Edo and Ondo states are currently in the news in the nation’s political firmament. We cornered the renowned Political and Governmental Analyst Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi,
an Apostle and Nation Builder, to air his candid analysis of the current situation in the aforementioned states; here’s excerpts from the interview:
O. A:
What is your assessment of governance impact in Edo State? If you think the impact falls beyond expectations, what are your personal recommendations?
*Ans:* The challenge of Governance Impact Assessment is complicated by the benchmark set by relevant international bodies given to it, such as International Association of Impact Assessment and of course the confrontations of our Clime as operating environment for democracy.
Let me take it one after the other.
The benchmark for measuring Governance Impact Assessment internationally favours developed democracy more than developing democracy. It focuses on freedom, respect of the rights of individuals, the rule of law and adherence to separation of powers.
If that is the basis to judge Obaseki’s last four years, he is internationally, a failure!
The clampdown on the Legislative Arm of Government for the better part of his administrative life over the state should be of concern to sincere Democrats like myself.
Local Government Administration and elections into the third tier of government went through torture in his hands, a usual game by our Governors; another unpleasant experience under Obaseki!
To think that the same person will find the legislative arm useful at concluding his fallout with Shuaibu is unbelievable that all we need is to draw our conclusions from the sad reality of our liliy-livered Legislators who are items to be purchased by the highest bidder in the political market!
However, in the context of the needs of the people of Edo State, I will rate him above average. You know our politicians are capable of drilling a borehole beside a river! If you know what that means. The people will still travel their usual distances to the river bank to fetch the same water they have always fetched. It may be cleaner in appearance because it has filtered through the soil to flow through pipes but it’s still the same water from the river with all its impurities flowing through a tap, which is enough to excite the poor and illiterates among us!
It is important that the Government Impact Assessment (GIA) for Edo and Ondo States be properly conducted.
Well, the Executives of PVC Naija, led by President Paula Bellgam would want me to step aside from being part of the GIA Committee for Edo State, given my confrontation with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over Obaseki.
Sincerely, in retrospect, I think the President was right about Obaseki being autocratic in disposition which is not good for the development of our democracy!
If the development of Democracy is at the mercy of a virile opposition then, we are at a crossroads on Edo.
For how do we in all honesty support APC, a party that is already showing the glide towards a one party state at the national level against PDP in Edo because of Obaseki who is on his way out for being Autocratic?
Unfortunately, Labour Party’s eyes are not on this ball at all!
The challenge of this autocratic allegation is that Ogie for me is another Obaseki and he is on the PDP Ticket’s pair. A burden that Asue Ighodalo doesn’t deserve!
The hallmark of democratic leadership is in keeping your words. Does Ogie keep his word? Of all the many failings of President Tinubu, you can’t accuse him for not keeping his word. Well, I will talk at the time most appropriate on Edo election in my capacity as Bolaji O. Akinyemi before the election. Development of our Democracy is stranded presently because the best opposition institution we have ever had in APC is now in power running government with media and propaganda tools which the opposition should be doing. And PDP as the leading opposition are content with the arrogance of “the people can see what we are doing”. They are out of the Government but have refused to accept their new status as the leading opposition party. Put little me side by side PDP on opposition of government policy engagement and draw your conclusion of PDP failure as an opposition!
PDP should be out in partnership with the media, invest in propaganda machinery to set the records straight and educate the public. On these, PDP is dead and we may soon have to bury it!
Unfortunately, LP is not taking advantage of this, their Ambassador in power is too refined for politics and its games. I hope he won’t pay dearly for this in the next election. Politics is more about talking than doing, Otti is all doing and not talking! On this I am sincerely concerned for him and the LP!
Not even in almighty America is politics different!
Trump is first of all, a mouthy candidate rather than a better candidate compared to Biden. Democracy is the same everywhere, this for me, is the reason the Edo debacle should be pragmatically considered in view of all perspectives before we choose the side to go with.
Otti’s acceptance of the leadership role that destiny has bestowed on him can change the game in Edo, Ondo, Anambra or other state for that matter.
What APC is today can’t be divorced from the assessment and perception of Lagos with Tinubu as the Governor!
O.A:
What do you think are the expectations of the people of the state and to what extent has the governor fallen within or below their expectations?
*Ans:* Expectations today are relative, I know this question is asked with a particular reference to Edo. But it applies to all our states. Expectations are amoebic, changing shape and patterns. The masses are too hungry to care about real development. People are concerned about where their next meal will come from, whoever is used to make this happen will be an influence at swinging the pendulum of power!
This is what a candidate like Ayedatiwa will be banking on and he is privileged to the treasury to have that done!
But the Elites in Edo and Ondo must set up intervention projects on Voters’ Education at assisting the electorates to make informed decisions at the poll. A wrong decision by the poor masses will bounce back if we don’t get involved as Elites in practical terms!
That is what is bouncing back in Kogi, which is a neighbouring state to both Edo and Ondo. The impunity of our political class and oppressive nature of Governance must concern us. The Elite class, not political, but business and intellectuals have kept more Nigerians going since the last election held in 2023! Why won’t they come together to get their state running?
O.A:
The primary election in Ondo State that was held on Saturday, April 20th, is said to be fraught with electoral irregularities. To what extent is this rumour true and what should the INEC do?
*Ans:* Where was Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi State and the Chairman of APC Committee on the Primary election in Ondo State? He was possibly more concerned about helping Yahaya Bello escape from the arm of the law than attending to the responsibility of conducting a free and fair primary election. APC should produce a picture of Ododo taken anywhere in Ondo State on the day of the primary. What was witnessed in Ondo was an abduction of democracy and its supervisory institution by the power of incumbency in all the 203 wards of the 18 Local Government Area of the State. What was the party expecting from a man like Ododo? That primary was a charade and further confirmation of “Emilokanology” at determining APC primaries after the pattern that produced Tinubu. Ayedatiwa took it to the gutters! I had made a recommendation to APC Delegates to rally round Prof Dayo Fajuyile in a video I titled my advice to APC Delegates. Dayo Fajuyile, for heaven’s sake is a Professor of Forensic medicine. The greatest challenge of Ondo State is the departure of her youth from her once upon a time cherished value on education. There is the need to project the future and mentor the youth through political leadership which is what I expected from all political parties in Ondo to be able to wean Ondo youth from easy milk of Yahoo trade to which the majority of them are sold by example of certificateless leaders without any known means of livelihood before politics. Ondo has lost its rating in WAEC performance, its now almost on the same level with the so-called educationally disadvantaged States of the core North. Dayo would have been a rekindling of value for education.
But APC had squandered that. We can only hope that PDP will get it right. The biggest selling point any political party could be privileged of, is to have an Aspirant who is the highest single indigenous tax payer asking for the party’s ticket. On this alone, I expected PDP to have opted for a consensus in Bosun. But you know what? APC and PDP are head or tail of the same coin. Let’s hope PDP will not fall into the snare that APC is right now!
If Bosun Arebuwa doesn’t get PDP ticket and APC refused to address the scam of a primary conducted in Ondo as it did in Edo then the tone of disappointment of the youthful components of our electorates that would have been divided between APC and PDP but rallied to become the force that powered the 3rd horse called the Obedient in the last general election may be the lot of Ondo!
Give me a credible candidate on the platform of the Labour party, backed by Otti and I will deliver Ondo to opposition. What exactly am I saying? Ondo, as a South West State must go to the opposition if we hope to save our democracy from the one party state that recent regular dinner at Bourdillon is aiming it for. PDP is better positioned to make this happen. I hope they do.
O.A:
Do you think Gov. Aiyedatiwa, having served under the late Rotimi Akeredolu and later replaced him as gov has what it takes to emerge as winner of the forthcoming governorship election?
*Ans:* A man can’t give what he doesn’t have. Ayedatiwa needs to prove his personal content. You can simply tell the capacity of a leader by their respect and enthusiasm for ideas and that I have not seen in him. Nevertheless, It will be unfair to conclude on him but sincerely the pragmatism and charisma of Akeredolu is yet to be seen.
O.A:
Do you think he has what it takes to replicate Akeredolu’s legacies if he eventually wins the election?
*Ans:* An idea of Governance Impact Assessment on Akeredolu was presented to him. Can he count on his fingertips the projects of Akeredolu? He missed the opportunity to take stock of Akeredolu years and reflect on the failures, appreciate the success, quantify the gap and how to fill them. Okitipupa has been in darkness for 15 years, that is the prime city of his political zone. What has he done since becoming a Governor to address that? What is the basis for him to expect that Okitipupa should give him their votes.
O.A:
How would you assess Ondo politics in the context of power sharing and governance impact?
*Ans*: on Governance Impact Assessment, I wouldn’t want to let the cat out of the bag. It will be conducted on Akeredolu/Ayedatiwa years and the result will be out to guide the electorate in Ondo. As for the unwritten power sharing formula in the state, it goes to confirm my position that Ondo and Edo are unpredictable. The natural injustice and political oppression that is common across the country has no home in both states. Parties with internal justice stand a greater chance in both states.
O.A:
What roles have your NGOs played in shaping credible election and good governance in both Edo and Ondo states?
*Ans*: Thank you for this question. I am privileged to be the founder of Project Victory Call Initiative, aka PVC-Naija, as the name suggests we operate through projects to fulfill our mandate of political education and advocacy towards equipping the electorate at performing their civic responsibilities dutifully and peacefully. Community Ambassador for Peaceful Election was set up in the states during their last election in 2020. iWalk another awareness walk held in both states before the last general election to say no to Vote buying. Adding our new product; Governance Impact Assessment to that before the election in Ondo and Edo can only better the lots of the electorate at making informed decisions at the polls.
