Balarabe Akinwumi is a lawyer and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State. In this interview with BABATOPE OKEOWO, he speaks on the opposition coalition, calls for establishment of state police and restructuring, among other issues
Some people believe that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is infiltrating opposition parties. What is your take on that and what do you think is the way out for the opposition parties?
That is always the tactic. Government is trying to weaken opposition from the inside. Sadly, many opposition parties today have been infiltrated or compromised. The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is a shadow of itself. The Labour Party (LP), at this point, is missing in action.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is struggling. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) still have some standing, but they must prepare for this kind of attack. The leaderships of these parties are highly experienced and includes very senior politicians, so they should know the game.
They must stay united, stay vigilant, and prioritise national interest above selfish ambitions. This is not the time to let ego or personal ambition get in the way. This is a moment of reckoning. The only way the opposition can remain relevant is by standing firm, staying united, and committing to a cause greater than themselves.
Some governors have defected from the opposition parties to the APC. What do you think is responsible for that? It may be associated with fear and self-preservation as Adams Oshiomhole once said: ‘Once you join APC, your sins are forgiven.’
So, they are trying to protect themselves but governance should not be a tool of oppression and the office of the president should not be used as an instrument of fear. The President himself has a history of being oppressed.
He understands what it means to be on the receiving end of injustice. I don’t believe he should allow the same thing to happen under his watch because power still lies with the people. In 2023, we saw governors in the so-called “G5” lose their senatorial bids. They couldn’t even deliver their own elections.
That shows you where real power resides. You can’t tell me that a governor, beyond his appointees and loyalists, controls the people. People now understand the power they wield. These governors are just trying to find a safe landing.
You will be contesting the House of Representatives election in 2027. If elected, what would you do differently?
If allowed to serve, I will offer a new, transparent, and impactful model of representation. I want to be a voice for the voiceless and to protect those the system forgets. Our constituency has suffered for too long. In the National Assembly; there are disparities in how constituency funds are allocated.
The difference often lies in the representative’s negotiating power, influence and commitment to their people. So, I won’t just sit in Abuja. I will engage, negotiate, advocate and ensure that we get what is due to us. But more importantly, I want to empower young people.
Through the Balarabe Abiodun Akinwumi Foundation, we have already committed to ensuring that no willing young person is denied access to education or skill acquisition.
If God gives us the capacity, that is our promise. As a legislator, I will want to raise our education budget. Nigeria’s education budget is a dismal six percent, while UNESCO recommends 15 to 20 per cent. I will push for an increase although implementation is our biggest problem. Government gives direction, but the real work happens in execution.
So, my oversight functions will be sharp. I will also push for the establishment of tech hubs across Nigeria; places where young people can develop, grow, and translate technological competencies. Look at countries like Japan and South Korea no natural resources, but they invested in their people. Education and innovation made them global leaders.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is still crawling, despite our resources. I want to change that by investing in human capacity development, empowering youth, women and the vulnerable.
In the last elections, people voted heavily along ethnic lines. What’s the implication of this for our politics?
The implications are dire. Hunger doesn’t care about tribe. Insecurity doesn’t know your senatorial district. Poverty doesn’t recognise your ethnicity. So, we must elevate competence over sentiment. When you go to a hospital, do you ask if the doctor is Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa? No. You just want someone who is competent.
Hunger doesn’t care about tribe. Insecurity doesn’t know your senatorial district. Poverty doesn’t recognise your ethnicity. So, we must elevate competence over sentiment
That’s how it should be with governance. In 2023, the South-East and South-South largely voted Labour Party. The South-West voted for APC. Kano went for NNPP. The North was split. It was clearly along ethnic lines. We must vote based on character, vision and competence, not tribe.
Would you support a single term of five, six or seven years for governors and the president?
No, I wouldn’t. I don’t support single term at all. The better approach is to strengthen our institutions, not reduce accountability. If you give someone a single term, he has no motivation to perform because he is not coming back anyway. Look at other developed countries and tell me which one of them operates a single-term presidency.
They allow voters to hold leaders accountable by re-electing or rejecting them. With a single term, you risk giving someone four or five years to do as he please, without consequences. So, let people have the chance to choose again after four years. That’s democracy.
What is your view on the increasing role of money in Nigerian elections?
It is deeply worrying. Money now plays a central role, and I am concerned that voters are encouraged to sell their future for a few naira. People say: ‘Let me collect something now.
After all, it is my turn to benefit.’ But then, they may suffer for another four years. That is why I keep calling for stronger institutions. If the anti-corruption agencies work as they should, both the giver and taker of bribe would be punished. But no one fears the law.
Election is clearly manipulated and all they say is: ‘Go to court.’ When you do, nothing happens. If we don’t reform our electoral process, we are headed for anarchy. The social contract is breaking down. We need electoral reform and we must implement the Justice Uwais panel recommendations.
Do you support establishment of state police?
Absolutely. State police is long overdue. Amotekun proved that locals know their terrain better. If you deploy officers from Adamawa to Ondo, it may take them months to learn the environment.
Meanwhile, crimes are being committed every day. So, state police will ensure that locals protect their own communities.
It exists in many parts of the world. It won’t remove the powers of the federal police; it will complement them. But it must come with clear funding frameworks and accountability. We need a legal structure that will allow it to thrive.
Do you think the coalition against the President will work out?
I wouldn’t describe it as a coalition against the president; rather, I believe it is a coalition for Nigerians, a movement formed to represent the interests of all, not just a few. This is not about removing one man from power.
It is about creating a platform, where no single individual or group holds control. Many of the existing parties have already been hijacked by entrenched interests.
For instance, the NNPP has been infiltrated as has the Labour Party and the SDP. What is needed is a truly inclusive political platform; one that is not beholden to a godfather or faction, a genuine coalition of Nigerians. That, in my view, is what this movement is striving to become.
What is your take on restructuring?
Restructuring is absolutely the way forward for Nigeria. We need to restructure our political and economic framework in a way that empowers the states.
For example, here in Ondo State, we have untapped resources, bitumen – the second largest deposit in the world, gold, silica and limestone, all in abundance just lying dormant. I practice corporate and commercial law, particularly in sectors like oil and gas, solid minerals, infrastructure and banking.
I have seen firsthand how natural resources can either widen inequality or drive prosperity depending entirely on who is in charge and how they lead. Currently, natural resources are under the Exclusive Legislative List, meaning only the Federal Government has control. This must change. These resources should be moved to the Concurrent List, allowing both federal and state governments to participate.
That way, states can issue licenses, attract investment, and generate their own revenues. And beyond resource control, restructuring should also include serious consideration of our system of government. The presidential system we operate is not only costly but also inefficient. Perhaps, it’s time to consider a parliamentary system, which is more affordable and adaptable. Look at countries like the UK.
In a parliamentary system, if a leader underperforms, their party can remove them through a vote of no confidence, without the need to wait four years. Governance becomes more accountable, and leadership more responsive. If we truly want to unlock Nigeria’s potential, restructuring isn’t optional, it is essential.
