Bimbo Daramola was a member of the green Chamber in the 7th Assembly where he was the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Daramola, who is presently an aspirant in the governorship race in his native Ekiti State, spoke with Victor Oluwasegun on a number of issues. Excepts:
WHY are you aspiring to be the governor of Ekiti State?
This aspiration is not driven by anything but the burden of history. It is largely to defend the people and the mandate and ideals of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). It is in my nature to do what I’m doing because of the way I’m wired. You don’t just aspire. Listen, even if you’re aspiring to be a councillor, there are some things you can show for it.
We have seen the best of somebody for the past two and a half years and it doesn’t seem as if it will get any better. I am somebody that do things after weighing the options. Before I make critical decisions, I first and foremost, check what my motivation is. If my motivation is right, then I am comfortable with moving forward with the decision.
When I lost my bid to return to the House of Representatives and also riding on the fact that we lost Dr. (Kayode) Fayemi’s election of which, I was the Director-General of his campaign, I was very humbled. I thought to myself, that I had to return to the private sector and earn an honest living. I began to watch the political scene, because I knew that no matter how evil lasts, it will become apparent.
You ran a governorship campaign as a DG and failed. Now it’s just as if you’re campaigning for yourself. What are you going to do differently this time?
Brilliant question. What did I do wrong the last time as DG? Nothing. It was an election against a system. How do you conduct an election where you have so much militarization? As I speak with you now, my then 87 year old father, who is now 90, has the memories of how he was beaten black and blue in the name of election. It won’t happen this time.
The man himself by self admission said he got so much money that it took Zenith Bank three months to count it. It was an election that President Jonathan needed to win. Emeka Ihedioha, former Deputy Speaker called me up one of those days and said, “Bimbo, don’t overflow yourself, you’re not going to win this election.” They needed to win that election and they did everything to win.
But do you agree that your candidate lost touch with realities and the people?
I will leave the judgement of that to history. In terms of performance, I can say it today at the risk of anything that Dr. Fayemi did well in terms of tangibilities. There may be gaps. Any human being has his or her faults. So, I believe that Dr. Fayemi did well. That’s why I have great regards for him. He said in one of his interviews, “Ekiti is still an unfinished business.” That’s the business I want to go and finish.
I have checked my motive and my motive is that Ekiti State cannot continue with the current evil. I have the sense that we need to give ourselves the opportunity to go on the road of retrospection and we are convinced beyond reasonable doubt, be it a PDP man, APC, or Labour Party man, that what we have right now is not the best for Ekiti. So, shouldn’t we do something about the situation?
And in doing something about the situation, having seen what this man was able to do in three years, we need to bring in someone who can re-organise the system. My aspiration is not a flight of fantasy. I’m convinced that I have enough credentials to show the world that I can re-organise the system to make it work for the people of my dear state.
Some people say you are merely truing negotiate for a seat in the Senate with your guber ambition.
If I want to go to the Senate, I will tell the people I am running for the Senate. I am not doing this to be relevant politically or for personal aggrandizement nor for pecuniary reasons. I am doing this for altruistic reasons. The nobility of my intentions are not in doubt. Go and check my background. I have twelve years of unbroken service to the progressives. It’s not a matter of pride.
Fayose has the advantage of time. He has money. I have said it elsewhere, that Governor Ayodele Peter Fayose, has political mastery working for him. But he doesn’t have political mystery. There is nothing mystical about him. Nevertheless, he has elevated the political mastery to the level that when you mention, ‘Ayo Fayose’ people are afraid. But not Bimbo Daramola. Now, it is time for us to quickly understand that we have to stand behind a candidate that doesn’t fear him.
Do you think having 46 governorship aspirants is good for the APC at a time like this?
About five months back, I wrote letter to well meaning leaders and elders of the party that there is no way 46 people will be running rings around themselves in a state of about two million people and we won’t have to deal with the backlash. Some people went to town saying the large number of aspirants is good for democracy. They said people have a constitutional right to aspire.
We should situate our rights on the reality in a state where you have a governor with a strong personality, like Fayose. I tell you, 80 percent of these aspirants are just knowing that there are 177 wards in Ekiti State. Some of them are moving around with exercise books, writing the names of wards and how to get there and even the names of personalities to meet. Some of our revered elders in the party are just being introduced to these men who
