ONDO 2012: ACN WILL FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT - AJASIN

By Bashir Adefaka
Ondo State is the only missing block in the new South-West political map redrawn  by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the last election.  The party has swung into action to fill the gap. However, political analysts doubt the possibility with a Labour Party government waxing stronger under the leadership of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.  But the Chairman of the ACN in the Sunshine State, Chief Jumoke Ajasin-Anifowose, a lawyer and former Attorney-General on Ondo State, told Vanguard in an exclusive interview recently in Owo that, 'whether the Labour Party likes it or not, we will take over the government of Ondo State come 2012.' Excerpts.

How prepared is the ACN for the next governorship election in 2012?

We've just finished a general election and we are doing what we call post-mortem of all that happened in the last election.  We have sent some of our members to the field to check what went wrong in all the Local Government Areas.  When they bring their reports, we will collate and know exactly where things went wrong and strengthen those things that we should strengthen.  We are going to put more efforts.  But definitely, whether the Labour Party likes it or not, we will take over the government of Ondo State come 2012.

The Labour Party was considered an alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP in the 2007 election, how do you intend to dislodge the ruling party which also claims to be progressive?

Let me point out to you that the fact that you are wearing Awo's cap doesn't make you a progressive.  The progressive in you will show in all ramifications of your governance in the state.

Looking at the way properties are being destroyed both in Owo, and Akure, the state capital giving two- three days notice, I don't think that is the character of a progressive administration.  I mean if you want to demolish houses, you would have to notify the  owners long before commencing demolition.  In fact, somebody died in the process when he was face-to-face with the bulldozer coming to raze down his father's house at Owo here.  He fainted and never came round.  Another victim fainted and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owo.  So, tell me, what is progressive in the government that is destroying people's houses without giving them adequate time to prepare for it?  What I'm saying is that, before you demolish people's houses,  you must have first relocated them and pay them money for the relocation.

Also, a progressive government would not pay whooping sum of money to win people's votes.  You should allow your performance to speak for you because I know quite alright that the way you handle the affairs of government would say a lot about you.  Your good character as a government head should do the vote canvassing for you not to induce people with money to vote for you.  That, I can assure you, progressive government would not do.  You should be loved naturally and not to use money to buy love. So I don't see anything progressive in this government of Labour Party in Ondo State.

Why  do you think Ondo State people should revert to ACN?

Ondo State cannot be an island.  Of course like you said, all over the Oodua states - they are all ACN.  And good enough the ACN governors in those states are doing very well; they lead by example.  Even the opposition parties don't only envy them but also rightly acknowledge the excellent performances of those governors in their different states.

Take for instance Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State; you know, they've done tremendously well.  And the governors of Ekiti and Osun, Fayemi and Aregbesola who came after them have followed suit.  They are doing very well.  Within 100 days, Governor Aregbesola had come up with 20,000 created and actually occupied jobs.  So, it is with Governor Fayemi.  And the tremendous impacts of Governors Fashola and Oshiomhole which the rest of us are very proud of would be replicated in Ondo State.

We have been telling the people of Ondo State that if they vote for ACN to form the next  government, they will begin to enjoy those good things the people of Lagos, Edo, Ekiti, Osun and now Ogun and Oyo enjoy.  Ondo State people will also feel the same impact because we have good leadership and the leadership of the party has been making sure that our governments deliver in all the states and Ondo State ACN government will not be an exception.

How would you convince the people that your party  should  be trusted for the governorship come 2012?

What happened in 2007 has gone with 2007.  You know we had a gubernatorial candidate that people at that time were not too comfortable with.  They said he was in ACN and yet was romancing the PDP.  And at the end of the day when he lost the election he went to join the PDP, which then confirmed the reason for the people's claim.

Anybody we are going to put forward now as our gubernatorial candidate will be somebody, who has been very consistent with the party.  We are not going to take political prostitute who will disappoint us.  I don't think the party leadership will want to push such a person forward.

You have Chief Olu Falae in your state, so are others particularly the Afenifere leaders, Pa Reuben Fasanranti.  All these leaders are progressives but of different political platforms.  Don't you think it would make sense to tap from their experience in order to move forward?

Chief Falae is like an uncle to me and Pa Fasanranti is like a father.  They are in SDMP and I must let you know that SDMP in my own Owo Local Government are ready to join the ACN.  They are already asking to  meet with the ACN and so SDMP members are joining ACN and then it must be a directive from their leaders that they should make overture to us, which I have accepted.  They have met with the ACN chairman in my Local Government and very soon the SDMP in my Local Government will decamp to ACN.  In fact they have decamped.

What message do you  have for people in Ondo regarding preparation for the 2012 governorship election?

I want Ondo State people not to think of the money that they would give them on the day of election.  They should look forward to a better future, which ACN government will give to them, their children and children yet unborn.  Because ACN is like an offspring of the Action Group that started free education and you can see that free education has been the watchword of the ACN government of SouthWest and Edo states so far.  Once you have given somebody education, he will be able to excel, he will be able to innovate, he will be able to use his brain to take care of himself and ACN is making the acquisition of that education easy by making its access free.

So, I would advise Ondo people to think forward and vote Action Congress of Nigeria because this is the only party that can take them out of penury; that can provide for their needs: good roads, water, even stable power supply and so on.  We are going to do everything with all our minds and we are not going to disappoint or steal their money.