Ogun State Politics: ‘People are tired of lies’ - Jide Awosedo

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Asiwaju Olajide Awosedo, a gubernatorial  aspirant in Ogun state  under  the platform of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) unfolds his plans in a chat with The Nation

Why do you want to contest for Ogun state governorship?

It is a passion to serve. A lot of politicians will say glowingly that they have a passion to serve but  if a person says  so, ask  for his background. If you get  to the town of that aspirant,  ask questions about  him. It is from there you will feel the pulse of the people in the area. I want to thank God because He has blessed me. I am not rich and I am not poor  either. I am contented. If I am not a governor  I will still live , they are not better than me. I  want to serve Ogun State because it is a state, a blazing state in Nigeria but we are fast losing  that position. We cannot fold our arms  and see things degenerating  like this.We are now in a state where we are not safe. In fact, this is a state without opposing views and that is not what late Pa Awolowo  laboured for. People are tired of lies and intrigues of all manners. And somebody has to be governor in 2011 whether you like it or not. I am the most acceptable candidate, ask anybody and it even showed when they all came out in their large numbers to receive us in all the areas we went to campaign.

What  do you  have for the people of Ogun  State?

I will start the agric extension where able bodied   men and women will be employed. We will build farm settlement centres. We will have  good conditions of service .The agric revolution  will change the people because we are blessed .These workers will be paid like their counterparts in other  places. We will revive all educational facilities in the state  and harmonise the teachers' salaries. All our health  facilities will have a facelift,  while workers' salaries will be increased.

We are going to connect Ogun Waterside to Lekki axis through a good road network and therefore  opening up Lekki to the old one by extension .There will be four mega cities in Ogun State.

On education , we are going to equip  all the schools  with educational facilities while the dilapidated ones  will be reconstructed .Education will be free  with good quality and we  will have  it  from primary to secondary schools while  we will slash fees of higher institutions to make life easy for students and their parents. Students will no longer spend  longer years in the universities .

How will you generate  internal revenue for the state?

This is another important aspect we must look into.We will not burden our people with tax as we would generate revenue from agriculture. That is the beauty of  agric revolution. From agriculture we will generate enough revenue .We will have enough food to eat within and outside Ogun and we will also have enough to  sell while the industries will pay tax. Not only this, we  will build 10,000 housing units every year and all the contractors will be employed. Through this  employment opportunities would be available.

But some people are talking about zoning of the governorship position.. [Cuts in]

The Peoples Democratic Party did  not support zoning! The chairman of the party had said it, and that is why the president, northerners, easterners are all contesting. It is by choice. Zoning is not an intelligent thing. If an Egba man wants to contest, I don't know why  a Remo man or woman cannot .

Do you believe in Godfatherism?

I don't have any godfather  but father God. However, I respect the  leaders of PDP. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is  one of the most respected and greatest  Yoruba  man living and he knows I respect him. I also respect Otunba Gbenga Daniel who is the leader  of the party in the state, and also Aare Jubril Martins Kuye, the party chairman, Soremi. I give respect to  these great people.

What of  the threat from ACN?

ACN knows that when I emerge,  there is a big chance for me to win. They are even afraid of me. I am a threat to them, go and ask.They know  if I emerge,  they cannot get me. I am the only one that  is prepared among them all, and that is why all of them are afraid of me.

It seems you are so sure of your chances?

Of course I have a vision. I am not talking only but I  have my master-plan to move Ogun State forward. Look, my little vision opened the Lekki axis in 2001 when I went there to build Goshen Estate. The place was a barren land before I got there and people thought I was mad, but I turned it to the best estate in Nigeria. The Lagos State government even gave me awards for turning the place to Eldorado. It is the best  estate today in Nigeria.

As I said earlier on , what we need is vision, we can link Lekki to Edo and Delta States by jetty. Ogun State has a waterside which is not developed at all. I have done a study  on the place and on Nigeria. I have photographs on how to go about it. So, when I become a governor, I don't need a consultant, its all there, its only left for me to implement  it. We have all it takes to be the best in the world but what we need is vision.

Now, that  election is near , everybody is afraid of crisis, what is your opinion?

Well, politics in this country and all over Africa is riddled with crisis. See what is happening in Cote D'Ivoire.I am afraid we are not prepared. Everything we are doing is by fire brigade approach. For Jega, the INEC chairman, he is trying but time is not on his side. He is trying to use the time left but let us be optimistic that we will get there.

'People are tired of  lies in  Ogun state'

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