By The Grace Of God PDP Will Win Lagos State In 2015—Prince Adeniyi
Prince Omoba Adeniyi .A.Aborishade is the Apapa Local Government chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is one of the PDP leaders in Lagos State who is not afraid to express his mind but prefers political transparency than corruption or imposition. In this brief interview with Godday Odidi, he explained why APC can no longer win Lagos State in 2015 and other issues affecting the country.
Excerpts:
Can we meet you sir?
I am Prince Omoba Adeniyi .A.Aborishade, the present party chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Apapa Local government Area in Lagos State.
How long have you been the PDP party chairman in Apapa local Government Area of Lagos State?
I have spent over three years now as a party chairman of the PDP in Apapa. I took over from the former party chairman because he got a traditional appointment in his village and I was elected to replace him after our party ward congress in 2011.
What is the requirement to be elected as a PDP party chairman in each Local Government in Nigeria?
To be elected as a PDP party chairman in Local Government, you must be loyal; everybody must know you in your Local Government, party commitment and dedication. Since 1998 of PDP existence, I have been working with all the party chairmen. I was the secretary of PDP ward of this Local Government. I have held many positions in this ward of the PDP; I am not new in PDP politics. All the PDP helmsmen in Lagos State know my political ability in my Local Government.
Did you see the last Ekiti elections as an opportunity for the PDP to win in Lagos State 2015?
PDP is difficult to beat in any given elections. Those PDP governors that defected from PDP to APC had their political selfish interests. Some intended to go for senate but PDP structure has already given those second terms as governors. Most of these governors that defected never performed well in their states.
Can PDP win Lagos State in 2015?
By the grace of God, we are going to take over Lagos State in 2015. In the last Local Government elections in Lagos State, PDP won 4 councillor seats out of 7 in my Local Government here but the court denied us and gave us 2. We won 128 councillor seats in last elections but they gave us 18 only and also won 6 chairmanship seats, Epe, Okeode, Ikoyi, Obalende, Badagry and Agbado but the court denied us. Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu boasted to us that he created the 37 Local Governments, so he has the right to give us any seat. They robbed our party in Lagos State. But today in my Local Government, we have two PDP serving councillors. Many Lagosians are wise now.
APC is just using rigging and propaganda to win elections. I want to tell you that the electorates are wiser than the politicians. We don't have social amenities in Ijora-Badia here and we have a Local Government chairman. APC is a failure in Lagos State.
Why PDP in Lagos State is delaying to announce their governorship candidate? We have many candidates in PDP in Lagos State. Dr.Ade Dosumu still remains our candidate because PDP returning ticket still with him. We will not like to divulge our candidate because the opposition is waiting to see our sellable candidate .Politics is all about taking our opposition unaware. We have learnt our lessons in PDP in Lagos State.
Is like Federal Government does not recognise the 57 Local Governments in Lagos State except 20. Is it true?
Yes of course! It affected us here because the Federal Government told us that some of the Local governments won by the PDP are illegally created by the former Lagos State governor, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu. After the elections. The national PDP never compensated us.
It appears that APC in Lagos State use more thugs to rig elections, is there any guarantee that PDP will win Lagos State come 2015?
In Lagos State, thugs are being paid #10.000 every month. This time around electoral voting is computerised. So multiple voting is disallowed. Security will be provided. These so-called thugs scare people from voting their choice candidates. Propagandist is the rigging tone of the APC and nothing else. Whether APC thugs like it or not, we shall vote out these political criminals in 2015. It was Bola Tinubu that created thugs to rig elections for him.
With the present security challenges in Nigeria, do you see PDP winning at the national level in 2015?
If Buhari could say, he would make Nigeria ungovernable after 2011 elections, that is what you are seeing now but President Goodluck Jonathan will win come 2015. By the grace of God PDP will win Lagos State. They have sent several thugs to kill me but God passed them. APC is a tribalised party while PDP is detribalised party. Nobody wants to vote for Boko Haram party in Nigeria. Many people have lost their lives on this present situation in Nigeria. All APC states will be coasted to the PDP but Osun state is already in PDP wining list come August 9th,2014.
PDP seems to be the last hope of the common man in Lagos State because the APC is described as an elitist party for the few, so what is your preparation so far?
I have said it before that PDP will take over Lagos State in 2015. All the rigging mechanisms are no longer working in Nigeria. We shall put our best in the coming elections. We are praying that assassination cases should not be alternative tactics to win Lagos State.Lagosians is wiser than the politicians.