During this live radio interview we had with Prince Diran Odeyemi on our Parrot Xtra Hour Radio Show anchored by OLAYINKA AGBOOLA on Splash 105.5fm recently, the immediate past Deputy National Publicity Secretary for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party spoke about his party’s plans to triumph during the fast-approaching general elections. Read excerpts:
EXCERPTS:
What political lesson(s) can you say was learnt from the victory of PDP during last year’s Osun gubernatorial election?
We thank God for the victory we achieved in Osun State, and we will continue to thank the people of Osun State for having that confidence in PDP and the personality of the candidate that we presented, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke. When we talk about the lessons in that victory, they are many but I will mention just few of them. Number one, there is nothing like good name; when you have a good name, a good family background, a good family support, you are bound to go a long way and you are bound to achieve. If you look at Adeleke dynasty, I can say that they have received God’s favour. This is because if you trace their history, right to their father, late Senator Raji Ayoola Adeleke, he was one of the people that facilitated the creation of Osun State, and he did it in such a way that the people of Osun State fell in love with him. It was on that basis that even when one of his sons, late Isiaka Adeleke came out to contest for the gubernatorial seat of Osun State, the people gave him their votes simply because they believe that he came from a very good background. Well, we give glory to God for that short era but we are all living witnesses to the fact that late Governor Isiaka Adeleke became a Senator at a point in time, making it a double blessing. When he passed on, of course there were people who came out to say that they wanted to take over and continue. The people of Osun State, especially the people in the West Senatorial District believed that we just must give this opportunity to another Adeleke to continue, and that was how Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke became a Senator. He won nine Local Governments out of ten, which is to tell you that he had the backing of the people. Coming out to contest for gubernatorial seat, it wasn’t that he did not win the first election in 2018, but let us forget about that. Now, what we told the people of Osun State during our campaign was that we gave room for a rerun election simply because the votes were not massive. This time around, you should overrun them in such a way that there will not be a rerun; and that was exactly the result we got, 28,646 margin over an incumbent. It is not a small margin and we give glory to God and thank the people of Osun State.
But the matter is now at the tribunal
It’s normal. That is an electoral process. We are still expecting it to go to the Supreme Court, so it’s not going to end there. It is part of the electoral process that we are ready for.
There is this rumour that the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde and Senator Ademola Adeleke are not on good terms or having cordial relationship – and they are in the same party… Is this true?
Politics has many impacts. Both Governors are in charge of their respective States and if there is any need for collaboration, they will surely work together. LAUTECH, as an institution that was a joint venture of the two States is now owned by Oyo State. The only collaboration they can have is in the aspect of road construction linking both States together. When that time comes, there will surely relate. We in Osun have to support our Governor just as the people of Oyo will support theirs. The relationship that will exist between them will be that of governance which will be for the betterment of the two States.
Talking about your experience as former Deputy National publicity Secretary of PDP, what impact are you making in the politics of Osun State?
The impact I am making in Osun politics stems to the fact that I was the Spokesperson for Governor Ademola Adeleke campaign group and we have good relationship. I equally have the experience of working with our late boss, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala as Special Adviser. This experience and our knowledge in governance enabled us advise each other on latest events in Osun politics. After we conclude the coming elections, then we can sit and appoint our Commissioners as well as other appointees in Osun State. There is no position too small or too big to serve in government; the most important thing is using one’s knowledge to serve the people accordingly.
You once worked at Vanguard newspaper, Nigerian Tribune and other media outfits, as a media man what was the major attraction for you when you ventured into politics?
I honestly did not intentionally join politics; I would say it was by divine intervention and invitation of late Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala. At a point in time after leaving Vanguard, I relocated to London to join my family and while there, I realized that I just must continue with my profession, which is journalism. Good enough, Tribune gave me a column, which I was writing for them on Sundays and that kept me in line with my joining politics even while I was abroad. At a point in time when Otunba Alao Akala became a Governor, he invited me to Nigeria to come and serve as his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, which gave me the opportunity to come fully into politics. At a point, because of the work I was doing for him, he advised me that there was no way I could grow politically in Oyo State, that it is always good to go back to my root which is Osun State and Ibokun specifically and that was how I got encouraged. Moreover, in politics if you are a Journalist that is coming into politics, they are two different ball games. In journalism, you are bound to criticize, you are bound to be bold and tell them what is ideal. But there are certain situations in Nigerian politics that you will always be twisted and you just have to be diplomatic just to suit the society. It is not everything you see that you have to say except if you want to collapse the system. Therefore, what you do is to be diplomatic and ensure that in the midst of those professional politicians, you just have to keep your head neutralized because whether you like it or not, you have your name and integrity and you will come back to the society after whatever service or any level God puts you politically.
What do you think the people of Osun stand to gain from the new Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke apart from his famous dance steps?
Many people try to misinterpret his hobby to his seriousness as a person. There are people who are talented in singing and there are people who just like dancing as a hobby, it doesn’t take away your intellectual capacity. If you look at how the Ademola you are talking about has started governing Osun State, you will give him credit because here is somebody who is so transparent, open and available to the people of Osun State. People are commending him because they felt disappointed in what some people are saying. Dancing is a hobby, it has got nothing to do with administration. In the Ademola’s family, we have many popular singers. He is an uncle to the world-famous Davido and even his two sons are singers too; they dance, and enjoy themselves. To say that they don’t have anything upstairs because they are engaging in singing and dancing is a grave mistake.
Some people also say that the Governor’s brother, Deji Adeleke is now the de-facto Governor. What is your take on this?
Those saying that are not in Osun State. People will always talk. Dr. Deji Adeleke is so busy and engaged that he doesn’t have time for all that. He assembled all of us that worked with Senator Ademola Adeleke during the campaign season and told us that the Governor would not run the State alone but with people around him. He also warned us that he would be the first person to address a press conference if any of those close to the Governor steals money or engages in corrupt practices or embezzle Osun State money. He said that if the family doesn’t have this good name they would not have won the election and they must keep this name and other things for the people coming behind us. Therefore, this is the warning and he is so busy because he is a a well-known billionaire and somebody who believes in business and somebody who is so engaged in what he does than politics. He is not getting younger and he doesn’t have time for Osun State. Osun State is being run by the people of Osun State headed by Ademola Adeleke and all of us.
You have seen it all in Abuja when you served at PDP’s national headquarters, can you paint a picture of how one can become a gubernatorial candidate of any party. Is it that simple and what is the magic attached to this?
To become anything politically, you have to be a registered member in your ward and you have to be accepted as a leader. From there you popularize yourself amongst the populace. By the time you present yourself as a candidate or an aspirant, people will start checking up on you; they want to know your background, what you have done previously, your capability, educational background, family background and all others things. People will now use those qualities to propel or tell you to move on. If you are very practical with yourself and don’t deceive yourself (because too many politicians like to deceive themselves, they like to think positive whereas the assessment outside is negative) you will know when you are loved and needed, and move on from there. It is not only when you want to contest an election that you now realize that you have to sponsor people, do empowerment or whatever. If it’s something that you have been doing, then people will support you and you must know the nitty-gritty of politics. Whether you like it or not, you will not be the only one to come out to contest an election. There will be a primary election, which is internal arrangement of the political party, and, this could be either through delegate or through direct primary. The candidate will also go through some scrutinizing process, and until people tell you that you are good enough to fly the flag of the party, there is no way you can become the candidate. In PDP there is no way you can circumvent the system because it is only in PDP that we have good internal democracy from ward level to local government, from local government to state and from state to national. If you are not popular and presentable, or have the required charisma or intellectual capacity, there is no way you can become a candidate in PDP.
But some cases are in court to challenge the candidacy of Senator Ademola Adeleke. What do you have to say to this?
That is a normal process. There is nobody in PDP that is contesting the outcome of the election with Governor Adeleke except in APC and that is Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola. They are doing that to give hope to their members so that they can still stay in the party for the presidential and national Assembly elections. They know within themselves that there is no way they can win at the tribunal or at any court.
Talking about one of the former leading figures in PDP, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who endorsed Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Dr. Peter Obi; what is your take on this?
I want to agree with people who agree that baba has expressed his freedom of speech, though it is very dangerous to underrate or undermine him. if you are rating Obasanjo in line with his open strength at the world level, then you are making a grave mistake politically. Simply because you are not able to win your ward is never an implication that you don’t have influence even outside Ogun State. What we have seen in Obasanjo as a President can do. Even people in his area may just see him as an ordinary man who came to vote and may not give him that respect as a former President, but the fact that he always loses his polling unit is not a yardstick to measure his strength politically. He has spoken and those words are very heavy; in fact, the words are a minus on all other aspirants he did not endorsed. If other aspirants have gone to him for endorsement by prostrating and begging and he is now coming out to say yes, this is my candidate, my son in whom I’m well pleased; if you come out to abuse or insult him because he has endorsed somebody, it is not right. Whether you like it or not, you never can predict the outcome of the election because you will need his voice. If by chance, we go into a rerun or there is stalemate somewhere, maybe the election is inconclusive and you have two aspirants to contest against each other, you will now need the voice of people like him. If Obi eventually did not make it as the second runner-up, of course he will still have a voice because he has people behind him. Somehow, we do not believe that there could be a third force but now that Obi has come out, reality has dawned on us that Obi is the third force and we know the implication to both APC and PDP. Therefore, we are not underrating him (Obi), and for the main fact that Obasanjo picked him is a plus for him. However, that will or may not translate into electoral victory for him, but it is a plus.
What chance does your party’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have in the South-west considering the popularity of Senator Bola Ahmed TInubu?
As far as we are concerned, we believe that the election is going to be tough and we are not underrating anybody. That is not say that we will not get the desired result in the South West. Unlike what people believe that Asiwaju will overrun Atiku or Obi in the South West, this will not be so. Take for instance in Osun, there is no way Asiwaju can win election in Osun State. In Oyo State, it is also the same even though we have pockets of issues here and there but before that day, we will resolve a lot of issues and we hope that we will be able to make a serious impact in that election. In Ogun State, we are working hard. In Ekiti state, of course we have our men in ground, so it is not over until it is over. It is very difficult to predict the outcome of the election but we will try to continue to canvass and tell the people why Atiku is the best.
In the real sense of it, do you really think PDP has more to offer Nigerians?
We have a lot to offer. When people talk about 16 years, then you come back at the real situation of things… Can you tell me what has changed? People are even saying the 16years was better than what we have now in all manners and in all ramifications. Let’s forget about 16 years – that is our past and that is not to say that we do not admit to have made some mistakes which we have apologized to Nigerians. Even at that, the present administration and the way they are conducting the affairs of this country has shown that PDP is far better. That is why we have that energy to say yes, we are prepared and ready to govern Nigeria again.
In the South West for example, how popular don you think PDP is today?
If PDP is not popular we would not have won in Osun State and same with Oyo State. What happened in Ekiti is because of the infighting within our party.
As a media man, take a look at APC’s Presidential media team compared to that of PDP, are they really making committed professional media men proud?
I worked with Kola Ologbodiyan as the National Publicity Secretary of the party and I know he’s one of the Spokespersons for PDP and Atiku. I know his capacity, mindset and the way he talks. You can’t compare that to APC’s media team. Look at what happened between Arise TV and the media team of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for example. If you are presenting or representing a candidate, there are certain things you don’t do especially to the media. You just have to show some understanding because they are doing their job professionally. Not only that, the way the media team responds to criticisms against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has always been combative. Look at what they wrote against Olusegun Obasanjo recently, is it now that you know that this baba is valueless. As a Public Relation Manager, such action is not good even for his own image (that is the candidate’s). At our own level, we do talk to ourselves that we don’t have to be combative.
What if you have facts about the person you are talking about?
Even if you have your facts, what you do as a counter is to prove the person wrong with your superior argument and truth. It is not that you become so combative and you start attacking personalities. At our own level in PDP, though we are not perfect, we know how to curb unprofessional conduct by anybody in our team – we always put the professional out to do the defence and project the image of Atiku. So, we are not combative, abusive and we only project the image of our candidate without abusing anybody.
What is your advice to fellow politicians in Nigeria?
I want to appeal to our politicians that the choice of Nigerians matters. We just don’t have to be violent or believe that we must be at any position by force. That is, it is not a do-or-die thing. Let us follow the democratic procedures as laid down in the electoral laws. Let us discourage buying of votes, selling of votes, or moves to engage our youths to engage in thuggery. We need peace in Nigeria and by the special grace of God, 2023 will be a year of blessing where the best candidate, which is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will emerge as the President of Nigeria.
