Ajayi: Ondo People, Not Any Godfather, Will Decide Who Becomes Next Governor

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo state, Hon. Agboola Ajayi in this interview says his Transforming Anew Agenda will change the fortune of the Sunshine state to the future it deserves. He added that the people of the state and not any godfather would determine their next governor. Adedayo Akinwale brings excerpts.

As the PDP candidate running against the current governor, a lot of people said it is an election between two former deputies of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. Is this what it is for you personally?

Oh, yes! It is exactly what people are saying like you must have heard. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa  served as a deputy governor from Ilaje local government. My humble self, I also served as a deputy governor. Though Governor Aiyedatiwa may not be a grassrooter as me. I started from the ward,  I was a ward chairman, I became the secretary of the party in the local government. I became a Supervisory Councillor for Works, for Agric, I became  Chairman, Caretaker Committee of a local government. Again, I was also elected as a substantive chairman for another three years. After that, I was also elected to represent Ilaje/Ese Odo in the House of Representatives where I was lucky to also chair the Committee on Niger Delta. I also served as deputy governor.

But the attractive mode is that both of us were former deputy governors. I am from Ese Odo, he is from Ilaje, from the same riverine. Nobody can say it is an election between Akoko  or Ilaje/Ese Odo or an election between Akure or Ondo.

So those who are saying it is an election between former deputy governors, maybe they have now narrowed it down to the two of us — the two major parties— that is, the PDP and APC, so I think they are right to have said so.

The campaign so far has been fraught with exchanges from your party and the APC. But a lot of people are saying that beyond the rhetoric, what do you have to offer?

 It’s a time where politicians are exchanging words, like you said. A lot of us are interested in becoming the governor of Ondo state, but you also need to ask them, like you are doing now. When you become governor, what do you want to do differently from what others must have done before?  As someone who is aspiring  to be governor, I didn’t just wake up and say I want to be governor of Ondo State. I have looked at the area, I was born and brought up in that riverine. Not only that, I’m familiar with the political terrain of Ondo State very well, viz-a-viz how to really do a different thing that will make Ondo state economically viable.

Not only that, in terms of security, how can the people be secured. You must be aware that there are a lot of kidnapping activities (in the state) — Obas were kidnapped. Innocent people cannot go to the farm. It has also contributed to why there is scarcity of food in Ondo State more than any other state you can think of in Nigeria. So, when I become the governor of Ondo state, people should be ready to see a new Ondo state. And I have a document which I have put together. I called it “Transforming Anew”. Transforming anew  in education, economic activities, transport, marine business, insecurity, aviation.

Think of what can make life meaningful for our people. We are ready to lay a foundation that they will be able to say at the time somebody was governor here and these are the things he was able to put in place. So that is transforming anew the future that we deserve.

A lot of people make reference to your time as House of Representatives member, when you were chairman of NDDC, some said you brought some level of development through the NDDC. Is that what people should still look out for?

Like I said, it’s part of my capacity to deliver. Until when I became a House of Representatives member, those who were there before just went there and came back. But when I became a member of House  of Representatives, I can tell you that a lot of people felt my impact in terms of empowerment, in terms of road projects, in terms of infrastructure, I did my best.

When the former governor was alive, he spearheaded the establishment of Amotekun and without mincing words, Amotekun is performing better in Ondo state than any other state in the South-west. What are your plans to make the outfit more efficient, considering the protracted insecurity that we have?

Let me thank you for this question. When my late boss, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was alive, he did his best. You will agree with me that office policy is what is driving any government’s administration. I was part of those that put Amotekun together. I was a deputy governor at that time. We looked at the terrain that it is better for us to have indigenous security outfit that would understand the terrain very well to complement the effort of the conventional security agencies, and that was the story behind the Amotekun. They were doing better when Akeredolu was alive than what they are doing now.

In Ondo state, about two weeks ago, one innocent man was kidnapped, killed in his farm at Oka, another one at Ikaran, slaughtered. It  has worsened despite the huge amount of money the governor is taking as a security vote. So I’ve said this clearly that once I’m Governor, I’m going to establish a unit in Amotekun that we will call Forest Guard. I’m going to strengthen the existing Amotekun very well. That unit, their job is to protect our forest, to protect our environment, with modern equipment, so that if there’s any crime within the next three or five minutes, they should be able to round them up. It’s not as if there is no crime abroad, it’s not as if there’s no crime everywhere, no society is free of crime.

But that must be a combative measure, so that we can always overcome it. By the time I become the governor of Ondo state, you will see what will happen. 

Where do you stand on local government autonomy?

Honestly speaking, if there is one program that President Bola Tinubu has achieved in this government, it is that policy (local government autonomy). Because local governments strengthen, deepen democracy.  All this idea of no money here and there, they don’t have to come to Abuja to come and look for contracts. They don’t have to come to Akure to come and look for contracts. I was a council chairman, as at 2005/6. I awarded a road  project worth N500 million. So if as at that time I was able to achieve that, I believe by now, if I’m a local government chairman or anybody who is a council chairman should be able to also award project for N1 billion, N2 billion, and they are getting good allocation that can actually impact on the lives of the people around there. When I heard that governors are taking local government funds, I have not been there, and I don’t want to speak against anybody. But for me, I can never do it, because I see it as a criminal erosion of function. They should allow the third tier of government as being spelt out in the constitution.

You are the PDP candidate, and you are contesting against the incumbent. Are you not afraid of the power of incumbency?

What do you mean by power of incumbency? The power of the masses is more than the power of anybody. We have seen sitting President, sitting governors that lost election. So what is special about the incumbent.

This is the first time in the history of Ondo state that people are defecting from the ruling party back to opposition everyday.

So what does that have to do with power of incumbency. The people will decide. And let me also tell you, this is not about PDP, APC.

It is about the masses. People are interested in who wants to be the governor. Those who are in APC and PDP are also interested in who wants to become the governor. I can assure you, the President will provide a level playing ground. INEC also would do the needful. So for me, the people will decide who will be their governor.

Are you not worried because your party itself at the national level is having some crisis? Are you not worried that this might affect your campaign or your election, even at the state level? How are you navigating this at the national and state levels?

Every politics is local. I want to be governor of Ondo state. I’m not contesting to be the president of Nigeria. So, despite the internal crisis of PDP that you are saying, to me, there’s nothing special about whether there is an internal crisis at all. APC also has their own crisis, Labour Party has. 

So it is part of the system. It’s part of politics. It has nothing to do with Agboola Ajayi becoming governor.

The whole party structure at the national is behind me. I just came back from Jalingo yesterday (Saturday) where I went to address the PDP Governors Forum. All of them have shown their solidarity and support and commitment.  It is the largest party in Africa, there can be one or two internal crisis, but I can assure you, PDP will come out stronger regardless.

Ondo state PDP, we are more stronger now than how we were before. Yes, you mentioned the publication about a campaign committee. It’s a normal thing. We just inaugurated the committee last week, no dissenting voice, we disagree to agree in politics. I can assure you, all of us are working together, and we are more united. We are well prepared for the election.

Before you came in, you were a member of the House of Representatives, you were doing well, quote and unquote as a politician. They bring you back from Abuja to run as a running mate to late Akeredolu. Was there any kind of agreement between both of you on succession plan?

I have always said this, and I still want to repeat that we should just allow the man to rest. He has died and I don’t want to start discussing my late boss.  He did his best and he has gone. We should just allow him to rest. He served the state in his own capacity. So there is nothing special about what happened between me and Governor Akeredolu, it’s just politics and we have moved on. So no, no problem. Even If he is alive, I’m sure he would have supported me, he knows my capacity.

You are back with former governor Olusegun Mimiko in the same party, does that increase your chances at the election?

We were together before, but now I don’t think he’s working with PDP. A lot of his supporters have moved to APC. But it doesn’t really matter. The time the man would have shown capacity, he was stopping everybody who wants to be governor. Let me just remind you, the number of delegates that voted in PDP primary was 627 votes.

So, he could not have influence on that election which I won squarely. For now, the power of who should be the governor of Ondo state lies with the people on the streets, not anybody who is a leader. I have a lot of respect for him, he is our leader. You can’t even take away his rights. He has the right to support whoever he wants to support.

So you’re not worried even if he teams up with the APC candidate?

It doesn’t have anything to do, nothing at all. I’m not worried, as a matter of fact,  it strengthens us. You can’t take away his rights, but I have said it here, the power of who becomes the governor of Ondo state lies with the people on the streets.

At the national level, at the moment, Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as people are going through the worst phase of their lives considering the economic policies of the federal government. How do you rate the Tinubu administration one year after?

 For me, it is not what you and I can continue to debate. You are feeling it. I’m also feeling it. The hardship is too much. People are really hungry. The policies should be reviewed and see how the masses can actually breathe.  It’s not going well the way all of us expected it to be. So, I  think they should review their policies.

What are your plans for education in the Sunshine state?

Some of us enjoyed some facilities when we were in primary school. Some of us enjoyed some government essential commodities—learning materials were given free of charge — textbooks , exercise books and they will just write, do not take home, it is not for sale and I can tell you that once I become the governor, Ondo state school fees would be reduced. I will reduce the school fees of Ondo state, our secondary schools will be well equipped.

As a matter of fact, from primary school, nobody will pay one Naira in primary and secondary schools. In tertiary institutions, we have about four universities. Their school fees would be reduced. Somebody told me the security vote of a governor is N1.2 billion in a month, I don’t need that to run a government. What will need to be done is to put in place infrastructure that can actually transform the economic base of that state and keep everybody busy. That alone will reduce insecurity. So, the money we are plunging into security, why don’t we just channel it into education.

Let me give you one good example, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akugba-Akoko, their monthly subvention is about N232 million and somebody is collecting N1.2 billion security votes. If I just say the VC, sit down, this your University, can we reduce the school fees by 50 or 60 per cent? He would say how do we pay salaries? I will give you additional N100 million. From the N1.2 billion, I will just take out N100 million. So, you are still left with N1.1 billion. Rufus Guwa Polytechnic Owo, their subvention is about eight-something million, I will give them another N100 million. That will crash down the school fees. Because what the schools are saying, for us to run the school, we pay salary, the subvention you (state government) are giving to us is not enough to pay the salary. We must be able to subsidise one aspect of our economy. And the best we can do is education.