I am ready to take-on Seyi Makinde in 2023, says Adelabu

The Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2019 governorship election, Chief Bayo Adelabu attained the Golden Age status recently.  As part of activities to mark the occasion, the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) commissioned a number of projects, empowered a number of residents, among others. At a media brief that heralded the celebration, he reaffirmed his intention to govern Oyo State; among other issues, KUNLE BAKARE was at the event.

Any regret losing the last election to the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde?

So far I have no regret at all but to thank God for the successful outing. You know I was just coming from the public sector to join politics and for our party to score the number of votes is commendable. It was a close contest despite the fact that the eventual winner has been trying for long. Let me say this quite frankly, I have mastered the game now. To the glory of God, at 50 I don’t have any regret. God gave me good health. Here I am positively assisting my people. It is good enough for me to thank God.

You are so confident that you will dislodge the incumbent governor. What gives you the assurance?

Let me say this, this is an eye saw, we all know the reasons that led to my loosing the election. We had a robust campaign, we had a performing governor, God only wanted us to know that it’s only Him that can enthroned. When late Senator Abiola Ajimobi became governor, he defeated the incumbent. It was the coalition that failed our party. For instance, late Ajimobi scored 330,000, Baba (Senator Rasheed) Ladoja polled, 270,000, former governor Amala (Chief Alao-Akala) polled. 180,000; Senator Teslim Folarin polled 70,000, while Seyi Makinde polled 40,000. Although, we saw some lapses in the results, we overlooked it.

Now the coalition is not intact and today in APC we are one big family, the collapse of the coalition makes us stronger and if the election was held without that coalition GSM would have come fourth.

What is your take on the current leadership of your party?

As it is today, there is no crisis in our party, I was part of the reconciliation meeting at former governor Akala’s house with Governor Kayode Fayemi, and we are all ready to work together and when the issue of leadership emerged, we resolve to have college of leaders and former Governor Akala is the chairman of that college and nobody with ambition will be allowed to be member of that collegiate of leaders.

What’s your take god-fathering either in politics or in the private sector?

Let me call it mentorship. One should have mentors, I joined politics at 46, I came through someone. One must have a counselor or a mentor in politics or otherwise.

Do you think you can stand any chance of being APC candidate in 2023?

Democracy starts from the party, which our party clearly spells out. It’s either through direct election, indirect or consensus, which is the one we adopted during the last election. I was not imposed or handpicked over other aspirants. APC is where we have various people who can serve Oyo State. Let me ask you this rhetorically question: if you send someone to Lagos and that person had surmounted all obstacles on the road and while the person is close to Berger, there is a little traffic. Would you raise another person from Ibadan on the same to Lagos because of that traffic? I believe our leaders know what to do when the time comes.

Can you be prevailed upon to step down for any other aspirant?

The party will determine who will step down when the time comes. I am not to determine that.

How would you rate the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde so far?

There is presently no governance in Oyo State, I don’t see any area where his administration can be said to have excelled. Traffic management is poor; waste management is zero. In fact, all sectors of the state economy are nothing to write home about. I am so sure that he has not even impressed his immediate constituency. Also, this government has not done any significant thing in one-and-half-years. The exploitative tendencies of the present administration are legendary. We should not exploit but empower the people.

Yet other reason why I lost that election may be that I was not too known to the people, but now I will passionately contribute to the growth of the state.

What happened to your skill accusation centre at Oluyoro?

It is still in full operation and I even thank God you reminded me of that place. We are doing a lot for the people but I don’t like blowing my trumpets. In fact, the little publicity I am doing was base on pressure from politicians.

What, in your opinion, is the issues with Nigerian economy?

Lack of self-sufficiency is our major problem. We depend so much on importation. Three things will make our economy grow fast. One, we need to put our refineries in place, ban the importation of food items and fertilizers; and lastly, we need to fight corruption with all the strength we can monster.