By Tunde Thomas

Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Dr.  Suraj Adekunbi, in this interview urged Nigerians to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in order to ensure the success of various plans and programmes of action being put in place by    the APC-led federal government.

What is your reaction to the recent defection of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to PDP?
Honestly speaking, I will say I’m not surprised or shocked because the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of movement, association, and expression. However, having said that, I believe the former Vice President should have stayed back in the APC team, to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders to build a new Nigeria, a process APC has already started. But then Atiku is an adult who is capable of deciding or taking independent actions on his own.

Some have expressed concern that APC will suffer the consequences of Atiku’s defection as many of his supporters may follow him to PDP, what is your take on this?
No doubt Atiku is a seasoned politician, but his defection can never be a threat to the APC. Since his defection, how many mass defection have you seen from our party, APC? None. That’s to tell you that APC is solidly intact. Luckily for us in APC, President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to perform brilliantly, thereby endearing himself to millions of Nigerians. The positive impact of changes promised by Buhari is being felt all over the country. For us in APC, life goes on with or without Atiku.

Nigerians are divided over the performance of the APC administration, with some saying nothing has changed. What is your opinion about the debate?
Since the current APC administration, you will agree with me that we have had to tackle one issue after the other. Many of these issues were problems we inherited from the previous administrations under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Before 2015, there was the very serious issue of insurgency in some parts of the country. Then, the Boko Haram issue was very critical. But to God be the glory, today, we have been able to curtail the group.
So, if anybody will give credit to Buhari and APC that is one area where the administration has tried immensely for Nigerians. Incessant bombings and vandalisation in other parts of the country have also been addressed, including youth restiveness in the Niger Delta. The Buhari administration has also placed emphasis on capital projects and many of such are currently going on all over the country. So, I am sure Nigerians can see the effort of the government at the centre. That is why they still trust the APC.
The fight against corruption is another great achievement of this administration. No government has paid attention to the issue of corruption in Nigeria like the Buhari administration. The APC as a party has shown that it has zero tolerance for corruption and that is showing in the way the government has moved against corrupt practices and persons since 2015. The fight against corruption is without regard to who is involved. The government has been executing the corruption war effectively by giving free hands to relevant agencies to operate.
In no distant time, Nigeria will be better off for it. I am very sure the country will reap from the effort of Mr. President since 2015. What I see happening now is that we are putting in place the basic ingredients of national development. After many years of misrule, it is not going to be easy to just start building a new nation without correcting certain things. That is what Buhari and the APC are currently doing and the greatest beneficiaries of these efforts would be Nigerians from across the country.

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Coming to Ogun State, how would you rate Governor Amosun’s efforts so far?
I have said it several times that the basic responsibility of any people-oriented government is in the areas of security and welfare. And when you look at these two in Ogun State, you will agree with me that we have really done well. Concerning security here in Ogun State, our story has really changed and the people can attest to this. The security operatives can attest to this.
And talking about welfare, I make bold to say in this dispensation, we are one of the states to talk about positively. Governor Amosun never jokes with the welfare of the people and this is why Ogun is known for policies that positively impact on the lives of our people. In the area of salaries and wages of workers, I believe that Ogun State is one of the states that are faring well across the country today. We all know how difficult things are now, but the Amosun administration has put the peoples’ welfare over and above any other consideration.
And if the talk is about infrastructural development, you will see that we have actually kept the tempo and sustained what we started like a joke in our first term. There is this notion that second terms are for governors not to perform, but we have put a lie to that. Like we did in the first term, the Amosun-led APC government has continued the rebuilding mission it started in 2011. We have assured the people that we will not rest on our oars in rebuilding Ogun State and we are keeping to the promises made.

But the PDP in Ogun State says your party has not performed and as such, will be voted out in 2019?
We are already in electoral season. In no time, politicking will start full blown. So, we should expect the opposition to speak like that. Same PDP is claiming Buhari has not done anything at the centre, but I say Buhari and APC are building institutions for national development. People can talk, people can boast, but the voters know what they want and how to get it. In Ogun State, the APC has delivered on our promises to the people. And at the federal level, APC is just two or three years in the saddle and, already, we are surpassing a party that spent almost two decades in charge. I am not moved by their threats.
The truth of the matter is that as an aspirant for the position of governor who has been going round all nooks and crannies of the state to see things for myself so that when the time to ask for the people’s votes comes, I will know what to tell them, I can tell you that our people are happy with the APC as a party. Yes, the expectations of the people remain very high, but they also admit that the APC has tried in meeting some of these expectations. What is left to be done is to ensure that after 2019, we consolidate on the gains of the current administration. And I strongly believe I am the man who can do that, having served with Amosun since 2015.

There is the issue of zoning in Ogun State. You are from Yewa, do you think enough is being done by your zone to get the governorship in 2019?
I want to enjoin our brothers and sisters in Ogun East and Ogun central to please support the aspiration of Ogun west, that’s Yewa to produce the next governor of the state in 2019. This is to give us a sense of belonging as stakeholders in the state. We cannot lay claim to the governorship simply on the basis of zoning. No, rather, we will like to appeal to our brothers and sisters to graciously give us the opportunity to taste what they have tasted severally in the past. It is only when we make them see the need to support us that the agenda will move smoothly and successfully.
It is one of the things we need to do for us to continue to live as brothers and sisters and in peace. It is one of the things we need to do to create the much needed impression that all zones in the state are equal partners and as such will have the opportunity of aspiring for any office in the state. It is something we need to do to create a balance in the socio-political trajectory of our dear state. So, I want to beg our people from east and central senatorial zones to make this rare sacrifice for us in the interest of brotherly love.

You have been going round of recent to meet various groups and persons on your aspiration. How has the experience been?
Nobody can build something on nothing. I have record speaking for me. I am not new to the people. They have seen what I have done in the past seven or so years and many people are pleased with the handling of the House of Assembly. A good number are appreciating the synergy we created between the executive and the legislature. Others are happy that we protected the interest of the people very well since the inception of this government as the elected representatives of the people in the current administration.
The people have seen that passion and readiness in me to serve. They have openly appreciated the selflessness we bring to bear on governance and they are asking for more. This is why I usually say that my quest for the governorship is beyond personal ambition. It is actually hinged on what the people of the state desire. I have listened to many people and I am convinced that the best thing I can do now is to offer myself for the task of consolidating the many efforts and gains of the current administration.
As the Speaker of the House of Assembly, with the support of my distinguished colleagues, I have demonstrated that zeal to always put Ogun first. We are known for always considering the interest of the state over and above all things in taking decisions since we got on board. It is this zeal and passion that went before us such that when we met the people, it was easy to tell them what we intend to do. They already have fair idea of who we are and what we have done.
The consultations continue; the people have the decision to make. We have the talking to do and we are doing that. My approach to the whole thing is that we should come out and tell the people of the state what we want to do as well as what we have done before. Ogun people are very sophisticated and intelligent. They are not the type of voters you can bamboozle with grammar or any other form of propaganda. We will continue to engage our people across the state on our desire. We are grateful to our leader and mentor, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, for the fatherly role he is playing.