By Banji Ayoola
The Chairman of Akeredolu Campaign Organisation, a former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Victor Olabimtan, has defended the Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, against alleged nepotism, arrogance and bad governance. In this interview with The Radiance, the former Speaker dismissed the allegations against Akeredolu as tissues of lies. In fact, he said that it is only people with dirty minds who peddle such lies against other human beings for whatever reasons. He spoke in Akure, the state capital wit Banji Ayoola. Excerpts:
“Dr Olusegun Agagu believably performed creditably as the governor of Ondo state and you were a confidant of his then. Now, you are leading his structure including Mr. Femi Agagu, Princess Oladunni Odu and others in the Akeredolu structure. What gave you the confidence then to support Akeredolu?”
Thank you very much. Unarguably, Dr Olusegun Kokumo Agagu was a man of vision, a man who had a mission and that is to see that Ondo state developed. I am happy to have been one of his disciples. We worked assiduously at least to leave Ondo state better than we met it. When this dispensation started, we discovered in Aketi the qualities that we found in Agagu, and we felt we should follow him.
That is why majority of us who were the followers and disciples of Dr Agagu including Femi Agagu, Princess Oladunni Odu and all of us are now in the same boat with Aketi because Aketi too has a vision and mission that Ondo state must be developed. And whoever wants this state to develop is my person, and I am ready any time, any day to collaborate with such a person so that we see that we can move Ondo state forward.
What are Governor Akeredolu’s chances in the coming APC primary?
His chances are very bright. I cannot see anybody contesting against him. He is going to win. He has done well, he has performed creditably well, he is an amiable person, he is a politician with distinction. He doesn’t hold grudge against anybody. He doesn’t believe in sentiments. He is very factual and very straight forward. Therefore, with all these credentials and the giant strides that he has taken in Ondo state, I think the primary is a foregone conclusion. He would win the primary and go on to win the general election come October 10, 2020.
Even with the opposition of the Ali Olanusi group and others?
There is no opposition. Those ones are fries. There is nothing to write home about that. There is no opposition as far as Ondo APC is concerned. He is there.
If Governor Akeredolu is reelected as governor of Ondo state, what is in it for the people of Ondo state?
Oh! I think the people of Ondo state are in for good times, very good times. If in the first term he has done what he has done, then imagine what he would do in the second term. I think in the second term, definitely Port Ondo would come to life. And once Port Ondo comes to life, we are home and dry in Ondo state. We would no longer go cap in hand to Abuja asking for money because there would be enough here. That is the purpose. You know, Dr Agagu started it. He wanted to do it because he knew what it would bring. Other people came in and they didn’t do anything for eight years. This man is there now and he is just working hard to make sure that we have Port Ondo.
That is our port of destination. That is where we are going; and he would take us there. And once we are there, we would be economically solvent and buoyant in Ondo state. Once that is done, whether allocation comes or it does not come, there would be prosperity. With Port Ondo, a lot of people would be employed; most of our youths who are roaming about would be employed. There would be inflow of wealth, wealth creation. A lot of wealth would come through it because a lot of people would be working there. I think if we get that, there is nothing more we want. That would be a dream comes true.
How do you react to the criticisms against Governor Akeredolu that he is not attending to the welfare of party members; that he is restricting governance into his family; he is bringing his children into government; he is not doing this, he is not doing that?
For me, there is nothing that people would not say when you are there. They said more against Dr Agagu when he was there. They even said that Agagu had a refinery in South Africa, that he built a skyscraper in Lagos. And by the time he left the place, there was no refinery in South Africa and there was no skyscraper in Lagos.
Dr Olusegun Mimiko that even just left, they said he had a big hospital in Dubai, that he had a school in Dubai. There is nothing they didn’t say. Mimiko has left now. It has been discovered that he has nothing in Dubai. You see, people would insinuate. People are bound to insinuate because some minds are dirty. And those dirty minds would be doing dirty works. Those are the people doing dirty works. There is no problem about that. Akeredolu is not bothered about that. He is focused. he is going ahead. His belief is that he must leave Ondo state better than he met it.
Do you have any further comments?
I am okay. Thank you.”
