Ahead of the September 22, 2018, Osun Governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, in this interview talks about the Osun economy, politics, youth empowerment, food security and agricultural reforms, among others. In a tone laced with insight from deep inside the Osun policy chambers where he has been a key player these past eight years, he unfolds his vision. Excerpt.
WHAT is your assessment of the Rauf Aregbesola administration of which you have been part of in the last eight years?
The administration has done very well. Take infrastructure, which had been in decay, before this administration came on board. The Aregbesola administration adequately addressed this decay in many areas — new roads, new schools, better hospitals, revamped agriculture, better security, and so on. We constructed quality major roads, state and federal, as well as build flyovers never seen before in Osun. This was to ease traffic flow, and ensure faster movement of people, goods and services, to lay a solid foundation for the Osun economy, and expand economic opportunities, for our people. In practical demonstration of this quality road infrastructure, Osogbo now has the Oba Adesoji Aderemi ring road. If you are going to Ilesa or Ikirun or Ila, you can just do a bypass by this ring road, instead of coming to contest with the traffic at the Osogbo city centre. In this area, the administration has done very well, far better than all previous administrations.
Talking about education, the kind of schools that we have built continues to surprise most people, given the acute funding challenge that we faced. For every layer of our restructured school system: elementary, middle and high school, the administration has provided a very conducive environment for learning. In essence, the children of the poor now enjoy the same learning environment as the children of the rich, in these new public schools. The Aregbesola administration built no less than 100 elementary schools, 60 middle schools and about 11 high schools, all of them sparkling, ultra-modern, and with bigger learning capacity and requisite learning aids. It is a legacy we are immensely proud of because it had never been achieved in Osun before. That more or less captures the picture on health too, since all the health facilities too have been renovated. So yes, we have done very well too in health infrastructure.
But our health policy does not start and end with hospitals. It is rather a comprehensive wellness programme to build human infrastructure that perfectly complements our programme of road, school and hospital infrastructure. We have therefore put in place social protection programmes like the Agba Osun (for the elderly poor and vulnerable) and a specific safety net that caters for the widows; and yet another, that looks out for the mentally challenged, knowing that people could flip, not because they are mentally deranged but because of social and economic pressures. Then for our elementary school children, we set up the schools feeding programme, an innovation that is quite unique, and which the Federal Government has adopted, and is implementing in at least 24 of the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Because our programmes and policies have direct impact on the people, they are rated by many development agencies as the best — in agriculture, tourism, education, health, just you name it.
Again, look at O’ Ambulance, another key component of our comprehensive health policy. The beauty of O’ Ambulance is that it is operated on a 24-hour basis. Most times, when there are accidents, victims often die because they don’t get prompt evacuation and immediate medical attention. Now, with O’ Ambulance, victims are rescued in a matter of minutes. So, the chances of survival are greater. We have dedicated lines; once you call, in a couple of minutes, an ambulance stationed not far from the spot of accident will come and evacuate the victims. This is available for every resident, and even those who are just passing by. O’ Ambulance has saved many lives.
What really informed your decision to join the governorship race?
I have been part of this government for almost eight years now and I share the vision that government should touch lives. First of all, the essence of government is the security and welfare of the people. I have seen that a government provides a platform for you to be able to serve a greater part of the society; and having been in government for about eight years, I believe there is need for continuity. We should not stop at where Governor Rauf Aregbesola does, after the expiration of his tenure. The state should continue to enjoy the kind of infrastructure and socio-economic development that have been put in place. I believe I am well positioned to be able to continue to build on the foundations already laid, especially with my experience both in the private and public sectors — private sector, over 30 years; and the public service, almost eight years now. Combining the experience in the two sectors, I will be able to effectively lead this state.
Though we are growing in terms of infrastructure, we are yet to get to where we want to be; and I know precisely those things that will help the state and things that can impact positively on our people. The people must continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy. We have not had this type of development-oriented opportunity until the coming of the present administration. So, we must ensure continuity of this positive development. I know how demanding running a government is; and that it takes a very experienced hand to manage scarce resources of the state to attend to numerous needs of our people. But I also believe that, with my experience in the private sector and in public service these past eight years, I am the best to continue from where Governor Aregbesola stops.
What challenges can you foresee if you win and assume office?
Well, first of all, there is a challenge of finance or funding. But this is not peculiar to our state. It is a general problem. But there is hope it will soon be over. All over the country, only a few states are financially viable. All others have the challenge of fund paucity. But we must think creatively to survive. We must be able to think out of the box. Challenges are actually made for man and we must be able to face them. One of the ways to address the funding challenge is ramp up Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), through innovative ways. First, we need to block all the leakages, particularly in tax collection. When we talk of increasing IGR, I am not talking of imposing higher or more taxes on the people — no! But we can ensure efficiency in the collection of taxes. If I ensure all other people, now avoiding tax, pay because it is a civic responsibility, then the revenue base increases. So, once we are able to do that, we can clearly increase the revenue without necessarily imposing high taxes on people, particularly the poor.
Again, when you go into some other areas like agriculture; we will provide a value chain. For instance, if we encourage farmers to plant cassava and there are cottage industries where cassava can be processed into starch and ethanol, we will be creating jobs and empowering our people. So, it will not be difficult for the people to pay little taxes which I will ensure is very insignificant, in proportion to their profit or income. Thus serviced, the people will be ready and proud to play their own part by paying tax, as their civic responsibility. Government will make the environment conducive for their trade and businesses to thrive. We will support the artisans. We will also ensure we attract investment, both local and international, to the state. Our policies would make products of the manufacturers very competitive and when they enjoy very high turnover they will pay taxes that will bring more money into the coffers of the government. When we empower our people to exhibit their talents and flourish in their trade, they too will not hesitate to pay a token in form of taxes into the government coffers. So when the people are supported in their trade and in making their income, they will be willing to pay taxes. It is more of a reciprocal gesture if you empower your people and ask them to make the contribution to the funding of the services they enjoy.
Before you were elected as the candidate of the APC, some people were clamouring for zoning arrangement, they claimed it was the turn of Osun West to produce the next governor of the state, but you are from Osun Central. How does this make you feel?
Usually I don’t enjoy talking about this but I will be guided by the fact that zoning is not in the APC constitution. So, as long as it is not in the constitution, every zone is free to contest the governorship position. And historically there was no time that zoning had ever been introduced; starting from the day the state was created since 1991. So, it is in line with the constitution of the party that every zone should be allowed to compete and whoever wins should be supported. Having said that, I believe all the zones in the state should compete freely for any elective position albeit democratically.
Another issue that came up before the party primary was the method to be adopted for conducting the election. While some advocated for indirect primary, some canvassed for direct primary, which the party eventually adopted. Will you say the direct primary was good enough to serve good purposes?
Well, direct or indirect, let me say this: there are three options because I took my time to study the constitution of the party. There are three options through which a candidate of the party could emerge. We have direct, indirect and consensus. The direct primary gives room for party members to participate in the choice of the flag bearer. Direct primary is open and it is more participatory; and the outcome is always the expression of the wishes of the majority of the members of the party. All the party members are given equal opportunity to choose their preferred candidate. In this system of selection, majority of the members of the party are allowed to speak as opposed to indirect primary where just a fraction — less than two percent of the entire membership of the party — would decide the faith of all others. Indirect primary is cumbersome, more expensive and it gives room for a lot of manipulations. If you have money you could easily pull through. So, I will endorse direct primary any time, any day because it is so transparent.
People describe you as quiet. This is a sharp contrast with the incumbent governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola. And as you know, the two key ingredients of running a state like Osun require mastering skills in politics and governance. Do you see yourself coping in these two areas?
Let us give it to the governor. He is an enigma. He is a unique personality. But don’t also forget that two individuals cannot be the same, anyway. Yes, I realize that politics and governance are not exactly the same thing. Politics, yes the usual way of getting to an elective position and sustaining yourself in power. But governance is an act of giving services to the people and this is where you get the dividends of democracy. So, I have been involved directly in governance for eight years. I am also not less involved in politics as well. I have been in politics since the era of Alliance for Democracy (AD). I am not new in and to politics. The only thing I have not done, which is different from what I am now doing in addition to what I have been doing before, is I have not gone for an elective position before. That is the only difference. I have been involved in politics. Politics does not mean you should be seen running for an elective position alone. Yes, give it to him our governor has been able to combine the two effectively. But I have been involved in politics and have also been seriously involved in governance — driving policy. Again, I have the experience, not less than thirty years in private sector and about eight years’ experience in governance and public service. So, I could leverage on the synergies, between the public and private sectors, to make things work. In the area of governance, yes I think I am well equipped. I know what it takes to deliver on promises. I know my people and their needs and aspirations. I have been part of the core team that fashioned processes and policies to meet the needs of our people. I am the man needed to keep the engine of development running.
The world of competitive private sector driven by targets and results, no doubt, is different from the public sector characterized by bureaucracy. How do you intend to harmonize the two and give your best to Osun without unnecessary conflicts?
You see, it is a good experience if you are lucky to have worked in the private sector and again have the opportunity of working in a public service. You will be able to appreciate the benefits in the two and also leverage on the synergy therein. By the same token and with the benefit of hindsight, you know the weaknesses and pitfalls of both worlds.
The public service, for instance, relies purely on bureaucracy and it takes too long to get things done. For the private sector you take a decision now and you implement. That is it. But with my background in the two sectors, I will combine the two to bring out the best out of both — after all, as partners in progress. To this effect, I will ensure that the time it takes to get things done is reduced by cutting bureaucratic bottlenecks. This administration of President Buhari places great emphasis on ease of doing business and I subscribe to this. You minute a file to somebody and it goes to another person and it travels a length. It takes some time to get things done. But you can shorten that though, not necessarily by compromising the structure. It must be ensured that things are done in line with the structure of governance. I have actually applied this to governance in the last eight years and it has worked very well.
Sir, do you think you can survive what people call murky waters of politics, especially considering your social and professional background?
I have survived it for eight years and it is interesting. I went for the primary and ran a very engaging campaign. I visited all the wards in the state. I have 332 coordinators. I visited all the 332 wards when I was campaigning. I have engaged 31 coordinators in all local governments and the area office. I have canvassers in all the units. So, it is interesting. My experience in the private sector has actually helped. For me to have the kind of structure in my campaign, the private sector experience has helped. If you see the setup we have around here, it is the best you can get anywhere. So, politics is getting refined and now that we have introduced technology to voting, the era of box snatching and violence is gone. This is actually the time for some of us to get involved in politics. It is not as dirty as you may think it is now. True, it used to be very dirty, violent and thuggery-prone. But nowadays, it is brain and competence, not brawn and money. Decency in politics is possible and I have a decent mind-set, focused on the politics of good governance and development. All I need is a number of patriotic and dedicated citizens of Osun, who will join me in making the state greater.
Don’t you think the zoning, which was not in favour of Osun West, would affect your chances and that of your party, APC, in the forthcoming election?
I don’t think so. We have been able to reconcile almost all aggrieved parties. First of all it is important for us, as a party, to ensure victory. It is only when you are in government that you can think about positions. I have seen genuine efforts at reconciliation. Virtually all the contenders have actually congratulated me. We have been having meetings; they have resolved to work with me to ensure victory of our party come 22nd of September. And I believe they are very sincere except for an individual that has left the party. That should not be a reason for anybody to believe that singular episode would affect the fortunes of our party. It is a party affair now. The party cannot afford to fail.
Are you not threatened by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as your party’s major challenger?
I welcome them to the ring. It is going to be a good contest. Threatened? Not at all. The APC government has done very well, these past eight years. There is no threat from any party. I see victory around the corner. We have demonstrated to the people that PDP is not a choice. Our stewardship is evidential. Our commitment to the welfare of the people is unquestionable. Our developmental strides are unparalleled in the history of the state. In the past eight years, we have had to make difficult decisions in order to lay a solid foundation for now and the future. The PDP cannot rise from the dead.
I hope you followed the just concluded Ekiti Governorship election with the attendant vote buying and selling saga. Are you not worried about this development being replicated in the Osun forthcoming poll? Or are you ready naira for naira?
I don’t encourage vote-buying. I will never participate in it. I don’t like it and I believe it is not good. If you are popular, go out there and sell your programmes. If the people believe in you, they will vote for you. I think that is what should be encouraged. This was why I even preferred the direct primary adopted by my party, the APC, to elect its governorship candidate. I am not for vote-buying. It is not ideal and I will never participate in it because I don’t believe in it.
Sir, what conditions do you think will guarantee free, fair and credible Osun governorship election?
First of all, we must have adequate security. When people know that they are provided with adequate security, they won’t allow miscreants to hijack the process. So, voters should be allowed to exercise their civic responsibility, freely without any intimidation or harassment. Even the presence of security operatives around will guarantee safety; and would encourage a lot of people to come out to vote. Once we are able to curb violence, people will naturally and voluntarily come out to vote. So, there won’t be a question of vote-buying.
What is your plan for youth unemployment which has become a serious social and national issue?
Yes, this is a big challenge, not only in our state. I want to say that what we are experiencing in the Northeast and other parts of the nation is as a result of youth unemployment. One of the many ways of standing up to this is to encourage our youths to go into farming, with the government providing some incentives. We have some farm centres and we will ensure they have adequate amenities to encourage the youths to want to be engaged in farming. We will make amenities available in both the urban and rural areas. Through this we can create many jobs, direct and indirect.
Some people see you as a green horn in politics…
(Cuts in) Let me say this, maybe they don’t know. I was one of the members of the Alliance for Democracy when it came up in 1998. I participated actively in politics then, but not in terms of elective positions. I have been involved in the politics of my council area, Boripe Local Government, directly and indirectly since 1999. I have been involved in sponsoring candidates for elections. When we talk politics, we look at it from four perspectives. We have the financiers, voters, party members and the aspirants that vie for positions. I have been actively involved in politics in these areas. The only one of these four that I have not attempted, until now, is running for a political position. But now I am vying for the governorship position. So, I am not green. The fact that I have not contested an election in the past does not mean I am not in politics. I have been very much involved in politics. I was part of the Action Congress, the Action Congress of Nigeria and now the APC. So, I am not a green horn at all in politics. My job of being a Chief of Staff to the Governor does not allow me to be visible.
How do you allay the fear of the civil servants and pensioners over salary and pension arrears?
The governor has promised that before he leaves office in November he will clear all the salary arrears. And I believe he would do so. Anytime there is an opportunity for fund inflow, it is a priority to clear all the arrears. But outside of that, I think we need to seriously improve on our revenue generation, to ensure regularity of payment of salaries and pensions. So, the intention is to increase revenue, to ensure regular payment of salaries. And we will do it in a creative manner that will not create a burden for our people. Workers deserve their pay; and I believe, with some of the things we want to put in place in the area of revenue generation, we will be able to sustain regular payment of salaries, without necessarily relying solely on allocation from the federal government.
The Aregbesola administration is an advocate of regional integration, how important will this be to you if you win?
I think this is a beautiful concept. Regional integration is good, it is laudable and the present government is committed to it. If we promote regional integration, it will allow us to collaborate and look at many areas of advantage to work with other states within the Southwest region. For instance, when we talk of agriculture you can discover that rice plantation is better in some states than the others. Rather than dissipating your energy, we collaborate and have a plan such that a state is known for rice and other states will collaborate with that state to plant rice massively. Ditto for other social and economic programmes, if we are able to do that, we will be able to take advantage of natural endowment, which may not be applicable to other states. Even in the area of education, I don’t see why we cannot have a single university taking care of the educational needs of the entire South West rather than having Ekiti State University, Osun State University and so on.
With a myriad of challenges facing the APC, your party, at the national level, including a spate of defections of some of your chieftains from your fold to other political platforms, crisis at the National Assembly, division among your members and so on — do you still see your party winning the 2019 general elections?
Well, politics sometimes is like that. The APC came into being through merger of several political parties. So, there will always be a re-alignment of forces. Re-alignment is known in politics, it is not strange or unusual. It is a normal process. When you have a problem of incompatibility you leave. Even if husband and wife are incompatible, the result is always divorce. So, while some are leaving, many others are coming in. As some are leaving, there are some people seriously joining and many willing to join the APC. It may give room to a little instability or create anxiety for a while but it is something to expect in politics.
Where do you stand on the issue of the clamour for restructuring of the country?
I believe in fiscal federalism, really. There are lots of comments on restructuring, devolution of power and stuff like that. But what is important for us is to first of all see ourselves as federating units in a federal republic. Unfortunately, the military incursion into politics has actually distorted the federal structure we were practising before. As it is now we are not, seriously speaking, operating as a federation. And a lot of issues are linked to this. So, there are lots of issues. It all borders on devolution of power. I would rather want to see a situation where the federal government would be more concerned with policy formulation in some areas.
Who is your godfather in politics?
I don’t have one. God is my father.
It is a general belief that to go far in politics every serious politician must have one.
I am happy you must have been around for some time. Through God, I evolved my own structure. Nobody gave me any structure to work with. Whatever you see here is through a creative thinking of very few of us. Nobody funded me; nobody is going around to canvass for me or with me. Whatever you are seeing is through God, hard work.
So, people should not entertain any fear that Osun will be put for sale with you as governor.
How? I don’t understand.
The insinuation is that if you become the governor, the possibility is there for money to transfer freely from Osun to Lagos.
Where is the money to transfer? We are talking about being challenged financially and you said people are insinuating that money will be transferred. Let me tell you, some of us are here, purely for service. By any standard, before I became the Chief of Staff, I had been very comfortable. Rather, we are building a network to bring resources and investment into the state, to be able to continue with laudable works, and also break new grounds for economic prosperity of the state. I have had an extensive contact with the business world, in and outside the country. We would rather look for opportunities to attract investments into our state, look for people with genuine intention to grow our economy with us. This is part of what we want to bring to the table. So, there is nothing like a godfather or transferring money from the state to anywhere. You see, we run a transparent government. This is just a mere cheap blackmail, otherwise where is the money to be transferred?
Do you have a social life because this will definitely influence your decisions and performance as governor?
I listen to good music. I like to travel but I am being constrained by the demand of the job. I interact a lot with my family. I am a family man. I enjoy attending social engagements, socializing with friends and associates.
How much family support do you enjoy for your aspiration?
One hundred per cent. But I told them it would be at a cost to their access to me because of high volume of engagements that I will have. I am not likely to have much time to share with them but thank God my children are grown-ups.
As a son of a Chief Imam, what should people expect from you on a religious platform?
Christians, Muslims and Traditionalists I treat everyone equally. In my family I have Christians and Muslims alike, interacting without any problem. My fourth sister is Christian. Another brother, Kunle, who is in the United States, is a pastor. In my family we interact very well. We don’t emphasize religion. This does not have a place in governance. When we are talking about dividends of democracy, we strive to show excellent performance. That is what matters to the people, not religion — what you want to deliver, and the impact you can make socially and economically within a space of time allotted to you by the constitution.
What ideals will you promote?
Good governance, good legacies, lead the state with the fear of God and be fair to all. I want to run a visionary and transparent government, to be driven by a high sense of mission, dedication and commitment.