In this interview with journalists in Osogbo, governorship candidate of Accord Party, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, explained his reasons for dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He also discussed his agenda of how to transform Osun State and unleash its potentials for greatness. Simeon Ebulu was there. Excerpts:
What was the appeal that lured you into Accord party, considering it is very young in the state and what was the reception like when you joined the party?
Accord isn’t a new party. Let us correct that. However, it has a record of performance. In the last governorship election in the state, it came 3rd. What is the appeal? If you look at my antecedents in politics, you will see that it’s been peaceful all through. I am a man of peace. There is nothing that is worth dying for. My ambition is not worthy of the blood of animal, how much more that of human beings. If you look at the party I am coming from, it’s all about violence, money, corruption.
Whatever negative thing you can think of, you will find it there. Initially I endured it, but I asked myself, if you are dealing with people that never change, both at the state and national levels, and God has helped me this far, what do I do? That was why I decided to separate myself from them, after all, we have 15 registered political parties in the state. There is no semblance of democracy in the party I am coming from. I am happier where I am now. Accord is about the cleanest party, in all ramifications. In accord, there is no crisis, no division.
Why did you choose Accord Party after leaving PDP?
Coming into Accord has given me the voice, recognition and popularity. People now know that Akin Ogunbiyi and Accord are one and the same thing. My reputation goes beyond Osun, and I didn’t earn the reputation through politics, I earned the reputation through what I have been contributing to the Nigerian economy in my little way. Thank God, lots of people are giving me support. Meanwhile, there are people who believe that if they don’t rule Osun, heavens will fall.
So, I looked far and wide before settling down with Accord because it has no issue of factionalisation and or leadership tussle. It is the cleanest amongst all the parties in the State. As for the response of the party members and the generality of the people of Osun, it’s been wonderful. We had a declaration some weeks back which was strategic and symbolic. During the open declaration, over 100,000 new members registered with the party.
What are your chances against the two popular parties (PDP and APC) in the coming elections?
When you say the popular parties, it is all fallacy. People no longer recognise parties but individuals. The people are getting wiser by the day. They are looking for individuals with capacity, competence and empathy who ultimately deliver. There is agriculture. What did the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo use to sustain the economy of the Western Region. It was purely agriculture. He also gave everybody free education which I benefited from.
He built hospitals and higher institutions. His signature achievement is still there, Cocoa House, the first skyscraper in the country which was built from agriculture. Today, we have lazy people ruling us. They don’t want to think. Anything about productivity is not their business. They just want to collect, and when they don’t get, they want to borrow without even getting the citizens informed and involved.
You are obviously talking this way because you are from the private sector.
Of course I am proudly from the private sector. But is leadership not needed in the public and private sectors? Leadership is about results, beneficial results, whether you are in the private or public sectors. My experience and network in the private sector will be brought to bear on the rapid development of Osun state. My government will provide beneficial value in a sustainable manner to the good people of Osun State. There is crisis now.
Why do you think the people of Osun should hand over their destinies to you for the next four years?
You can only give what you have. I am a tested and trusted leader of men and resources. I am a successful entrepreneur. I also have empathy. I was trained in the best school in Nigeria and the developed world . I know how to start from nothing and build up to something of great value. I know how to manage resources and pull talents together in order to achieve beneficial results. I have the capacity and competence to turn Osun around. I have been to the best universities in the world. I didn’t go to study only management, I went there for leadership training.
I was in Oxford, Harvard and Yale, all for leadership training. The one in Yale, we were 27 in the class, I was the only African in that class. I will set Osun state on the path of sustainable development. There will definitely be a paradigm shift on which will ensure productive transformation. I will be the champion of productive development not political grandstanding. We will ensure the industrialisation of Osun state. Citizens livelihood will be substantially improved and government system will work. I will generate and promote entrepreneurship, youth development, sports and skills acquisition. Osun under my leadership will become a liveable and prosperous state.
The complexities of civil Service like rule of law, bureaucracy, corruption etc., how are you going to manage that?
The Civil Service isn’t productive, and it’s not their own making. So, for me to demand for productivity from them, I must be ready to train and retrain them. For those sensitive areas like finance, education, because we must bring in investment both foreign and local, we will give these areas the necessary attention. There is also corruption, the best way to kill corruption is by going through rule of law. I will work with the state legislature to pass relevant executive orders. I will declare my assets and ensure transparency and accountability.
When I do this, it is natural that others will follow. The character of a leader is essential and necessary in shaping overall outlook. Leadership must be deliberate, measurable and disciplined. It must set the tone. I will be a beacon of honour, integrity who will be caring and supportive. I will motivate people to do great things. Contract bidding will be open such that I will ask Osun people and those in diaspora to show value-adding interest. I am going out there to serve the people and I will do it by the rule of law. Transparency will be the hallmark of our government.
There will be job specification for the commissioners, I don’t care where each commissioner comes from, as long as he meets necessary specifications. He will also sign for me, service agreements. All we need to do is to ensure that there is an enabling environment. For any investment to come into Osun, the investor will want to know if the state government is serious and transparent. And again, we are going to operate a very lean government when we get into office. There is no flamboyant living anywhere. How can a governor be going out with about 15/20 cars behind him, for what, is there war outside? We will be there to serve the people. The people must have access to us. Corruption will be reduced to the barest minimum.
What is your blue print on education, agriculture, health etc?
I am very proud to say I have my manifesto which we have not had in this state in the last 16 years. My manifesto has been published in flyers for everybody to see, digest and take note of. I will implement it to the letter. Key areas of focus are education, industrialization, agriculture, youths and sports, health and empowerment. Of course I will give free and compulsory primary education.
How about secondary education?
It’s stage by stage. I can’t promise people and not be able to deliver on the promises. With the kind of education we have now in Osun state, where is the future for our children? Four out of five school age children are out of school. The others are in private schools because the government has neglected primary education. Statutorily, primary education is the function of local government, they have refused to conduct local government elections so how will they fund that tier of government?
We have not had local government election in the last 20 years. I will ensure elections are conducted. When the elections are done, the winning chairmen can be directly responsible to the people. This is how we can guarantee even development. I will conduct the elections immediately. For instance, if you use the West Africa Examination council exams as yardstick, Osun State is number 33. And we have consistently been on that even though our human capital. What have we produced with it? I will get directly involved with education. All I need to do is set standards.
When you talk about corruption and bureaucracy in the civil service, it’s the same thing in the teaching service. We are going to employ teachers and train them. I know the Bible says every labourer deserves his wages. Yes, I will say before you deserve the wages, you should be able to attract commensurate performance. For agriculture, are we saying there is no cocoa in Osun again? The cocoa that Awolowo used to sustain the West is still very much there. I went round Ife North, Ife South, there is no area or house you won’t see people processing oil palm while cocoa is rotting away.
Nobody is harvesting again. These are sources of income. We are going to industrialize Osun state, Agric-related industries. We are going into production. Logging, you see people cutting trees anyhow, we have better plans for them. We will deal directly with farmers and cut off middle men. I went to Zimbabwe when I was starting my farm. I have a big mechanized farm in Osun State, about 2000 hectares. Maize, Sorghum and water melon are planted together. Farmers, are given seedlings and fertilizers.
What are we doing here and this is the rainy season? Why can’t we have cocoa plantations and oil palm plantation? I plan to reestablish in each local government area an expansive 10,000 hectares for plantation of cocoa and oil palms. Agriculture is something we can surely rely upon. I plan to have free health care for children, pregnant women and people above 60years. Do you know that I can attract intervention fund for healthcare?
How much did the federal government spend on Covid 19 vaccination? You have donor groups everywhere. All they require from you is transparency and accountability. We have 26 commercially viable solid minerals in Osun, what derivation fund have we generated from all these? None. If you put structures in place, are you saying we cannot get 13%? I went to the ministry of solid minerals in Abuja, zero has been constantly recorded for Osun in the last 30 years.
If election was to be conducted this week, based on your campaign so far, can Accord turn the tide?
I was telling some people earlier that I wish election will be next week. Be rest assured that we are winning this election, no doubt about that. Forget about PDP and APC. The people are tired of them. Both have doubled the woes of our people. There is nothing else they can give.. The electorate has become wiser now. I appreciate INEC for the wonderful job done so far. But I also pray that they will ensure that all the materials that will be used including BVA are functioning well. It is important that the materials must work perfectly. This is the last election before the general election. I beg and appeal to INEC to ensure that the election is free, fair and transparent.
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