Hon Mayowa Akinfolarin is a member of the House of Representatives, who had previously served as a two-term member of the Ondo State House of Assembly. In this interview with BABATOPE OKEOWO, he wants the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct primaries to choose successor of Jimoh Ibrahim at the Senate, arguing that it is the turn of Odigbo Local Government Area to produce the Senator for Ondo South Senatorial district, what stands him out among other contestants even as he speaks on other national issues
You have shown interest in the senatorial election coming up in Ondo South, why?
I think that question is something one really needs to sit down and begin to ask. One is, I am not just showing interest. I was part of the contest with Jimoh Ibrahim.
We contested together. But because of the prevailing situation at that time, Jimoh got it and the wise thing for anybody to do is, when I have an opportunity like this, it is for you to say something that was forcefully taken away from me should be restored.
So, I am contesting because I believe that the thing should come to my local government; that it is our turn and the facts are there. If you look at it, the Ilaje/ Eseodo Federal Constituency was there for eight years.
After Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, Okitipupa/Irele Federal constituency, was there for four years. Jimon Ibrahim, four years. Senator Boluwaji Kunlere was there, making it 12 years. We had it in Odigbo under Chief Adebayo Adefarati for four years.
Senator Nicholas Tofowomo from Ileoluji/ Okeigbo Local Government was there for four years. Right now, we have the House of Representatives from Oke-Igbo. So, if you look at it, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the thing should come to Odigbo.
Apart from zoning, what also qualifies your local government for this position?
If you look at the pattern of distribution of positions in that senatorial district, right now, we have the governor from Ilaje/Ese-Odo. You have NDDC from there. You have federal character from there.
Well, we cannot talk of OSOPADEC because they believe it is their property, so we are conceding to them that it is their right. If you go to Okitipupa, you have the South-West Development Commission, which is even more than two senators put together.
If you look at their budget, we also have the senator from there right now. We now have additional positions, an ambassadorial position there, and a national population commissioner there. Go to Irele Local Government, we have the House of Representatives there.
We have Akin Egbuwalo. I think there is another position there, making it three positions at the federal level. So, come to Ese-Odo, we have a House of Representatives member there. We have a chairman of the postal agency. There is an ambassadorial position there as well. Then come to Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo federal constituency.
You have the House of Representatives in Okeigbo/Ile-Oluji, we have SSA to the President. So, from all these things now, Odigbo has nothing. It is as good as saying that Odigbo is not part of the senatorial district. And when it comes to assessing each local government based on its capacity to deliver, we are the best.
We have the strongest stronghold in that senatorial district. We have always been at the forefront when it comes to elections. So, I don’t see why people should be saying they are contesting with us.
Because the truth of the matter is, the thing should naturally come to us, to Odigbo, where you have a very good democratic culture, where people will now say, okay, how do we do it so that other local governments will not be shortchanged?
That is what informs my reason for coming out to contest. And if you look at it critically, some people are saying Okitipupa should complete the tenure of Jimoh Ibrahim. I see that argument as very untenable, and difficult to justify.
This is a man who is alive, doing well, not incapacitated in any form, and you are suggesting that someone should complete his tenure. Which tenure? Someone having a fresh mandate, that is a way of shortchanging the rest of us.
If you get there, what are you going to do differently?
It is not as if I am boasting. In the history of that federal constituency and that senatorial district, nobody can match my achievements. Nobody has surpassed my achievements.
In terms of employment, I have helped over 280 people to gain federal employment. In terms of bills, I have six bills; five have been signed into law signed by the President, one at the verge of signing before the tenure of Buhari ended.
So, tell me, even in the state, is there any representative with that record? So, it’s not as if I’m going there to learn. I already know what to do. I am practical, experienced, exposed, connected, and I have the stamina to perform.
When you are looking at the time remaining for the tenure, do you think any meaningful achievement can be recorded?
As far as I’m concerned, there is no tenure to be completed. Anybody given the opportunity gets it on merit. The most important thing is that whoever goes there should complement or improve what is already being done.
When I get there, it is familiar terrain. I know what should be done even before the swearing-in. I know what it takes to be a senator. I know all the buttons to be pressed.
That zone used to be a PDP’s stronghold. If you get the ticket, how sure are you of winning There is no political party outside the APC there. Whoever gets the ticket becomes the senator. When I get the ticket, I will automatically become the senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Some weeks back, APC stakeholders in your local government adopted you. What is the implication of that?
Charity begins at home. That is my base. They know my integrity and capacity. That is why they adopted me. It is not a new thing. Instead of anybody coming out to support or oppose, the best approach is for all to allow democracy to thrive through free and fair primaries. Let popular candidates emerge.
Are you not afraid that party concessions might play you out?
Anything can happen, that is why I’m making this appeal. Let us forget about what has happened in the past, but we should now live in a new way of doing things.
Nobody should impose on anyone. They should allow all of us to go for primaries, If you lose primaries, you go home and won’t hold anybody responsible for your failure. So, they should not kill democracy.
APC is a party that knows what to do, is well entrenched, and has knowledgeable people who will give the right instructions and directives. APC is one big family and that should transfer to the mode of choosing our representative.
So, you are not afraid of primaries?
None of them can match me. That is the truth, I’m not boasting. They should allow us to go for the primary. I appeal to the President to allow free and fair primaries. Let the best candidate emerge
By the constitution of the APC, the governor is the leader in a state, assuming the governor says you should step down, what happens?
The governor is the leader of the party, but as the leader, he must allow fairness. Democratic culture should be allowed to thrive. I know he will be fair.
He is a man of God. As the leader, he should be fair to all the people contesting. He knows the role of God in all these things.
At the national level, what are the chances of President Tinubu?
The truth of the matter is that, except for deceiving ourselves, in the history of the country, no elected leader has demonstrated the capacity to see that things are done in the way President Tinubu did.
He is courageous and audacious, not minding what will happen. The problem a leader will have is not taking an appropriate decision just because they are afraid.
A decision must be made either correctly or wrongly. Leadership requires making decisions, even when people complain. The worst offence a leader can commit is refusing to make decisions. That is an offence against God.
This man is out there putting his life on the line to be able to do certain things other leaders have been running away from. All these reforms are not something anybody can just come up and do. You must be determined, you must have that courage.
The president is doing his best without fear of favor, and normally, when you have new reforms like this, no matter how clever you are, people are bound to complain.
We are seeing some of his good deeds. When we started, people were complaining about petroleum, but now the thing is gradually coming down. Prices of foodstuffs are gradually coming down.
When a leader fails to make the right decision, it is an offence. When you develop that capacity to make decisions, people will complain, but your ability to navigate through what people will say is what makes you a good leader.
Don’t you think that these reforms will cost him re-election in 2027?
No. Nigerians are beginning to see what he is doing that he is not doing it to punish or hurt anybody. He is doing it for the benefit of Nigerians and the survival of this country.
If you have a leader who knows what he is doing, although it might inflict little pain or agony, the end result is good, you will definitely compensate for such a leader.
Nigerians are getting abreast of knowing that all that this man is doing is for the benefit of the country. Reforms come with pain, but they are for the good of the people.
Don’t you see ADC as a threat?
They are an association of jesters. Look at their history, antecedents; they are responsible for the decadents in this country. I don’t want to mention anybody’s names.
All of them were saddled with the responsibility of governance, what did they do? Nothing. They are just coming together to deceive themselves.
