Date: 2014-04-27

Chief Gbenga Awoyale, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is the President-General of Orisun Igbomina, a socio-cultural organization of the people of Kwara State. In this interview with AROWONA ABDULAZEEZ, he bares his mind on this and sundry issues of national importance. Excerpts: 

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has just concluded its congresses with the election of its state executive members. How do you see it?

Well, I see the successful conduct of the congresses both at the ward, local and state level as one of the good things that has ever happened to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP family in Kwara State. The conduct of the congresses was so peaceful with the production of executive members who will steer the affairs of the party at their respective levels in preparation for the take-over of governance from the All Progressive Congress, APC-led government in the state.

The election of the executive members was duly conducted in line with guidelines of the party under the supervision of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. In fact Kwara PDP has proved to Nigerians that there is absolute unity and cordial relationship among its people. During the said congresses, there was no imposition of candidate neither was there an impostor. People were allowed to perform their rights as members of the party and they voted for people they intended to entrust with the leadership of the party. Such was a good omen for us as a party and peace loving people of Kwara State.

 

Kwara PDP chairman on Tuesday gave the APC government in the state aquit notice to vacate the Kwara Government House. What informed this decision?  

The chairman had not made any mistake by telling the APC government to vacate the Government House. You will agree with me that the mandate that the APC is carrying all about now in Kwara State, was duly labored for through the PDP structure. It was a stolen mandate. All the members of the Kwara APC are hypocrites. They have been benefitting immensely from the PDP since 2003. Since they ceased to be members of the party under which they were voted, I think the best thing is to vacate and hand over all our belongings to us. It is a matter of common sense, although, the case is still before the court of law and I’m confident that justice shall be done in our favour. So, for us in the Kwara PDP, we are committed and focused towards wrestling power from the APC soon on or before 2015.

 

Recently, the Kwara State Government sought for bond in the sum of N 23 billion from the capital market. What is your take on this?

You will agree with me that it has become the tradition of the Kwara State government to be taking bond for projects but my problem with them is that when this loan is taken, it will not be channelled towards desirable projects.

Before former Governor Bukola Saraki left office, he took the sum of N 17 billion. Please ask him what he has used the said money for. Ask him where is the water that he promised to provide for the people of Ilorin not to talk of Kwara State at large. Go to the whole of Government Reservation Area, GRA, Okelele, Taiwo road, Gambari ,even the Emir’s Palace among others. They are suffering from acute non-availability of portable water supply. Why taking bond at this time when you know quite alright that your tenure is gradually winding up? Also, why taking another bond when you are yet to fully repay the one taken by past administration. This is not only condemnable but it is also an act of injustice and not been fair to the people of Kwara State. Ask them also to give an accurate account of what they have used the previous bond for and also give the debt status of the state.

However, is Kwara state the only state in the federation? What are they using the monthly federal government allocation which is coming regularly as and when due? What are they using the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR for? Where are the gains coming from the State Government’s owned establishments? They are not making judicious use of these funds that was why they had to resolve at taking bond at all times.

I know APC is desperately in need of money to finance its numerous programmes. That was why they are looking for ways of jacking-up the debt status of the state with no consideration to its effects of the people of the state.

My advice is just for the management of Capital Market and all other concern authorities to trade with the Kwara APC-led government with absolute care because their days are numbered and the incoming PDP government will not be responsible for any debt incurred at this time. The best they could do is to seek for little amount that can be serviced within the little time left for them to complete their tenure in April 2015.

 

There were allegations that local government areas in Kwara State are incapacitated. What is your view on this?

Local governments in Kwara State are not only incapacitated but they are completely dead.  They are using the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee, JAAC as an excuse to shortchange the local councils and making them ineffective to the yearnings of the people. They cannot do developmental project for the benefit of the people. The council chairmen are just like bill-boards in their respective areas. Things are so worse up for them that they cannot even pay salaries of their workers as at when due. All they do is to ration salary payment. It is quite unfortunate and saddening.

I can tell you authoritatively that since their inception, no local government chairman in Kwara State can boost of N 5 million projects in his/her area. If there is any, let them come and defend this allegation despite the federal government efforts of ensuring that the dividends of democracy get to the grassroots. In fact, the project that was abandoned for about 10 years in my local government area which connect my community with some other communities was later completed through my personal effort. The only time they remember their existence is during election when they will be canvassing for votes but as soon as the election is over, they become in accessible and incommunicado. Also, there are some communities in my area that find it difficult to even charge their hand sets, cut their hair among other importance of electricity. I personally light-up the communities by purchasing generator set for them to ensure comfort.

 

 APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, recently accused the PDP leadership of abetting terrorists. What is your take on this? 

To me, I see Lai Mohammed as a confusionist as he does not follow the trend of event. He is only trying to gain cheap relevance in the Nigeria political realm. But I am bold to say that he does not have the number to control the party even in his ward (Oro ward II). He lacks principle. I never thought somebody like Lai Mohammed will be comfortable with Bukola Saraki but they are birds of the same feather. Lai Mohammed’s allegation is out rightly mischievous and misleading. Has he forgotten the roles of former Governor Alli Modu Sherrif in the coming into existence of the sect?  He has forgotten that President Goodluck Jonathan inherited the Boko Haram insurgence. At the time when Alli Modu Sherrif was empowering members of the Boko Haram sect, President Jonathan was a Deputy Governor by then. And you will remember vividly that Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warned Alli Modu Sherrif against the action then, but he was so adamant and refused to take to the advice. The promoters of the sect are right there in the APC. They are only trying to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan in pursuit of their personal interests. Instead of the APC to join the federal government in the search for lasting solutions on the insurgence, they are busy issuing inflammatory statements capable of disintegrating and overheating the polity.

As I speak with you, Lai Mohammed cannot deliver his ward to APC in any election. He is a politician on the pages of newspaper. He doesn’t have the winning qualities; he lacks charisma and all it takes to get the interests of the people. I have said it repeatedly that Lai Mohammed is a runaway politician who only uses Kwara State as place to get political slot and nothing more.  The real politicians in his small environments are people like Alhaji Tajudeen Bada, Chief Bode Oyedepo among others.

Ask Lai Mohammed the reason why the APC congress in his ward was inconclusive. He was in United States of America USA and trying to impose candidate on the people. They unanimously rejected his attempt and ruled him out of order. Is that a leader? He is so callous and untruthful to the leadership of his party.