kunle-oyatomiYour party, the APC, has consistently accused the opposition PDP of alleged plans to cause chaos and a state of anarchy in the state. How true is this because the PDP has denied this?
Osun PDP is a poisoned cup of tea. That leadership is notorious. If the Vanguard cares, we suggest it does a comprehensive investigation of the antecedents of that leadership which has been absolutely rejected by the original stakeholders of the PDP in Osun.
The notoriety of the current leadership is over its bent on violence, thuggery and the creation of chaos in most of its interactive engagements with opponents within and outside the PDP structure.
The worst part of it is that they are brazen in delivery of their vandalism. So it is not a secret to any household in Osun that the current PDP leadership is synonymous with these anarchic tendencies.
The APC is optimally well resourced in political intelligence gathering. We are not a frivolous party. Our operatives are responsible individuals and professionals who are above board. There is no reason for us to lie; and all our accusations against the PDP have helped the security agencies to nip several potentially dangerous situations that PDP would have created in the bud.
Also, your party chided Vice President Namadi Sambo over his remarks that elections in Ekiti and Osun are a war that must be won. Do you still stand by your reaction?
The stakes in Ekiti and Osun are very high indeed. Our people do not have a history of love for the philosophy behind PDP’s approach to governance. We reject it totally.
Anybody, therefore, who declared that he was prepared to go to war to impose what we don’t like on us in Yorubaland is enemy number one.
So, Vice President Namadi’s statement captures the no-love situation between the PDP and the people of Ekiti and Osun states. This has a critical history in our politics. We had thought that the VP would have known that the South-west is not a people you can threaten with war so that they should accept shit. It will not be allowed. 2003 will never repeat itself in Yorubaland.
A former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has been criticized for the statement credited to him that anyone who rigs elections in Ekiti and Osun states should be roasted. What is your take on this?
Does anybody in his or her right mind really wants to rig in either or both of these states? What Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was saying was simply to refer the criminal who plans to rig to remember “Wetie” and the incident in old Ondo State in 1983. Criminal riggers were roasted. Does the PDP want to repeat the criminal rigging of those days?
From that party’s reaction to Asiwaju Tinubu’s statement, one gets the clear impression they already consider themselves as those Tinubu was referring to. How so easily have the criminals to their intended crime? If the PDP had no intention to rig, why should it bother about those who would be roasted for rigging in Ekiti and Osun states? Or are they already accessories to the crime?
What is your reaction to PDP’s call for the redeployment of the Osun REC? Do you think their call is justifiable?
No. First the PDP is not contesting an election against the person of Akeju, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State of Osun. So we find it odd that the party is putting so much premium over its phantom victory on a particular person. Not a shred of evidence has been produced by the PDP to support its allegations against the REC.
What they are doing is simply character assassination- a pastime of ignoble people. If the PDP really has what it takes to win a free and fair election in Osun, it won’t be dissipating energy on character assassination of the REC. Don’t be surprised, sooner or later, if the next set of people the PDP would be calling for their removal would be the state Police Commissioner and the Director of State Security.
When our party was still AC or ACN and was in opposition, we never called for the resignation, removal or redeployment of any of these officers.
The PDP should stop this rubbish and get to the business of convincing the people of Osun why the PDP thinks its rotten piece of cake is what they need as replacement for APC’s delectable sauce of marvelous socio-political and economic life more abundant. The effective choice will be the people’s not a government official’s.
Is it true that the governor made overtures to Prince Oyinlola and Isiaka Adeleke?
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is a complete gentleman. To visit an ex-governor is not a crime. And when a sitting governor of a rival political party visits a previous one he had defeated in an election, it is a measure of maturity and traditional respect. In age and precedence to occupying the governor’s seat, Oyinlola is senior to Ogbeni Aregbesola.
In traditional Yoruba practice a junior person must give full honour and respect to his senior and elder. That is part of the Omoluabi ethos. Talking about overtures being made to Oyinlola and Adeleke is far-fetched. The interaction amongst the three of them is dignified, mature approach to positive engagement between the peoples of different political parties. And the three of them are classical and responsible ambassadors of the Omoluabi culture.