By Banji Ayoola
“He has given us a seaport; and we can’t build seaport alone. You would understand that the Federal Government has given us that leverage to building a seaport. And you could imagine the economic activities that would trigger off in that part of our state in Igbokoda area once that is set up. Part of what makes Lagos and Port Harcourt today is the seaport. And if you look at our own vintage position, I believe that seaport is going to be one of the most profitable ones because we have a peaceful state; and we are between the East and the West.
We are at that vintage position; we are the transit state for the East and the West, and another route to the North. So, more or less we are in between the North, the West, and the East. They would rather want to do business in our own port. They would want to go out of the heavy locked up roads, the densely populated Lagos State. Before they could take their goods off, it’s a hell of a job.
When the seaport is set up, they would see Igbokoda as a more acceptable place for business to thrive, because part of what importers look at is a good seaport to bring your goods and access road. If we are able to complete that in line with the 36 kilometres of access road from Igbokoda to Lekki; if your good is going to Lagos, you would still find it less than 36 kilometres over the sea.
This is part of NDDC projects, a federal project that they are situating in Ondo State. You could imagine the level of activities that would be in that part of the world. Ondo State would be our own new Dubai because a lot of hotels would equally spring up. When you have businesses, you have hotels.
If you look at the chain value, it would bring a lot of commercial activities and revenue to Ondo state. Those two projects are key. If completed, Ondo state would become a factor. When you are talking of states with big economic background, you would mention Ondo state because you have 36 kilometres of bridge straight to Lekki, that means if you are going to Lagos, people from the East would prefer to go through that road than going through Ojota.
And you could imagine the traffic from Ojota before you get to Lagos. That would take you another four hours. If you have load to carry you could imagine how many hours that would take. Now you are going through the sea that would land you in Lekki; and we all know the economic importance of Lekki, where we have free trade zone and stuff like that. There is a lot of business people that want to patronise that road; and in doing so, you are equally patronising Ondo State. So we are grateful. These are two big federal projects in our state.”
Above is the description of the ongoing quiet revolution in Ondo State, which may, in the long run, see the Sunshine state rival Lagos and Cross River States as Nigeria’s major economic hub.
In fact, a new Ondo State, as painted above, may emerge once the planned Igbokoda Seaport, complemented with an access road, linking the state to Lekki in Lagos, fully comes on stream.
This picture of an economic Eldorado, coupled with what it believed are superlative performances of the Muhammadu Buhari and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administrations, are what the All Progressives Congress, APC is taking to the electorate, as it embarks on the last minute statewide door to door campaign for the February 16 elections any moment from Thursday.
The party’s Director of Media and Publicity in the State, Mr. Steve Otaloro, unveiled this picture in an interview in Akure, the state capital, on Wednesday. He spoke with Banji Ayoola of The Radiance.
You will enjoy the reading…
The President was in Ondo State yesterday (Tuesday). How would you access the campaign, visit and reception?
It was wonderful. Let me start by saying we are very grateful that the President came as part of his campaign tour to Ondo State.
As members of the media team, it took us sometime before the Governor could constitute the media team. But almost immediately, we went to work; and before the constitution of the media team, the Governor’s media aides had been on ground doing a fantastic job.
But when we were eventually constituted, we went straight to work. We were able to design; we were able to do all the planning within few days.
And on the day of the visit itself, it’s a good thing to see Mr. President especially this is a President that we all love, and you can imagine the mammoth crowd that day. It took him some time before he could even get to the podium.
Buhari is somebody people in Ondo State love so much. We love him; and as our standard bearer, we are so grateful as a party that we have somebody of his caliber as our presidential candidate.
And going by the reception, we want to believe that Ondo State people would equally translate that to votes on 16th of February. So at the end of the day, we all said we are expecting nothing short of 90 percent of the total votes for Mr. President.
What signal is that sending to the political circles, the opposition about the coming election?
Before now, the election we had not started, the opposition are so jittery. That is the more reason they are saying APC wants to rig this coming election. But we laugh over issues like this that they are saying.
We are busy strategising, we are busy reaching out to the electorate. But they are busy talking, going round the media houses with all these propaganda that we want to rig this election. An election that you have not done, they are saying rigging. So it shows the level of how they are jittery. I could understand; I won’t say I sympathise with them. It’s just the reality of our time.
We have a president that is performing so well. We have a President that is turning around our economy; that is improving on security. The 16 years of PDP led us to recession. The 16 years of the PDP destroyed the economic fabrics of this nation. And this is a man who is gradually bringing us back into economic prosperity.
They are not happy with it because they know if he continues with this pace, all people that matter, those who are holding grip of our economy could not have, it won’t be business as usual because he has promised many things.
Especially look at the peace in Niger Delta. Hitherto, it was a war zone. And because he had an interface with the people, he understands the fact that the wealth of that place should be invested in the owner. And government came up with a package and Niger Delta people realised within a short time.
If this government can translate all what he told them, to reality, they can be reassured of prosperity in the land. And that’s why we didn’t see any problem.
This is a man that has a Vice President that is equally working, our own son, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. He is the one who had that interface on behalf of the Federal Government. And people understand. He was in Ondo State for three days, campaigning before the coming of the President. And that is why you see people from Igbokoda, Okitipupa, Idanre, actually willy-nilly to welcome Mr President. We mobilised as a party.
If you look at the way we are going about this election, we are going about in a way and manner that we are reaching out one on one, more like the door to door campaign. This is the first time we would be having a general rally like this. And like I told you, we only did all these things within three days. So there is no room for details; and we are grateful that people were able to come on their own.
Part of the details would have been a way to mobilise people to Akure. But on their own, they came. It was mammoth. It was massive. And we are very grateful. It translates to the fact that we are winning this election. And the opposition is quite aware of it. The PDP is aware that this election is as good as gone. So they are left with nothing. So I won’t sympathise with them. I can only sympathise with Nigerians.
Sixteen years of PDP rule have destroyed the economy of this country; have almost turned us to a pariah state. But we thank God for a man of integrity, a man of Buhari’s integrity, a man of Buhari’s caliber, a man that has zero tolerance for corruption at the helm of affairs this time. That is why we are getting over these issues.
I know when you fight corruption, corruption would fight back. So out of fighting back is when you see some people that believe they own Nigeria are saying that Buhari should not go for second term.
And I always ask them. Is it constitutionally right for him to go for a second term. If it is right, why are you now saying he should not go. You are not a doctor. But the truth is: they are afraid of his second term. And they have every reason to be afraid. He told them categorically: The oil blocks are going to be taken away from them. The business as usual won’t be the same thing. You should expect their panic. And that is why they are running helter skelter.
Not that they love Atiku. Everybody knows what Atiku stands for. But they just play politics with the fact that we have a man who would not allow them to do things the way they are used to. They would never subject themselves to the same man. You see an Obasanjo, who, before now said a lot of things, and who knows Atiku more than Obasanjo for instance.
He did not only say this. He documented it. And he gave reasons that if he had to make Atiku President, God would not forgive him. What has happened within three years that he is now retrieving that statement; just because Buhari would not allow you to teleguide him.
When he became President, he said I want to be President of all Nigerians, not pocket of few people. I want to be President. If you could remember that popular quote then that I want to be President for everybody, not for some few individuals. And he has made good his promise.
They hate him for that purpose because he wants to strengthen things. Not because he is not competent. Not because he is not capable. Not because he is not a man of integrity. He doesn’t want them to continue to destroy our economy. And that is what it would mean in the coming election, it is unfortunate the situation the PDP find themselves.
I can only say this improvement would only get better. We want continuity of the good work of Mr. President. All the good things he has done across the states and even Ondo State. When he was in Ondo State the last time, skeptics, people in opposition, who believe he has not done anything. I keep telling them.
Now we’ve just signed a seaport through the work of the Federal Government. The Buhari administration gave us the licence. We have more than 16,000 people in N- Power, Ondo State indigenes; thousands of people on Trader-Moni. All these social investment programmes started in Ondo State.
We are full beneficiaries of all these programmes; including home grown school feeding that the Vice President said we have more than 11 million. The target is 13 million. But at the beginning of these programmes, Ondo State is part of the first states that benefitted.
And we would forever be grateful for this President for all he has done for this state; and the ones he still wants to doo. When President Muhammadu Buhari came into power, ondo State was not benefitting from the rail system, even Ekiti state. But we felt it is not wise; Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states; what about the two other states. He made a special demand that we should be included.
And the Minister for Transportation just told us that they had to put additional N500 million in budget to get that of Ekiti State. And you could imagine how much they would put in the budget to get the eastern, the one coming from Calabar to Ondo, to Akure. And if you can connect Akure from there, you can equally connect from Ado Ekiti straight to the North.
So we would forever be grateful for President Muhammadu Buhari, especially people from this part, we from Ondo State. This is because before now, we had never had it so good. He gave our members a lot of appointments, juicy positions in this administration, some of the ones that were there before. He didn’t play politics with it.
Pius Osunyikanmi for instance had been there before he came in. he retained him. He signed another five years. Buhari would only identify competence. If he is able to identify that in you, he would give you the appointment. So I believe Ondo State on the 16th of February would translate that love they have for him to voting and electing him for a second term.
But opposition is swelling against his return. There are allegations that the President is neck deep in nepotism; that even his anti-corruption campaign is selective; that his reactionary and conservative policies has ruined the economy of this nation; and that there are many wrongs why Buhari should not be reelected. How do you react to that?
Thank you, you just said opposition. Ordinarily if it is opposition, I would not want to say anything because this thing has been on for quite some time now; it has been generating news. That’s why I want to respond. These are non Nigerians. If Nigerians are saying these I would have responded.
Cuts in…They are Nigerians…
They are opposition. The duty of opposition is to criticise and these people are not constructive in their criticism of every government in power. Nepotism. If they say he is, they should give us the basis for that.
Each state of the federation has a minister. If you are lucky you have a board member. It is not compulsory that you have a chairman of a board. But I can assure you, we have more than three chairmen of boards and several members in Ondo State.
And if you look at the South west, if you look at the composition of his team, we have 21 Christians, 18 Muslims in the federal cabinet. Part of the allegations is that he is religiously biased. We are always reminded that the Vice President who is a think thank for this administration, is a Christian; not just a Christian but a pastor of a church. How would a man of such caliber be comfortable with somebody that is religiously biased.
Often, and on, they don’t want to wipe off this sentiment. They know it could boomerang. They always use nepotism. But the truth is: the President, to the best of my knowledge, is not. Each state of the federation has what is due. And if anybody is crying, in South west, we have no reason to cry. We were in this same situation; we were in this same country when we had lopsided appointments. Most of the appointments were zoned to South south, South east, especially South east.
In the last administration of Goodluck Jonathan, junior ministers is the highest we had. And these are ministries you cannot even say they are strong ministries. For six years of Jonathan, we were at the background. The Yoruba race was at the background of Nigerian politics.
But now, because we are at the forefront, some people who seem not to be comfortable with our position would now be saying Buhari is nepotism, and would want us to continue to join them. No it is stupid of any Yoruba man to say this President who is not even from South west and he is giving so much to South west, in terms of projects and appointments.
Because Yoruba people are wonderful people, when we were set at the background, we were not crying like some people are now. We just took our calm. We are looking for the greater interest of Nigeria, not our own interest alone. Even when we were not comfortable during the last administration of Goodluck, we still believed in a working economy. If your Brother is not the President of Nigeria, we would help you, if your enemy is the President of Nigeria, if he is going to do things you would benefit from, I think it is better.
We should get to a point in our nation-building that we shouldn’t be looking at who gets what, but looking at people’s level of how they are able to see the nation as their constituency. That is what I believe this President is doing. That is what we support. That is what we are happy about, no matter what the opposition are saying. Yes. They are entitled to their opinions, but Nigerians are wiser. There is nothing they are saying against this government that was not worse during their time. So why should we be bothered about that.
Part of the problems the President is having with the opposition and those who do not want him back, particularly the ethnic nationalities, is his stance against restructuring of this country. The Afenifere, Ohanaeze, PANDEF, Northern Elders Forum and some other ethnic nationalities in the country, met recently and endorsed Atiku. How do you see that?
This same Afenifere people that supported Goodluck because of restructuring. He didn’t do anything about restructuring. Restructuring more or less is resource control. And why is everybody fighting for resource control. They want to get things to themselves. They want things to be grabbed at the detriment of others.
To me I don’t believe much in restructuring to be sincere. I want a working economy. In America for instance, in the last election, Trump won, but he didn’t win by numbers. Clinton won popular votes, but he only won based on the way American Constitution is structured.
Each state has a number of constituents. A state of California for instance may have 120; while a state of Nevada for instance may have 27 delegates. So depending on how you are able to maneuver yourself all over the states, then it becomes popular votes, not in terms of figures, but in terms of acceptability nationwide. What would you prefer.
Resource control. They are only using the word restructuring. It is resource control. That is what they are fighting for. But when we have a working system, that is what we should be looking at; system that takes care of everybody. Because when you start controlling your resources, a state like Ondo would benefit tremendously because we are an oil producing state. It depends on for how long the oil would be there any way.
The other states in South south would benefit; but are we saying we should neglect a state like Gombe or Osun that has no oil. We have to sit down if we want this country to work. There are things we have to leave behind. Leave politics out of it. Leave ethnicity out of it.
Let’s look at the general interest of Nigerians, just like the American interest takes care of everybody. Because a state of Nevada is so small and you are so popular in a state like New York. If you are able to win the total number of votes in New York, that of Nevada would not count; American system took care of that. Nevada would count based on their strength.
So if anybody is able to win the presidency, even if he is from anywhere, we are saying resources should go to every region. How are we going to benefit the centre. Resource control is the issue. If our system is working, if the economy is working, and we are able to evenly distribute this wealth which this President is doing, w are okay.
Immediately he took over, the first project he did was in Calabar. There is this major highway from Calabar. It is very major. He flagged it off. Is he from Calabar. He is not from Cross River state. He is from Katsina.
When each region starts fighting for the control of their resources, which is transient because the oil we understand would not last forever. God has a reason for bringing us together for us to take care of everyone.
So a system that would take care of all Nigerians is the one that I would recommend. Not a system that would take care of a few people; just like we have the bigwigs that sold the former NEPA, all our big companies to themselves. That is resource control.
Because they were in power, they were able to get the resources to themselves, if there is a system in place that would take care of all, it would be benefit all Nigerians. So I am afraid I don’t always want to agree with people who think their resources are meant for them alone.
These resources are meant for all Nigerians; just like we have the federal character that is taking care of appointments at the federal level. At least you have one minister from each state of the federation; making 36. Wonderful structure. Nobody is against that.
If that wasn’t there, a small state like Ekiti won’t have federal attention. How many votes would Ekiti produce for him. He would rather take from Ondo state which would give him certain number of votes. That would always be the case. But we have a Constitution that is looking ahead, that has taken care of that; that you cannot but take a minister, no matter how small a state is. If Ekiti is divided into two states today, two ministers would come from there. I think a system that works for all is what is the most important.
In specific terms, what has Ondo State benefited from the Buhari administration?
He has given us a seaport; and we can’t build seaport alone. You would understand that the Federal Government has given us that leverage to building a seaport. And you could imagine the economic activities that would trigger off in that part of our state in Igbokoda area once that is set up. Part of what makes Lagos and Port Harcourt today is the seaport. And if you look at our own vintage position, I believe that seaport is going to be one of the most profitable ones because we have a peaceful state; and we are between the East and the West.
We are at that vintage position; we are the transit state for the East and the West, and another route to the North. So, more or less we are in between the North, the West, and the East. They would rather want to do business in our own port. They would want to go out of the heavy locked up roads, the densely populated Lagos State. Before they could take their goods off, it’s a hell of a job.
When the seaport is set up, they would see Igbokoda as a more acceptable place for business to thrive, because part of what importers look at is a good seaport to bring your goods and access road. If we are able to complete that in line with the 36 kilometres of access road from Igbokoda to Lekki; if your good is going to Lagos, you would still find it less than 36 kilometres over the sea.
This is part of NDDC projects, a federal project that they are situating in Ondo State. You could imagine the level of activities that would be in that part of the world. Ondo State would be our own new Dubai because a lot of hotels would equally spring up. When you have businesses, you have hotels.
If you look at the chain value, it would bring a lot of commercial activities and revenue to Ondo state. Those two projects are key. If completed, Ondo state would become a factor. When you are talking of states with big economic background, you would mention Ondo state because you have 36 kilometres of bridge straight to Lekki, that means if you are going to Lagos, people from the East would prefer to go through that road than going through Ojota.
And you could imagine the traffic from Ojota before you get to Lagos. That would take you another four hours. If you have load to carry you could imagine how many hours that would take. Now you are going through the sea that would land you in Lekki; and we all know the economic importance of Lekki, where we have free trade zone and stuff like that. There is a lot of business people that want to patronise that road; and in doing so, you are equally patronising Ondo State. So we are grateful. These are two big federal projects in our state.
There are more than 16, 000 N-Power people, graduates, in Ondo state receiving salaries. And if you ask anybody what Buhari has done in their lives, you could now look at the triple effects to their wives. Some of them are married. Some of them have children. They are able to sustain their families. If you take 16, 000 people out of the employment market in Ondo state, I think it’s huge. We need to commend such administration.
Traders Moni. People think that the amount is too small. I always wonder. When you are big, you are big in your own sense, and you see some money as little. But to a lot of people, this is huge money. The more you get it, it could even get to N100,000, depending on your wares.
I have seen people selling kolanuts that walk the streets of Akure for a whole day. The kolanuts he is selling are not up to N600. Going round the state in the scorching sun and you give such person N10, 000. Are you saying his wares would not change. Are you saying it would not benefit his life.
People always look at issues from their own perspective, from their own comfort zone. They are not looking at it from the view of others. If Buhari should give them N10million, I think they would say this is money. Even some would say that is not the money they are looking for. They are just looking for something that would sustain their family and improve with time.
All these successful businesses say they start small. There is nothing wrong in starting small and growing up. Out of all these people, some would make it, some might not. But we should all agree, it would change a lot of lives.
There is also the Traders Moni and Conditional Cash Transfer to the poorest of people. Thousands of people benefited from Ondo state. When you empower the people, you empower their minds. It’s something you cannot quantify. It stabilises their lives; it gives them some comfort.
Imagine 16, 000 unemployed youths roaming the streets. That’s when you see Yahoo Yahoo boys, the kind of thoughts that would be going on in their minds. But now they are engaged, they are focused. At the end of the month, they know they are expecting something. You have taken this number also out of violence, out of crime, because an adage says that a mind that is not focused is a devil’s workshop.
If you wake up in the morning and there is nothing that occupies your mind, the next thing is crime. We heard that these people would be absorbed into the federal civil service. These are part of the programmes of APC, when you now absorb them, instead of looking for new recruits. They are there as the waiting list, as a pool you can fetch from. When you are looking for people in the civil service you could easily pick them.
That would give opportunity for more people to come in; which is a perfect system. And it is a system determined not by anyone. You don’t have to know anybody; no godfather; even though you know the president. I for instance, my wife applied, she didn’t win; even I as the Director of Media and Publicity of APC in Ondo state.
It could have been easier in the past administration. Somebody could have influenced it. The system was done in such a way that you can’t influence it. They picked them randomly through the computer. You apply. It is the system that determines who wins. Even the man in charge of N-Power cannot influence it.
We have our own coordinator here, Ajisafe. When people run to him, he tells them. There is nothing he can do. He is just to supervise. It is a perfect system that you cannot penetrate, influence or manipulate. That is the openness this government has been displaying from day one.
PDP said they had such thing in the past whereby somebody would just sit down and write names. They were not even paying salary; but this system would recognise you; must have taken all your account details and everything. So your money from Abuja goes straight into your account. Not even the man in Ondo state knows how you are being paid, and he cannot stop you from getting your money.
It’s a system that is working. It shows the transparency of this government. It shows how sincere President Buhari is; and we can consolidate on that and build on it for another four years. I think Nigeria would be better for it.
How united is your party in Ondo state to go into the coming elections?
We displayed that in the last rally. People that they even thought were not part of the system came. We keep telling people that APC in Ondo state is united. There may be some differences; but the common determination in it all is that we all want to work for the success of the party, as demonstrated by Mr Governor, inviting everybody.
When we were being sworn in, there were people like Chief Olusola Oke, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Pius Osunyikanmi, people who ordinarily you don’t see with the government or you don’t see at the party secretariat, for one reason or the other.
There is a lot out there that people are saying; but one thing I know about this Governor is that he is embracing everyone. But politics is one profession that you can’t force someone to do whatever you want. Everybody is a master on his own; everybody has an opinion.
When Arakunrin won the election, he told us categorically that we should reach out to others who left for AD or people who were not part of us from the onset that they should come; which we did. Some came. Others did not. Others left for other political parties. Some leaders felt aggrieved, but every day we keep reaching to them.
This is part of the programme initiated by the Chairman, Engineer Ade Adetimehin that is yielding fruits, that has now brought in others. Aside from the fact that we all want APC to succeed we might have different agenda, different opinions; but one thing we cannot compromise is the success of APC.
The Governor is so passionate that APC would win all these elections. The President came and even told us that we should all vote for APC from up to bottom. Some people are saying maybe the Governor has different opinions about APC that he is rooting for a different political party. I say this is not true.
As the Director of Media and Publicity, I see all Exco members. None of such discussion has taken place wthin our midst. The party is united. We are APC. We are not AA. Opposition has a way of causing trouble within our ranks; and we displayed that to them. Boroffice, Oke, you name them, we were all there. We are all APC. Did you see anything called AA. So we are all going into this election as a united front to vote for APC.
APC is our party. All what has been said about the Governor asking for people to vote for AA is not true. It’s absolutely wrong. As much as we don’t criticise some of our members that left the party, as much as we try to appeal to them, they have their grievances. You can always express your grievances in politics. And if where they are going, they are able to succeed, so be it. But it is not as if they are getting any support from us.
They decided to live out of their own volition. If they lose or otherwise, if they choose to come back, we would still welcome them back to our party, because party is something you can’t stop anybody from going and comimg back. That is one thing about party politics.
The Constitution is straight forward. We are all equal members. At a particular period in time, you have your Exco that is running it for four years. If you are to retain them, five. If they are not to stay, you bring in more people. Somebody that comes in tomorrow might become the party chairman in the future.
It’s a system you can’t afford to ask people not to go. You can only appeal. One thing you cannot do is to prevent them from coming. So some people left for AA. May be this is why some people said the Governor is supporting them. No.
Arakunrin is a man of integrity. He can’t leave his own party members. He can’t give support to other political party to the detriment of his own party. And more so, what would be his gain if he has to lose Senators and House of Representatives members. It would tell on the administration. It would tell on the party here in Ondo state. He won’t do anything that would tell on us; that would give an impression that we are not strong. Everybody knows we have no reason to lose this coming election. APC would win, and we are planning to win 90 percent.
Less than two weeks to the election, what does your party have to tell the people of Ondo state?
We’ve been doing house to house campaign and we are still going to take off in the next six days, non stopping; three local governments per day. The Governor is going to lead this campaign. We are visiting three local governments each day, for the next six days nonstop. We are going to cover the entire 18 local governments. Thereafter, we continue with groundwork.
We keep appealing, we keep calling with one message; and that message is; Before the advent of the Araknrin administration, the last administration left N220 billion debts and seven months’ salary arrears.
What we are getting from federal allocation at times is less than N2 billion. People were working.
What is the magic wand that Arakunring is using. He has turned Ondo state to one big octopus construction site, nearly everywhere. Go to Ikare, Owo, Alagbaka, everywhere, new roads are springing up. They are constructing one from Akure to Idanre. Until now Idanre used to have one road in and out of Idanre. Arakunrin would go down in history as that Governor who brought about two roads linking the town of Idanre.
It’s the first road we are constructing through the thick. It started from the other end. They started from Akure. They are going to close ranks along the line. It would go through High Court straight through Ijoka, to Idanre. This is a massive project; and it’s going to be dualised from Akure to Ijoka. Then from there it takes off to Idanre, maybe single lane. But at the completion of this road you could see a lot of energy. Traffic around that area is usually thick. Hardly could you get a taxi anytime from five o clock going through that road. It’s so bad.
A lot of revolution is going on in Agriculture. The industries are springing up. They are building egg to powder industry, an industry that would be turning egg to powder form and send overseas. They are building it in Isuada. That would employ no fewer than 300 people.
That is apart from the chain value of the number of people to be involved in rearing chickens for eggs. The plan is one million eggs everyday to powder. The last time the SSA Agric, Akin Olotu was briefing us, we could see the vision behind it and they intend to target China so that all these companies making chocolate, tea, Bournvita needing eggs, would buy from there. By the time you turn eggs into powder, it could stay for a long time. That company would spring up this year in Ondo state.
The cocoa chocolate industry at Idanre would spring up. Several MoUs have been signed by this administration. By the time people start seeing the result, they would appreciate the efforts the Arakunrin has been putting in building the economy of Ondo state. Somebody that met near nothing and people keep saying what is the magic.
It is not magic. It is not farfetched. Arakunrin does not condone all the loopholes of corruption. They have been blocked; whereby one person would just take away N150 million. No. everybody is working. By the time he blocked all these loopholes, if there is anything anybody may have against Arakunrin, it is not that he is not performing.
Politicians will always tell you they are not seeing money. You won’t see money because this man does not believe in corruption, misappropriating government funds. He is making use of every kobo count. All these monies are what he is putting together. He has been consistent in salary payment.
He has paid six months out of the seven month arrears, in billions. He is not the one owing workers. He wasn’t in government. Any other government could have said that is not for now, some administrations before now were receiving up to N16 million a month. What are we receiving.
Arakunrin has been very prudent with the little he is earning to execute all these projects. The people are happy about it; and that is what we are telling the people of Ondo state. That is the biggest message. If you don’t understand the impact of the Federal Government projects, at least you can quantify that of the Arakunrin in your locality.
The fact that civil servants are getting their salaries every month, the economy, the commercial activities are booming every month, you can be assured that several billions would go into market in Ondo state. If salaries are paid, they would buy things. It’s all in the economy. We are sustaining ourselves. You could imagine people working for seven months without pay. How did they manage to go to office. It’s suicidal. It’s so bad; what the last administration did.
Arakunrin has done much more; and that is the selling point that we are taking to our electorate. We are telling them; look at this one. He is not even up to two years now. He has done so much. Look at this man who doesn’t believe in propaganda. That he doesn’t believe in propaganda does not say you can’t see what he is doing.
Go to Ikare. There is this hilly road. He has surmounted it. These are things people thought it was not possible. And he is building everywhere. People could see these. That is enough for them to think that APC is doing well. They know all these things; but because of the lies of the opposition, that is why we are making this campaign house to house to focus our eyes on the bigger board.
The bigger picture is a man who has done so much in less than two months. What would he do in another two years. Imagine if we are to give him another four years, imagine what he would have done to Ondo State.
So we are grateful we have somebody like Arakunrin as the Governor of Ondo State at this time. We are taking this to our electorate and the performance of Mr. President as a man of integrity.
With these two, people would understand because we cannot afford to return to Egypt. We know the consequence. That is the difference between Buhari and Atiku. And I know that our people are very conscious of this. They are very aware of these two factors and that the leading contestant is the President. And I know they are going to choose appropriately by electing President Muhammadu Buhari.
Do you have any further comment?
I just thank the people of Ondo State. We are going to celebrate together on the 17th February this month if we eventually win this election. And that would take us to the next level of greater opportunities, economic development, good things to happen in Ondo state, and by extension Nigeria.
Thank you.
