Osun 2022: How I can work for governor-elect, Adeleke, by Mukaila Oni, SDP Deputy Gov’ship Candidate
Ogbeni Oni Mukaila Adesoye, was the deputy governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the July 16, governorship election in Osun State. In this interview with our man Razaq Bamidele in his office in Osogbo, Oni, who was one of the founding fathers of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), spoke on why he left the progressives’ camp to his present party.
He also used the opportunity to advise the Governor-Elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke on what to do to succeed in office.
Exerpts:
You are known to be a politician of progressive extraction, how, why and when did you find yourself in another party outside the progressive camp?
Thank you very much and I appreciate that you are aware of my political anticedent with the progressives. Now, to answer your question, politics is about getting an opportunity to serve the people and humanity. And party politics is about all-inclusiveness whereby every member of any political party would be accommodated in sharing equally the dividends of democracy.
But when a situation arises whereby some members are marginalised while a few others are monopolising the commonwealth, the best thing is for one to move on towards another avenue to serve the people and humanity.
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As you have earlier observed that I am a die-hard progressive, I was part of the founding fathers of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), in 1998. And since 1999 when this democratic dispensation commenced, I have not dumped the party even through its transformations to Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) down to the present All Progressives Congress (APC).
How come then that people up till now still have the impression that you are still a member of the APC? Did you resign from the party properly?
Yes of course. I followed all the laid down rules and procedures of resignation in the party. I left APC since January 2022 because of deceit, persecution and marginalization but my resignation was not accepted until April 22.
I resigned through my Ward 2, at Ola Oluwa Local Governmentat Telemu near Iwo to be very precise. I gave the letter to our Ward Chairman, Honourable Muniru Lamidi.
Why was your resignation letter not accepted immediately?
I think that was borne out of the fact that, by the grace of God, I was instrumental to the political fortunes of some of those in power in our party in our Local Government particular and our federal Constitution at large.
Right from the Ward Chairman, Hon. Muniru Lamidi and others like Hon Sunday Olaifa, Hon Fadilu Lai Smart, they believed I was a pillar to reckon with in the party so I should not just abandon the party and members I built and made.
However, they allowed me to go in April when it was dawn on them that I have been picked as the deputy governorship candidate of the SDP for the governorship election then coming up in June.
Yet they still believed that, even if I left the party, I would still support the APC forgetting the Yoruba axiom that says, where you said good night, you cannot come back to say good evening again. That means it is bye, bye finally to the APC.
Can we have an insight into what really transpired that led to your exit from the APC?
It started from a minor misunderstanding with one of our party leaders that led to my removal from office as the Secretary Education Authority. And I exhausted all avenues to see to the end of the dispute to no avail. For instance, I wrote to the Leader of the party in our constituency, Barrister Adedeji, I wrote to APC leader in Iwo, Alhaji Gafar on what I am suffering in the party. But nothing came out of it.
Five of us were so maltreated but later, four were reinstated leaving me in the cold. So, since they never wanted me to rise, I better move to where my value would be appreciated. I never joined other party besides the progressive till SDP discovered me and made me deputy governorship candidate.
Ok, if we may ask, with the outcome of the election, what next?
Life goes on. Rome was never built in a day. When we continue to exhibit traits of truthfulness, something fruitful would surface. But in the case of APC, it is bye, bye to the party. So, my politics progresses, but in the SDP. And my sole aim now is how to contribute to the building of the party till Eldorado would be achieved.
If Nigerians are yearning for progress and development, we should think out of the box to try another party because we have tested both the APC and PDP and they have failed us. Then, let us try another party with people of impeccable character who we feel can steer the ship of the country to the promise land.
What are your expectations from the administration of the Governor-Elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke?
My expectation is that people should forget party affiliation and support him to succeed for the benefit of all and sundry. Reason for condemning the Governor-elect initially is not tenable. People complain that he dances too much.
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To me, Yoruba say only people seen dancing could be said to have a happy home. “How is family doing,” is no more the right greeting for a dancing man. The dance is an indication of a settled home. A sad man doesn’t dance. If the state under your control is not ok, you cannot be dancing. If community is not in joyous mood, no hungry man would patronize drinking joints.
Adeleke himself has even alluded to what I am saying at a radio interview where he said that during his time as governor, Osun people would be happy to the extent that they would dance for joy. And truly, it is a person that finds joy that dances.
I pray God for his success. But I advise he should not base governance solely on his own wisdom. Luckily, there are former governors of his party around. He should consult widely and make use of their wisdom and tap from their experiences. There are also successful past party chairmen and leaders around, he should keep them company and gain experience from them. Money is not everything; he should not be contented that there is money at his disposal.
The matter on ground now is beyond just the availability of money. It is about perfect administrative acumen. He should also be aware that government is not run with money. If anybody says so, it is deceit. It is advisable for him to surround himself with patriotic people who know the wherewithal with politics and governance as his team. It is with this that he can succeed.
What advice do you have for the parties that lost the election?
I advise them and the generality of the good people of Osun State to team up and cooperate with the new administration and shun violent acts that can cause the breach of the peace because there is no room for development where there is crisis. And the incoming helmsman should learn from the mistakes (if any) of the defeated administration. (However, the result of the election is before the Tribunal for scrutiny, so, we cannot say more on that for now for obvious reason).
However, Adeleke should not allow himself to be deceived and should surround himself with patriotic advisers.
And I can predict that, after three months of the new administration, some of those who deceived the out-going governor would cross over to the party of the new governor. That is their natural way of life. It is not about the love of the people but it is out of what they would eat and acquire.
If you are invited to serve in the in-coming government, would you oblige?
If they do, it means they have seen the quality in me that I will do the bidding of the people. If it happens like that, I will report back to my new party because it is through my new party that they discovered me.
We will then examine the offer to reach a conclusion whether to go or not. But if during the service we realise the new government is deviating from the campaign promises for the people, I will cry out and drop my pull-out letter. This is because the SDP invited me based on my good name and outstanding quality, and I would not allow anything to tarnish that name.
