Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, in this
interview with journalists, speaks about the
oncoming governorship election and the chances
of his party, reports TUNDE ODESOLA
In a few weeks’ time, the governorship elections
will hold and you are competing against four
major contenders. What makes you think you
will win?
Like in all contests, we are many that are
contesting but the beauty of it is that some of
us already have track records that people can
make reference to. Of the so-called five
prominent contenders, we have three that have
been in public service. Of those three, we have
two that have been governors before and we
have one that has been a senator and a senate
leader.
I think when you look at each of our track
records, you can safely say that the assessment
of each of us is easier than someone who has
never been in public service and I believe that
the records of the former governors are there to
compare with mine. And when you look at their
records in the areas of physical infrastructure,
peace, security and safety, which I consider to be
the foundation of any meaningful development in
any state or nation, you will discover that we
stand out.
The government of the All Progressives Congress
headed by me is synonymous with peace and
security. You will see that in the last few years
before we came in, Oyo was considered to be
unsafe but today, the records as published by
the police confirmed that Oyo State is more
peaceful. Apart from this, we have established
agencies that support the security agencies such
as the ‘Operation Boss,’ where we have been
able to bring together all security agencies – the
Police, Army, Department of State Service,
Immigration, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps and equipped them to ensure that Oyo is
safe.
So, the foundation of our administration is safety
and security of lives and property. And
comparatively, we are far ahead in this area than
any of the previous governments and the
statistics are there. Prior to 2011, murder cases
reported were 24. In Oyo State in the last three
years, it has reduced to about four while armed
robbery which was 48 has reduced to less than
five. So the statistics show that Oyo State is one
of the safest in Nigeria. For example, before we
came in, Asejire dam and Eleyele waterworks
were all producing at less than 10 per cent
capacity.
Today, they are producing at 82 per cent which
has translated into more water for the people.
We have repaired and rehabilitated many
waterworks: Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Oyo and others.
So, in terms of the provision of water, we have
done better than others. In the area of education,
we have recently recruited 5,300 teachers which
is unprecedented in Oyo State.
The Ministry of Finance says 2015 will be tough
going by dwindling oil prices. How will your
government cope with this reality?
Bayelsa State has 700,000 people and the state
gets an average of about N20bn a month. So,
right from the beginning, we have been at a
disadvantage. In the last one year, we’ve been
getting an average of about N3bn. Recently, we
even got N2.8bn. Every month, we have a deficit
of about N2bn or let me say an average of
N1.5bn. How are we coping? Or how do we hope
to cope? That is why it is essential for any
government to provide an attractive environment
for investors to come in. When you bring in
investors to your state, then you will be able to
tax and have tax gains from these investors. Not
only taxation but you will also create commercial
activities that will provide more employment for
people. It has a multiplier effect when you are
employing people and when you have investors
coming into your state and businesses are
developing. So, what we are saying simply is
that our approach is to create, first and
foremost, a safe and secure environment that
will encourage people to come.
Two, we must provide physical infrastructure
that will attract people to the state. Once there
are infrastructure, good roads, water, electricity
and peace, people will come in and once you
bring them in, you have more people working but
above all, today, as I speak to you, we have
brought in at least, eight big international
companies to Oyo State because Oyo state is
now peaceful, because the infrastructure is
improving, because the environment is
aesthetically attractive.
The largest edible oil company in Nigeria is here
in Oyo State. It just came about a few months
ago. The largest soya bean and milk
manufacturer in Nigeria is here in Oyo State. We
brought them in during our time. The largest
producer of bread in the whole of Africa is here in
Oyo State. The largest ICT provider in Nigeria is
now in Oyo State. We can go on and on.
The largest producer of powder milk is now in
Nigeria, Kama milk. And then of course, the
largest Shoprite in Nigeria is now on Ring Road.
So, we are bringing in investors. The more of
these companies that we have, the more
opportunities of increasing our Internally
Generated Revenue which I believe will go up
with all these companies coming in. Also, we
now have what is called Agodi Gardens which is
an income-generating park, where we have
international conference centres, health farms,
recreational facilities like amusement parks, we
have hotels. It is a centre that will develop like
that of South Africa and we brought a South
African company to partner with Nigerians to do
it for us.
But let me now add something interesting. Do
you know that we are the only government that
pays 13th month salary since the creation of Oyo
State? We also ensured that most of our
contractors are competent and financially
capable because sometimes they accuse us of
not using local contractors. About 80 per cent of
the jobs we give out are done by local
contractors and I can name them. The major big
jobs, however, are given to those who can
finance the jobs so we pay them 30 per cent and
when they finish, we pay within 18 months. So,
we are restructuring our finances through
increased IGR, through PPP and through third
party participation.
There is an allegation that your government has
concentrated development only in the capital,
Ibadan, and neglected other zones like Oke
Ogun.
I think it is just politics when people say that.
This government has developed more zones than
any other government before us. One, there is no
government that has constructed dual
carriageways into our major cities than this
government. When we came in, for the first time,
the government constructed a dual carriage entry
into Ibadan which is the Challenge axis and the
road to the Adelabu Market. What we are doing
is to network our road system. Ogbomosho
roads were not dual carriageways until we came.
We built a modern town hall for Ogbomosho.
Iseyin is the entry point into Oke Ogun. This
administration, for the first time, built dual
carriageways in the town.
The best National Youth Service Corps camp in
Nigeria was built by us in Iseyin, Oke Ogun.
Then, in education, all satellite campuses have
been upgraded to a full-fledged polytechnic, and,
you know, education has a multiplier effect on
development.
There are cities and towns in the United States
known as university towns which attract
development once they are built. So, when you
talk of Oke Ogun, we have done that; we’ve built
roads and schools. We have about 15 roads
some of which include: Saki, Otu Alaga Road in
Itesiwaju, we have Ogboro-Saki Road in Saki-
West, there’s Town Hall Road in Saki. We have
just awarded the contract for the construction of
a dual carriageway along Saki-Polytechnic road
in Saki.
In Oke Ogun, more than anyone else, we have
developed their roads. We have done dual
carriageways, water works and radio station at
Ibara. So, I want to know which other
government has developed these zones. I
challenge anybody to tell me who has developed
these areas like us.
What is your assessment of the Independent
National Electoral Commission’s preparation in
view of the distribution of the Permanent Voter
Cards?
I think everybody knows that INEC has not
performed creditably. INEC is a reflection of the
Nigerian situation. It is like electricity and water;
you hardly see any institution that is performing
well. They are trying their best but it is not good
enough. You can’t give them more that 50 per
cent pass mark.
But doesn’t this pose a serious threat to your
re-election bid given the fact that these people
have some electoral value and have teamed up
with your fiercest rivals?
I think if we begin to assess, to you, the outsider,
it might seem like a serious threat but it is not a
threat to us. When they came, who did they
bring? Also, when they left, who did they take?
As far as we are concerned, elections are coming
and we will see the result. I don’t see them as a
threat at all.
In Oyo State, no governor has ever won a second
term in office. Are you not jittery of this jinx?
No. There is no jinx. Since Nigeria was created,
no Jonathan ever became President but today, a
Jonathan is President. Since I was born, no one
ever became a governor in my family but I
became the governor. I don’t believe there is any
jinx. I think it was Chief Dejo Raimi that said
governors don’t do two terms in Oyo State and
that is why we are not developing, our
development is not consistent. Lagos State is
doing well today because there has been
consistency of good governance. And I honestly
believe I will break the so-called jinx. Oyo State
people are seeing what we have done and they
are seeing through the propaganda.
Are you afraid that the elections might be
rigged?
The only thing that we are competing against is
rigging. I honestly believe that the major party
that is our contender has been divided into four.
I have participated in elections three times in
Oyo State. I won three and was denied one and I
challenged the one that I was denied in court. In
the contentious election, the result showed that
the number of votes were more than the number
of voters. So, what we are saying is if INEC
provides a level playing field, I believe that we
will win. I believe that I will win because I have
analysed those competing with me. For instance,
one of them, a former governor, returned N500m
to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission. The money he refunded is what we
are using to build new schools. It is only in
Nigeria that people with questionable character,
people that have been accused and have not
cleared their names, people that have cases with
security agencies still have the audacity to
campaign. But this is Nigeria where anything is
possible. So, on the issue of defection, many of
them are joining us, people with huge
supporters. When I was in the Senate, I wasn’t a
senate leader but I passed four bills. We need
competent people; governance is not a tea party.
Oyo State indigenes are wiser. In agriculture, we
bought more than 430 tractors and graders; no
one has done it before. Now we have graders
grading rural areas instead of getting
contractors. We employed over 20,000 youths. www.punchng.com/politics/ill-break-re-election-jinx-in-oyo-ajimobi/

ajimobi is strong and grassroots politician. APC all d way.

Let's wait n see... It has never happened though ... GEJ till 2019!!!

300 people.

My able gomina. Ride on sir!

You failed Us....You lied to us..You are not meant for Ibadan alone....You are meant for oyo state.....You are doing great things at Ibadan....buh others are left out....You shouldnt have touched ogbomosho...You are making the roads worse.......LADOJA come2015....I dont vote for party...I vote for candidate

Ajumobi is far better in light years than what PDP did put up to challenge him





They can't smell the governor house here in Ibadan

For Continuity vote Abiola Ajimobi

Ajimobi will win in all d 33 local government Cos' he touch all d local government in his first tenure including providing jobs for d youth.ajimobi will break d jinx.