planning to succeed him is not part of our agreement. It is a wrong perception that I will succeed him. I am a Deputy Governor to perform my responsibility and to support him and be loyal to him.
To succeed him is not part of our agreement and we do not discuss that at all. Competent people from our party have been showing interest and I am not part of them. The governorship candidate of the party will be my candidate and whoever the governor chooses is the person I will support.