Chief Olajide Awe, former State Chairman of APC in Ekiti State for 12 years, raises the need for the restructuring of Nigeria, a return to regional Government as well as a call to Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State to stay in Ekiti State and face governance in this exclusive interview with EMMANUEL ADENIRAN, the Ekiti State Correspondent of Parrot Xtra Magazine.
Excerpts Below:
Sir, it looks like you have been hibernating politically in Ekiti State because you seem to be less relevant in the scheme of things in the state. Was it because you worked against the incumbent governor during the last primary election that has probably made you to stay off major activities in the state?
I think you may not get it right. As a Party Chairman, my duties and functions were to see to the balance of issues within the party. I was in the saddle for 12 years as Party Chairman in this state. Primary Election is a step out of many political activities. If one scaled through the primary of a party, the larger step is within the party itself to be able to win the governorship or presidential election. For me, my duty is to organize the primary which I did. If one way or the other, I was suspected to be siding one candidate against the other, did I abandon my duties as a Party Chairman during the election? The answer is No. I campaigned round this state with Dr. John Kayode Fayemi.
I went through the nooks and crannies of the state. We conducted the election and we won. Then what else? If you are in the saddle for 12 years, you deserve to rest. It is not rest really. But when you have been given your own share of the cake, you have to sit down and enjoy it very well. After the election, I was appointed as one of the Directors in Nigerite and Nigerite is in Lagos.
I found out, that I needed to allow the new set of people who are now managing the party to do it. I only come in occasionally to correct them if I see something wrong. I may not be at the centerstage as you have rightly observed but I still perform my duties as party statesman in the State.
As you may know me, I am not a noise maker. But I am doing my duties that I am supposed to be doing and here you are meeting me in my personal office where I transact my own business.
So, it is not that I am hibernating at this time, I don’t want a situation where I will be accused of not allowing the young ones to also set their own pace within the political landscape like the Yoruba will say “juunu ma je ko daatan, oju o kuro ni be ni”.
Aside the appointment you said you were given at the state level by the governor himself, is there any other appointment that you were given?
The governor appointed me as a Director to represent Ekiti State in Oodua Company. I don’t have to struggle for any position at the state level. And let me tell you, I have served for 12 years as a Chairman of the party. I know the position that fits me at the State level. I cannot be a Commissioner. If I have been commanding the whole party before, I should not now subsume my status to now be carrying files. This is because that is what people have not realized. There are some positions that are meant for you, it is not as a result of age, it’s as a result of the position which God Almighty has placed you and with respect to Ekiti State APC leadership allowed me to serve for 12 years.
If after 12 years, I still begin to struggle to share positions with those that have taken instructions from me. I know my limit and I know what suits me as a person. So, when the Governor said Mr. Chairman, you are going to Oodua Investment Corporation to serve in Nigerite as Ekiti State representative and a Director, I could not say no.. Secondly when I got there, I met my colleagues those who have served as Commissioners for 8 years in Ondo State, one Mr. Ayeni. Those who have served for a number of years in Lagos State as Commissioners. Those who have gone to the House of Representatives. Our present Chairman in Nigerite contested the Primary with Rauf Aregbesola.
Sir, aside getting appointment, what actually have you been doing as a business to keep yourself busy?
I am a community leader. I hold one of the highest chieftaincy titles in my community. As of today, I have farm investments in that community.
I must tell you in Erijiyan Ekiti today, I am one of the big-time farmers there. I have palm tree plantations. I have fish ponds. Again, I do some petty businesses here and there which I may not like to disclose and occasionally when it is time for meeting in Lagos, I go there. We have meetings 2-3 times quarterly and come back. So, I am fully occupied and I do my politics too.
As a man who has been the Party Chairman for 12 years, with what is happening now in the state and in the party, are you satisfied with the way the party is being run?
You know politics is dynamic and as human being, we have to move with the dynamism of the party. Nobody got it all. When an actor comes to the stage, he will perform his own part, it now depends on whether he will do it well or he doesn’t do it to satisfy the audience. But the fact remains that no actor owns the stage forever.
You do your part and let others do their own part. It is the audience that will assess them whether they are doing well or not. For me I have done my own part. Those who are there now right from the national level to the ward level. Nobody needs to tell them before they now realized that things are not going on very well. That has led to the dissolution of the party Executives right from national to ward level. We are now operating a Caretaker Committee that will set up the party again from the foundation. That is why I am appealing to people that they should let us go back again and rebuild our party.
I know you will agree with me that for over two years now, that the current government has been in place, the party has been somehow divided in the state. You as a statesman in the party in the state, what do you think is the way out? What solution do you think you can proffer to the party from your own experience?
Thank you very much. For the past two years you mentioned, not that I am in agreement with you, but it is very obvious that there is problem within the party and this is always the case in any political space. It is a matter of agreement and disagreement which I think on the long run, we will come together because it is an enterprise that a single person cannot carry out alone. Political party, government and politics are for everybody. So, when things are not going in the right way, I think the best thing is to adjust and do the needful, that is one.
Having division within the party, to me is normal but it should not be carried to the level that they won’t be able to reconcile. As a statesman, I have done a lot, I have met both sides and even before yesterday, on Saturday, I was meeting a group of people among the stakeholders and I was telling them that you are looking for a way and you said the Executive was not properly constituted and they should be dissolved. Naturally, as if your prayers have been answered, the Executives have been wined down right from the national level to ward level. It is now time for us to reconstruct it. We can’t be outside again. And we have to move in.
I agree with you sir, it has been dissolved but it’s like it is still the same people that were there initially…
They were transformed to Caretaker Committees. Otherwise, let’s go down to the basics, if all of them have been dissolved and were asked to go, there won’t be any foundation where we will build upon. It is like you asked a bricklayer to remove the foundation of the house. What will happen to the whole house? It will collapse. So, what they have done is that, they dissolved them, but they are still allowed to remain as the Caretaker Committees though not all of them, particularly the principal officers who will now organize another Executives or another party registration which they are about to do and I think it is 25th of this month.
So, the total dissolution of people we are expecting cannot happen. Otherwise, we won’t have any party. What I am saying is that, there is no place to import people from heaven to repopulate the earth. What God gave us is to procreate and bring in new people who will take time before they get to maturity. The older one will be going while the younger ones will be coming. So, its political party and we can’t say these people are bad. The set of leadership we are having in the party today, we said they should all be removed. Where will you have people to replace them? Even if the NotTooYoungToRun people are allowed to contest in the party, you will still find out that it will take time because politics and political parties are serious enterprise which you cannot just jump into in a day.
So, what we are saying is that a lot of tolerance must be given. If we don’t tolerate one another, the whole thing will collapse and at the end of the day, none of us will benefit. So, this is what I have been telling our people who are on the other side saying that they don’t like the present setup. This is the chance for them to come in and participate and possibly amend whatever they are not in consonance with.
Sir, going a little bit from the state to the national, few years ago, we all knew what happened at the national level, how the Adams Oshiomhole-led national executive was banned and replaced with caretakers at the national level. It was widely argued that our incumbent governor was one of the actors that was responsible for the removal of Adams Oshiomhole. As a statesman in this party, did you also subscribe to this, and his removal?
I will say no with some reasons. It was obvious that I was part of Oshiomhole’s executive at the state level. I only left in 2018 after I had been there for 12 years. Prior to that time, I had been saying it that Adams Oshiomhole’s style will crumble this party because sincerely, in my own opinion, Adams Oshiomhole ran the party as his personal enterprise. He hardly listened to members of the executive. So, his own attitude gave room for people to come round and infiltrate the system. Personally, as a comrade, I like Oshiomhole as a person but his style of leadership was the problem, that is one. On the other hand, whether somebody aided his removal or the dissolution of the executive or not, well, we are all actors and we believe that if things are no longer moving on very well, it should be replaced and let another person come in.
Nobody is perfect, if you look at the right side, you should also look at the left side, then you try to balance and move. Now, we have everything wrong in Edo State. We are beginning again. Our Governor defected to the PDP before our own eyes as Yoruba would say. Obaseki went there, got hold of the ticket there, contested election and won. What is our gain now as APC? We have lost in that place. So, this goes a lot to explain human relationship. Somebody you campaigned for, somebody that you are there together through thick and thin, if he doesn’t listen to you, then, why don’t you talk to another person to listen to you. Why should you bring the whole house down? So, for APC members in Edo State now, they are feeling the heat.
But you see, care must be taken in APC. This is an advice. What happened to Oshiomhole is still being repeated with the Caretaker led by Mai Buni, we are still revolving in the same circle now. Buni’s tenure as a caretaker chairman ought to have expired, it has been elongated for another 6 months which to me, God forbid, he may not have done anything because there is nothing concrete that is coming from the caretaker committee headquarters of APC now.
There is also an argument that the removal of Adams Oshiomhole is likely to be targeted against Tinubu’s Presidential Ambition because Oshiomhole happens to be his political Son…
You see, one of the problems of we politicians, is that we are like mouse or rat. If you put bread here, and you set trap infront of it, a mouse coming will be looking at the bread, he won’t look at the trap and that bread is far to where the trap is placed and while coming, a mouse will now run to the trap and he won’t be able to eat the bread. That is the nature of typical African politicians that we have.
How is it applicable to you sir?
We are talking about 2023. It’s applicable to all of us. Why should it be that Oshiomhole being the National Chairman of a party in Abuja was spreading his tentacles to distrupt the system in Edo. Likewise, we are in 2021 and we are talking about the issue of 2023. We have the inadequacies of today, instead of people to allow us get to 2023 peacefully.
That was what I told them recently, I said, look, we are placing too much emphasis on Presidency. Whereas you and I know what is done in the Presidency has less relevant to us. It is what goes on here that some of us should have saddled our energy with, but all our people are are talking about is 2023. You see, the issue of Tinubu or no Tinubu, those who are against his aspiration are people least expected.
But, what I am saying is that, why don’t we have a solid party first, a very big and strong party that all of us can partake in. Inordinate ambition is one of the reasons why we don’t have strong institutions in our political parties, the one that is backed up by law. Three years ahead, people are fighting for that position. The man that is there now is not even doing anything yet, we Nigerians are not satisfied with what Buhari is doing. But that is politics for you. So, for me, if Oshiomhole was removed because of Tinubu a year ago and it’s most unfortunate, but Oshiomhole too has his own inadequacies, he has his own flaws, that is why he was not allowed to complete his tenure. He has placed the cart before the horse and that was what led to him being removed out of the office but I think it is not Tinubu issue.
Moving away from that, do you think your party in Ekiti State has done enough for the people of Ekiti State to give them another opportunity come 2022?
You see when you look at the state, since 1996, when it was created. No party or anybody has satisfied the people in terms of giving the people the best, in terms of provision of welfare for the people, in terms of taking good care of the people and also in terms of reducing the problem of the people.
But as you know, like they normally say, that Rome was not built in a day and I believe sincerely that our party, the APC, is doing it’s own bit to the limit of the resources we have because a state is not run on the basis of personality but it’s on the basis of the economy of what is accruable to that state and whoever is there is able to manage the resources of the state.
But, I believe prudently that the APC, at least, our governor has been trying as much as possible. We can’t finish all and we can’t satisfy all at the same time but I believe we are doing the best for now.
Sir, there was a time, the opposition in Ekiti State, the PDP accused the incumbent Governor of traveling about, that he doesn’t stay in the state, how do you reconcile this that he is performing?
That is their own observation, that is the way they see it. I noticed that too, and there was an open meeting we had at the government house where that issue was addressed. But when you come to see it, our Governor is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum. And again, it is been rumored that he has Presidential ambition. Then, all we can now say is that he should not allow all those side assignments to disturb his primary assignment as a Governor in Ekiti State. Staying at home, and looking at the situation here and providing solutions to the problems of the people is much more important now. Those are the things that can make this State grow and we told him this much at a recent open meeting that we held with him. And again, people should at least stay within the limit of their tenure and carry it out legitimately and conclusively.
Has he has taken to it?
Yes, he has taken to it. In the last 6 months, the Governor has wined down some of his side assignments like going to Bayelsa State, going to Rivers and all that.
Coming to this issue of COVID-19 sir, just recently, another directive and instruction was given for lockdown, do you think this is okay especially with people already tired of being locked down by the state.
The government must perform its sacred duties and whoever violates it will face the wrath of the law. The primary motive of setting up a government is to control our affairs and when the man that leads the affairs realizes that things are not going on well, it is part of his duties to caution. If we are locked down from 8pm – 6am, it is for our benefit because it is better to prevent than to cure. As for me, I even hail the Governor of Ekiti for taking that decision. We don’t have to allow our people die because we apply precautions.
What about considering the economic activities of the people?
When there are no people, where is the economy? Economy doesn’t evolve itself, it is the people that evolves it. When those people are dying, what type of economy are we going to have? It is the people that set up the economy. If we are balancing it, whatever we are able to do from 6am in the morning to 8pm in the evening, it should be enough rather than allowing things to degenerate. Recently, in a family, about 3-4 people died within 72 hours and its preventable, but people don’t listen, they are still partying, they are still going to crowded areas not observing all the necessary safety protocols.
The PDP in the state is seriously boasting that they are going to take over the administration of the State from the APC come 2022, how is your party planning to prevent this?
It is because of the trend here, that is, the PDP and the APC coming in and going out. But I know, we will break the jinx very soon during the 2022 Governorship election in Ekiti State. The APC as a party will do all its best possible to retain power and that is why we are saying that whatever we can do to please our people, we will try as much as possible to do it. We will first of all organize ourselves. We will position ourselves in such a way that it will be possible for us. We are going to break the jinx in the coming election and be victorious.
Who and who should we expect?
Those who have interest. We will not go and beg anybody. I myself, that I am talking to you, I am also preparing for one thing or the other but when it is time, you will know. People who satisfy the requirement, people who actually are prepared for the job, they will come out, then, we will assess them within the party. And at the end of the day, we will zero down to one which we are going to push to the people.
There’s this analysis that I will like you to react to. I saw it somewhere, it read thus: Buhari + Tinubu = APC, Buhari – Tinubu = CPC, Tinubu – Buhari = AD/AC/ACN. CPC is ruling and some AC have joined the ruling party against ACN, can ACN remain the same as CPC is clearly in charge now?
Those who made that calculation are not too far from the truth because the political party is an amalgamation of different political interests and groups. We will not run away from the truth. There is Tinubu’s interest in this APC and you know where we are coming from. There is also Buhari’s interest in this APC. This is what we are saying and that is why we are doing what we are doing. We want our party, the APC to remain intact.
Buhari contested for four times until he beckoned to us. We too of ACN cannot do it alone, it’s like somebody is looking for something and you have that thing. You too want to dispose it off. So, if you are able to see somebody who wants it, you have to give it out. So, fusing together will achieve both aims. We wanted power in ACN then. We wanted to get to the top. And it was difficult. Buhari too wanted to get to that place and we realized, that if two of us could come together, we would achieve our aims. What is left for us now is how to manage the situation where one will not be injured to the extent that we will no longer have interest in moving out together.
On this note sir, Nigerians at the moment are seem tired of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. You as a leader, how are you going to appeal to Nigerians at this critical time?
It is not Nigerians that are tired. The fact is that Buhari no longer has enough energy to continue as a President of this Country. What is wrong with Nigeria are the Nigerians themselves. We are the cause of our problems.
Recently, people started talking of restructuring. The president is not listening or the Presidency because they don’t believe in restructuring Nigeria. My take is this, let us just restructure this country along regions. Let’s go back to regionalism, and have a weak centre that can be controlled by whoever is put there as the President, to strive at the centre with few of its loads. That will make the centre very unattractive and whoever goes there will have less to deal with. The power would have scaled down to the regions, either 6 or 7, and then occasionally, we will be meeting one on one to deal with some critical issues of national Interest. Nigeria will still remain, presidential system will still remain but with modifications.
Do you think the Northern power brokers will agree to this?
Why not? We need to tell them and that is the problem we are still having until we have somebody who believes in that system up there in the North. I quite agree that some people will not agree with it. But when, we have somebody who will be there, who could reason that what we practiced between 1955-1963 and 1966 when the army took over was still the best for this country. Not a weak center but strong democratic institutions that will propel this country for the future. What we are having now is too weak but let us go and have strong institutions backed by law, so that the regions will be very strong to take care of what goes on here and at the end, the central government could be dealing with international issues like currencies, like army and more.
Instead of doing that, that is why we are scratching it on the surface by establishing Amotekun Corps. The issue of the Police has become an issue in this country unless we are deceiving ourselves. As we talk, kidnappings are going on, even in this state, just yesterday night. We are deceiving ourselves by still focusing on this contradiction. Nigeria should be dismembered into regionalism. That is what can solve our problems. It is then, that none of us here will be tired of whoever is there. If angel comes to Nigeria tomorrow, and becomes our President in Abuja, people will still be tired of that angel. Or take for example, how would Nigerians not be tired of Buhari when Buhari visited his country home in Daura, Katsina State, and on the following day, the Bokoharam abducted about 335 students and miraculously they re-appeared again. How will people not be tired? So, tomorrow we won’t even invite him to Ekiti State because we know if he gets to Ekiti tomorrow, they might likely take away again about 100 students from here and that will be serious. The Governor of Borno State cannot go to his village and other places conveniently just because there are no good roads in the state.
Your closing remarks sir
My closing remarks is that, to a very large extent, Buhari should listen to us and try as much as possible to restructure this Country. Let him come out with El-Rufai’s report. Let us see it and know it. Let us see Jonathan’s constitutional conference report. Then, other minor reports and the agitations of the people that he should restructure this country should be taken seriously. He can do it within the next 6 months, the country can be restructured.
He will still be there as a President and that will be our own model. It is happening in Ghana because they still operate regionalism. If we do that, the potentials of Southwest, the potentials of the Middlebelt, the potentials of the Northeast and that of the Northwest will all come out.
Now, we are using our money to fight agitation in South-South and South-East. We are using our collective monies to fight kidnapping and lawlessness in the South-West. We are using our collective wealth to fight Boko-Haram and other vices in the North. If we go back to regional Government. Some of the things that are happening now will not happen in Western Region because we will curb it within a limited time. In the regional Government, we will have House of Chiefs which will go from their local places to represent their domains at the centre.
If we restructure Nigeria along regionalism, it will allow us lay another foundation again because the one that was laid between 1955 to 1963 has been eroded because up till now, who among us except Lagos has done something supersonic other than what Awolowo did?
Now, we can’t feed ourselves again unless there’s rice from Thailand. People are no longer going into farming when there’s readymade money to share. Petroleum money is there and that is the bane of our lives in Nigeria but very soon it will be over because petroleum to a very large extent will be liquidated. Then, we will go back to square one and that is what Buhari had seen ahead and that is why he said he was going to diversify our economy. Are we ready? We are not ready and instead, we are abusing him that he did not open border for rice to come in. So, let Nigeria and Nigerians sit together and organize a system that will suit this Presidential system.
