PMParrot/Parrot Xtra’s correspondent, EMMANUEL ADENIRAN recently had an encounter with Social Democratic Party (SDP) House Of Representatives candidate for Ekiti North 1 (Ikole/Oye) Federal Constituency, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, he shared his view on why he is confident of defeating his opponents in the 2023 election, and his grouse with former Ekiti Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi among many salient issues… Excerpts:
Can our readers meet you?
My name is Hon. Bimbo Daramola, a native of Ire Ekiti and I am gunning for a seat in the House of Representatives for the second time on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ekiti State.
What actually informed your decision to run under the SDP?
Well, that is an expected question but I will briefly outline it because of history. I ran for the House of Representatives for the first time in 2007 despite the political shenanigans and the dynamics of the time; we won by the Grace of God and we served our time out.
However, in 2015 I took a shot at the election and obviously, Ayo Fayose who was the Governor rooted us out.
In 2019, we tried to win but the political establishment at that time had shifted to Dr. Fayemi and for some reasons; he made up his mind to shut the curtains against my face. He did not even allow me to contest in the primary election because on the day of the primary election, I was detained at the Police Headquarters.
In 2022; it was apparent that another election was going to come up and I tried to run on the platform of the APC but for some reasons, it seems Fayemi had made up his mind to shut me out and he did not approve of my decision to contest. He told me verbally that he wanted the slot to go to Ikole Ekiti.
Do not forget my Constituency is made up of two local government areas, which are Oye and Ikole and the traditional equation is that once Ikole runs a term, it shifts to Oye Ekiti. The direct consequences of what Dr. Kayode Fayemi wanted at that time was to have Ikole do it consecutively.
I succeeded Hon. Wale Aribisala who is from Ayedun in Ikole, while Hon. Kehinde Agboola succeeded me. Later, Hon. Peter Owolabi took over from Hon. Kehinde Agboola from Ikole constituency. Presently, Dr. Kayode Fayemi is fielding another candidate from Ayedun in Ikole for reasons best known to him in the person of Akin Rotimi.
I have tried to let him understand the preference for a ranking member because of its significant advantages to constituencies as it does more good to the constituency and that marked the beginning of my political journey into the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) despite the threats on my political career.
This means Dr. Kayode Fayemi is not exactly happy with you?
I am not too sure but what I heard people saying is because I also contested for the governorship seat. I dare and challenge anybody to accuse me of being treacherous and not loyal to the system they represent.
Many believed that you have not been active in the politics of the state, how much of acceptance do you think you still have in Ekiti State politics presently?
I have flagged-off my campaign and citizenry engagements sessions with my constituency, and the feedback has been awesome. I am marveled by the reception and ovation I received from the members of my constituency, and this is coming eight years after I left office. This shows that my records are unbeatable, just as the bible expressly says that, God knows those who are His and I want to say in extension, that the people also know those who honestly serve them.
I have served this people with all my might and I never took advantage of them for a second.
How do you think you can achieve your ambition under a relatively new platform? How realistic is your quest sir?
Well, there are two sides to the question. Is it for the sake of politics or for the sake of politicking or more, and less of the people? If the people want more of politics, good luck to them. I do not have any apologies about that.
I am not a desperate politician. If the people desire the experience of what we did for them between 2011 and 2015 and even when I left government, let them do the needful.
I am the only representative in this state that has employed considerate number of people and has given 64 cars to people. It is also on record that I built a hospital during my tenure that is still running till today.
Some people have gotten into such positions and have used the people’ resources to build hotels and acquired properties but if they desire more developmental projects, let them vote for me even though the party might not be popular.
Political parties do not speak on the floor of the National Assembly; it is like a vehicle that will take you to the floors of the National Assembly but it is human beings who speak at the National Assembly.
I have served the people with my heart and I intend to serve them more. I never left my heart back in APC when I left. My heart is not a member of any political party.
If elected, I will be going back as a ranking member; I have the cognate/legislative experience, and records of accomplishment that will help me to fulfill my promises. Who else has all that?
Are the people going to vote for candidates who have no political reputation? Some of the candidates vying against me have no records of accomplishment, and I say it without any fear that there is no ward in the entire 177 wards in Ekiti State that I do not have records of accomplishments – accomplishments in the area of health, economic and educational empowerment.
Since the creation of Ekiti State until now, do you think the state has been progressing?
Well, my opinion may be a little bit more scientific – as a scientist, I always work with empirical details and information; I am not going to isolate them.
Are we better in infrastructure, manpower development, capacity building and Industrial Revolution?
Are we better in our financial standing? Are we better when it comes to the economic realities?
Those are the indices that we need to look at in order to assess if we are progressing or not?
Again, a new jurist is in town, an average Ekiti person should be able to tell us at this period and to use their tongue to count their teeth.
In addition, I hope Biodun Oyebanji also understands the reality of things on ground, I have written him an open letter and I would advise that he should do the needful, the bulk of the matter ends on his table.
What advantage do you have against the likes of Akin Rotimi of APC and Yinka Akerele of PDP?
Firstly, I am the only one who have been opportune to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives among the three of us and that is an advantage because experience always makes the difference.
If you want to send your car to an auto-mechanic, the first thing you are going to demand from him is his track record and probably ask people if he is competent to do it. Whoever is going to sew a wedding suit, will he give it to an apprentice? I am more experienced than my opponents and my achievements speak volume.
I have an imprint in the transportation, healthcare, social development, personal interventions, and community interventions among others and with all sense of humility; it will take somebody who is selfless to be able to do all I have done.
Every other opponent running against me are only gambling. When I was contesting in 2011; the party did not give me a script. Everything that we did, I did out of my heart but the truth of the matter is that I am not a gambler.
Secondly, I have the cognate experience, I have the opportunity of being a ranking member and this is an advantage. I have been Chief of Staff at the National Assembly before and not one of Akin Rotimi and Yinka Akerele have that advantage.
However, do you think the electorates will consider that and don’t forget that APC have structures on ground?
What will they consider? Will you rather give your brand new car to an inexperienced driver who has no license? You will be happy if it’s only the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) that stops him and not an accident that can lead to the destruction of the vehicle or lives.
The difference is clear, the symbol in Seven-Up is ‘difference is clear’, and my difference is clearer more than Seven-Up, this is not a pride. I have paid my dues.
The boreholes, 32-bedspace hospital we constructed during my tenure is still in existence till today and I am sure the people will not forget the medical outreach we facilitated for them.
How will you contend with the syndrome of winners takes all?
I think it has gotten to do with the level of information, commitment and the conviction of the people. In Ondo State, what happened to Young Alhaji who was never involved in politics before? Young Alhaji came from nowhere, he won, and today, he is still in the House of Representatives.
My friend Haman Hembe from Benue State won because he did well at the PDP. When they denied him the ticket, he went back to APC; still they denied him ticket again in APC. He went to APGA, and won and there are many of such instances.
I expect the Ekiti people who pride themselves as the Fountain of Knowledge to demonstrate their knowledge at this level.
What is your blueprint for your constituency if you are elected in the 2023 general election?
I have many things in stock already but I will not reveal them until January. If I do, they will copy it but I will not allow them to do that.
Are you not intimidated by the structure APC has in Oye and Ikole?
Let me state it categorically, unless they are going to manufacture people from Ghana – I have touched the lives of 80% of the people in APC in Oye and Ikole Local Government Areas and Akin Rotimi’s records cannot come close to that.
Akin Rotimi still needs to be introduced to the electorates; I do not need any introduction to anybody. Akin Rotimi of APC needs people who will begin to introduce him.
I have an entry pass that is bigger than anybody leading my campaign and that is the records of accomplishment that is evident and obvious to the blind.
As a former member of House of Representatives, what is your take on the issue of restructuring?
Restructuring has become ‘Abiku’ in Nigeria and if you have read Wole Soyinka’s book on ‘Abiku’, you will know what they said about ‘Abiku’. ‘Abiku ti so ologun di eke’.
You should not mistake a leadership challenge for structural challenge and I have my reasons. When former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar wrote a book on restructuring, he sent an autographed copy to me, and I replied him to intimate him of how many definitions of restructuring that exists.
I know what has plagued our nation until today has been a leadership problem. How do you deal with a nation that loses 700 thousand barrels of crude oil every day and you think restructuring will cure that?
Looking at Lagos/Ibadan expressway, successive administrations have been dealing with a 110-kilometer road and you think restructuring will restructure and heal that?
Corruption is endemic; a man who is corrupt in Nigeria will be more corrupt when he gets to the Republic of Oduduwa.
A thief in an entity called Nigeria will be a bigger thief when he gets to the Republic of Oduduwa, Ndigbo or Arewa Republic.
We need to be very careful about the direction we look for solutions to our problems. I think restructuring has to be defined in such a way that all of us will agree to its definition and isolate the indices that will make us feel comfortable with restructuring anything.
What is the restructuring agenda in relation to corruption? What is the restructuring agenda vis a vis loosing 700 thousand of oil barrels per day?
When I was in the House, I challenged Dr Okonjo Iweala for admitting that Nigeria is losing over 400 thousand barrels of oil per day.
