Michael ‘Laolu Adeyeye is one of the governorship aspirants in Ondo State contesting under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, he shares his visions for the sunshine state. Excerpts:
Could you say Ondo State has met the expectations of its founding fathers who envisioned the creation of the state over 40 years ago?
Unfortunately, when you look at Ondo State today, it’s a sorry sight. Called the sunshine state, unfortunately the sun is really not shining there. You can look at it sector by sector. Take our educational sector for instance, it is declining. I can go on and on.
We’ve debts immeasurable. We’ve taken loans that we cannot really account for. We’ve issued bonds that we cannot point to the money that we raised.
You seem unhappy that the state was ever created?
No, l do not regret that the state was created. In fact, l don’t want to sound like a protestant. It’s a great thing that Ondo State was created. But the resources that Ondo State has have not been maximised.
We’re focused on little things. We’re focused on window-dressing, particularly the outgoing government which by the grace of God will not come back. PDP will not come back in Ondo State.
The PDP in Ondo State over the last seven and half years has focused on window-dressing by branding the state in white and orange without giving us substance.
You seems to lay the blame solely on the current government. Why?
The Olusegun Mimiko administration is fortunately a two term government which is a rare phenomenon. In Nigeria for a governor to have eight full years to implement an agenda of change and improve on lives and to have failed to utilise such a golden opportunity is really unfortunate for Ondo State hence my focus on the immediate past government. A number of recent developments were championed. It’s not about the party really. We’re trying to be objective in our analysis. The government of the late Governor Olusegun Agagu was particularly more focused. They left money in the coffers of the state. That government built good quality roads, bridges in this state that we still point to till date. That government did a long-term development plan for this state. Every government has had their time. The outgoing government has done a few good things like the Mother and Child Hospital has been a very good development l must say. But it’s not enough. If you have a population of over 4.5million and the hospital is catering to about 20% of that population, then you’re saying that you’ve provided for the health sector? You have not succeeded in that regard.
Why do you want to be governor of Ondo State? You must be aware that to emerge as the party candidate, you must have a structure in place and you must also have the funds to prosecute your campaign. How rooted is your structure and how deep is your pocket?
Being a governor in Ondo State is an ambition that I have nursed very quietly and prayerfully for a very long time. And I believe very strongly that the time is now.
Why do I say that the time is now? I looked around and I can see that there is a gap that needs to be filled. There is a need for an energetic leader for Ondo State, a young visionary leader for Ondo State; a leader with a modern outlook, a leader that can marry modern technology with traditional governance system and achieve great results for the people.
We need a leader who understands the dynamics of governance in the 21st century and is not bogged down by the politics of sentiments and subjectivism. I realised that there is that gap and I have looked at the field and I have spoken to my people and they have said the only leader they want to see now is a youthful, visionary leader and I believe by the grace of God, I meet those specifications.
In terms of political structure, l want to let you know that for a start, l was almost born in Ondo State. I was born a month after the state was created. Within the first six months of my life my family moved to Ondo State. So, I grew up in Ondo State. I went to primary school in Ondo State, had my secondary school in Ondo State and l was privileged to have gone to the Obafemi Awolowo University straight out of Ondo State. I enjoyed good public education in Ondo State at some point in time. So l’m not a stranger to Ondo State.
I presently work and pursue my career in recent years in Lagos State. But I have not been far from home. As a legal practitioner, l maintain an office in Ondo State. I’m connected to a structure that is statewide. I have tentacles in every local government area and wards in Ondo State. I want to assure that my structure is solid, it’s virile and it’s far-reaching.
In terms of having a deep pocket and how much money we’re ready to commit to the state, l can tell you we’re not here to play money politics and we’re not playing godfatherism. The only father we have is God the father!
We’re not here to splash money around. We’re here to make sacrifices. We’re here to effect visible and transparent change that does not need to be sugar-coated or window dressed. That is why we’re in this race.
I’m aware that a lot of people in the party have thrown their hats into the ring and it’s almost as if multitudes are after the same governorship position. What are those qualities that would stand you out? Do you also see yourself as the underdog?
Let me start from the last question. You’re asking if I see myself as an underdog? To a very large extent when you look at the realities on ground and the calibre of persons who are in the race, we have two serving senators who have indicated interest, serving members of the House of Representatives; we have former office holders and former ticket holders of the party who are interested; I can legitimately be perceived as the underdog in this race.
But l tell you what, the qualities that stand me out in this crowd are many. First of all, l make bold to say that I’m the youngest. I believe that l am the youngest because I have not run into any other candidate that is younger than me or that is about my age. At the age of 40, l believe l am the youngest candidate. With my level of exposure, my education, my practice experience as a lawyer, which has largely been around projects and development of projects, l believe l’m one of the most suited candidates in the field to develop the state and to attract the necessary investment that we need from the private sector. The state government cannot develop the state. We need to connect with the private sector and Ondo State is a greenfield. It’s a fertile ground to which we can attract investment and I believe l’m the man that can make that happen.
What are the factors that would shape the coming gubernatorial election in the state?
As we go into the next governorship election, l believe it is crucial that the process of selecting the flag bearer of our party in the All Progressives Congress (APC) is transparent and that the most popularly accepted candidates are fielded by the party; that there will be no imposition of candidates upon the people. Internally, there are ramblings about the politics of where you’re from; whether you’re from a particular political division or from a particular senatorial district. There is that on ground as well. But there is no consensus on the way it should go yet. As it stands, l speak for the APC. The leadership of the party has said to us that it’s going to be free and fair. That we should go to the field and work. And this is what we’ve been doing for the better part of last year. Those are the factors that I believe will shape the forthcoming election.
Do you think the electorates in Ondo can easily connect with you and your aspiration or put more simply, do you think Ondo State is ripe for a young man like you as governor?
I like to allude to the scriptures from time to time. I’ll summarise it this way: I can both abase and abound as much as I can mingle with boardroom of a Fortune 500 company or in the executive council of the state. I can mingle at the grassroots level. My people know me. I interact well with them. I speak bits of the local dialects around this place that I have picked up in my travels and l’m able to connect with the people. Someone said to me on the campaign ground that you remind me of my son. You’re like my son. He is also in Lagos but he doesn’t come home. But l have made myself available to come and give back to my source and that is something that the people appreciate. And l’m very confident that when the ban on political campaigns are lifted, l’ll really go out there to seek the approval of the general electorate. And if the APC elects me as its flag bearer we’ll triumph with a landslide at the polls against any candidate.
Can you encapsulate your vision in one sentence?
My selling point as an aspirant of the APC in the forthcoming election is the fact that I’m a candidate that would bring 100% sincerity to the table. I’ll bring 100%transparency to the table. A candidate that would put the people first and not my pocket first because really if I was thinking about my pocket, l will stay in private practice as a lawyer and I’ll be comfortable with my small family. But because l am putting the people first, l will make sure that our programmes are people-oriented and tackle the problems head-on like youth unemployment, which is a bigger problem than any problem that we have today.
We’re going to do simple things with sincerity, integrity and transparency. And because l am coming from a good pedigree and a good name, which the Yoruba people say is better than silver and gold, l won’t disappoint people.