Senator Yele Omogunwa represents Ondo South at the upper legislative chamber. His emergence as the flag bearer of the party to return to the Red Chamber has been dogged by controversy. In an interview with DAMISI OJO, Senator Omogunwa speaks on a wide range of issues. On the controversy over his candidature, he insists that no matter the political bickering over his choice, he will emerge victorious after the polls.
Following the recent primary, there is division in your party ahead of next year’s election. Is this likely to affect your chances of winning?
I am not a novice in politics and I know so many people. The people who will vote in the election will not be those with big names. People with big names have no relevance again. So, we know how to relate with the electorate and I am sure I will win. But, there are no factions or divisions in the party. I don’t seen any division in the party, we are one, because we are in the same political boat. Some members might have been aggrieved, but the party’s internal mechanism will take care of the situation before the election. We love Nigeria and we would all come together and make sure that all the candidates presented by the APC would win their various elections and sure about that.
Given the forces against your emergence, including Governor Akeredolu, how come you are so confident of winning?
Honestly, I am hearing this for the first time that I am not in the good book of Mr. Governor. However, I doubt this, because I still consider him as the father figure of everyone in the party. As a father, you don’t discriminate against any of your children. So, I don’t believe I am not in his good books, because morally one good turn deserves another. I contested in 2015 on the platform of the PDP and I won, contrary to public opinion. I was the underdog in that election, but those who were considered the high and mighty lost. I am going to win in the same way this time around. I don’t believe the governor is aggrieved with me; I am supposed to be his friend and I still believe I am his friend, except he doesn’t count me worthy. I left my former party because of him and I clearly stated that I was defecting in order to come and work for Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to win the election. And, eventually, he won. To the glory of God, he is the governor today, so I cannot fathom the fact that I am not in his good books.
After emerging as the party’s candidate, what efforts have you made to reconcile with aggrieved aspirants?
I told you earlier that I am not new in politics. From my little experience, many aspirants still believe they can still have their way. With that kind of mindset, it is pointless pleading with them. It is like when two children are fighting, if you go into it to separate them at the initial stage, they would not listen to you. But, let them continue to war and fight, they will get tired and that is when you can come in and they can easily listen to you. That you are aspiring to be anything in the party doesn’t mean you are the owner of the party. People make the party and it doesn’t mean that all the aspirants, including me, put together, are the owners of the party. There other party members and I have being to talking to them and other people. I know how to talk to people, but since they are aspiring to have the party’s flag — they are not my enemies. We are one; we will still talk and jaw-jaw and agree, except that person is not a democrat.
People are complaining that they are not feeling your representation at the Senate. Won’t this affect your chances in 2019?
To the best of my knowledge, I have done a lot for my people. You can hardly get people to clap for you and say you have done well when you are in an elective position. I have never witnessed such a situation; it is usually critics. Lawmaking is different from being a member of the executive. I am not a minister and I don’t give out contracts. People talk about senators; that they earn N36 million monthly. No senator earns N15 million in Nigeria, but people say this out of ignorance. They expect that when a senator comes home, he should be moving around the streets, calling people to come and collect money.
But there are things you as a senator can do to attract development to your district…
If you are Minister for Works, you can influence some projects to your community and some constituency projects that people talk about are minimal. The constituency project to every senator is N50 million. Can such amount tar the road or can it provide electricity? Even in the ignorance of the people, they would say, senator, we don’t have light for the past eight years; bring electricity to us. No, a senator doesn’t have such powers. In my little contribution, I have given out empowerment to the people, which is the general thing all representatives embark upon. I do this every year and the first time I gave out over 300 motorcycles to the people and also distributed utility vehicles, three fibre speedboats, with 150 horsepower double engine. I have also distributed Keke NAPEP, motorcycles, sewing machines, hair dryers, grinding machines, generator sets and hair clippers. I equally pay the monthly allowance to youths in form of provision of life line to them to cushion the effect of unemployment. Widows and the aged also get cash assistance to boost their commercial activities. Each of the beneficiaries get the sum of N50,000. In terms of employment opportunities, I facilitated the recruitment of youths into federal ministries and agencies, such as the police force, Nigeria Prison Service, public complaints commission and on human capital development. I also carried out vocational and entrepreneurial training for youths through the SMEDAN, NDE and Federal Ministry of Agriculture within and outside Ondo State. Unfortunately, the same set of people would go down to the people and lie that you’re not doing well and that you have not given out anything or done well for the people.
You’re aware that some people are protesting against your candidature. What is your take on this?
The people who are protesting are just drying themselves in the sun for nothing; they are not protesting against me, but against God. My nomination is from God and let them go to heaven and contest, because these are people that are not contended with what God has done for them. These are people who are not really party men and in any contest someone must emerge no matter how. Once that person becomes the candidate of the party, you are supposed to join hands with him, as a true party-man, believing too that your own time will surely come. So, it is not a do-or-die affair. I understand they went to Abuja to protest that they don’t want this person and that person. Those people protesting, who are they? Are they party men or voters in Ondo State? I only see all these as propaganda. I am here in my own house and they are in the sun dishing out money to those they brought to protest under the sun. In fact, I understand that one of the aspirants is their sponsor.
But was there any arrangement between senators and the NWC, since all the incumbents have been offered return ticket to contest the 2019 general elections?
I m not a popular person; I don’t even have any personal relationship with the party National Chairman and if there is any arrangement, I am not aware. But, I know that there is always reward for steadfastness, honesty and integrity.
Don’t you see your emergence as an act of imposition, since the party did not give room for a primary election?
There must be a reason for what the NWC did. Maybe it is a political philosophy and principle of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC), to have a round peg in a round hole. I am not saying this because I am a beneficiary. I have never had a one-on-one discussion with the chairman. The only time I had a meeting with him was when some people went to him and told him that I am on wheelchair and that I had stroke. And because of his leadership, he wanted to see me and when he came I was surprised about all he told me. I said I wasn’t ill; I even told him, let us go to stadium and play ball. I told him I am hale and hearty or is it an offence to have malaria?
The real issue is that we are not developed in this part of the world, especially in this part of Ondo State, because the moment somebody gets into a position of authority, either by election or nomination, some people would be plotting his downfall. It doesn’t give room for continuity or development. Don’t forget, I told you that I am a new person in that place. If I get back to that Senate, I would be different person, because I would be familiar with many senators. My first two and half years I didn’t know people, because I came under the platform of opposition party, the PDP; the APC was the majority. But now I know the senators who have been there for the past 12 to 15 years. If you are in the system, you already know who that minister is or you are Chairman of a Committee, and when you are Chairman, you are everything. There is a standing rule that as first timer you cannot be chairman of any committee.
On the primary, let me tell you that there are rules in the constitution of the party: the party is supreme and if it knows that this person can win it would back such person. Judging from my antecedents, I know that I can win any election in this state. The NWC has the power to say, young man, we know you are popular and you have the credentials to win any election, therefore we give you a waiver. The person automatically becomes the flag bearer of the party. So, when people are talking about primary not done, the party knows what it is doing, because there could have been death in Ondo State, if people are talking about full-blown primary election. Every aspirant have what it takes to become a senator, but when it falls on another person, it should be duty of the rest to join hands and work with such fellow. But, I wouldn’t know if it is an injustice for anybody who claim that he is popular, because he brought money to the people. They see you as a newcomer to the party, so how can you win an election. Either by election or selection, I know I am the flag bearer of our party today and it has been designed by God. I am not here to contest what the NWC has done and if anybody is protesting now, it is anti-party; it means such individuals are working against the party.
But, if the party had conducted a credible primary election, would you have won?
Yes, I would have won, because I am a party man or who says I cannot win an election. Have I not been winning election before and if God says I am the true candidate, I would still win in 2019. Let me tell you, that election was properly conducted, the way the
NWC wanted it.
Why is it that all APC aspirants always assume that once they secure the party’s ticket they have triumphed, because APC is the ruling party?
No, I don’t subscribe to that; even if you are the flag bearer and you fail to do your homework how can you win? It is not the party’s name alone that can make you win, but your credentials. It depends on your personal relationship with the people at the grassroots. You must have the grassroots capacity or do you think the party will come and work for you without you working for yourself.
You must work for yourself before the party will even come and work for you. I told you I have been in this system since 1992 and you should expect me to know people. I am a grassroots person.
Do you see the APC winning the 2019 general elections?
Well, I have been telling people that we have been to Egypt for 16 years as a former PDP member, but this is a man (Muhammadu Buhari) whose integrity would speak for him in the next year general election. It is not that we don’t have other capable hands that can contest in the party, but they have studied him that this man has good integrity. So, if anybody tells you that the APC or Buhari will not return as President, let that person go and have a rethink, because such person must be a day-dreamer. Nigeria will not grow except we have some break from the past, because some people will always feel Nigeria is their personal estate. But President Buhari has come and repositioned everything by bringing a good philosophy of change. Even, as a senator I would have been rich or richer because formally when you pass budget, you don’t look at it much as your Ghana-Must-Go bag full of money is already waiting for you in your office.
But when Buhari came in, he stopped all those nonsense. It is the job of the senator to look thoroughly into the budget and speedily pass it, but some would soon be looking at Buhari to come and give them money before they pass it. Buhari is the type of man that Nigeria needs for now, so that he can pilot us to safe land. We are not returning back to Egypt.
By 2019, if you win, what should your people be expecting from you?
If I go back to the Senate again, which I am sure, I would have known many people and use such influence to attract people to my constituency and I know our light would have been fixed and also restored. In the Senate, there is first class senators, because everybody feels we are equal but we are not. So, there would be a lot of improvement by the grace of God when I return.
Leave a Reply