Kekemeke: I’am candidate to beat in Ondo

Isaacs Kekemeke is the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State. He has served as Minority Leader of the House of Assembly, Secretary to Government, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and Lands and Housing. The governorship aspirant spoke with reporters in Lagos on his ambition and preparations for the primary and the October 10 poll. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

 

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has said that the APC will lose the election, if  it fields any candidate apart from him. How will you react to that?

What I know is that our interaction with the party membership and citizens in Ondo state shows that they will like to hire a new hand to captain the ship of the state.

I keep saying that Governor Akeredolu has done his very best but the question is, is his best good enough in the eyes of majority of party members and in the eyes of the citizens? There is still hunger, poverty, insecurity and he has not provided jobs.

Why is it that five people are aspiring to be governor to replace him from his local government and another set of six people outside of his local government  want his job in the same party.  I think it is what lawyers call ‘res ipsa loquitur’ the thing speaks for itself.

The important thing for me is to sell my programme to the people as solution to their present quagmire.  The people of Ondo are unhappy and I have said I will offer a prosperous and peaceful existence. The governor sell roads, I sell prosperity and peace.

I sell compulsory education, primary and secondary, highly subsidised tertiary education, affordable and quality healthcare. Fortunately, in a democracy; the people are the best judge for every aspirant.

I know enough, having been the first chairman of the party to know that the people will speak at the appropriate time.

I have experience and I boast that I am the most qualified for the job. I have been permanently resident in Ondo state for 30 years. I am the only one who has not gone to live elsewhere.

I know the people and the people know me. On the governor’s claim that only he can win the election for APC, I’m not going to counter him.

That is his views. He is not the party. He is just the governor and by implication, the informal leader of the party, but he is not the party. So, I won’t join issues with him.

By contesting against the governor, are you not indirectly saying he has not performed?

What I have always said is that the governor has done his best, but I can do better. I have better programmes and vision for the state. Our people deserve a better government than what they currently have.

There are arguments that the governor has a right of first refusal and as such should be given an automatic ticket. Do you share that view?

In the first place, there is no such provision in our constitution, both of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of the APC. I think it’s just somebody’s imagination. Governor Akeredolu was elected for a four-year certain tenure. The office is now open for contest.

What the constitution of APC says is that for primary election into public offices, you either use consensus, direct primary or indirect.

That is why the party is selling forms and asking individuals to come and express interest and buy forms. So, it I settled that any individual can aspire. In a second place, the party itself cannot take away such rights because it’s a constitutionally guaranteed right.

For me, what I’m saying is, the governor has done his best, but the challenges are mounting.  Our people are crying. There is a need to change personnel and to deliver differently.

Do you think that your aspiration tallies with the zonal balancing in the state?

I’m not a fan of zoning. I believe that at every point in time, the people deserve the best to lead and serve them. But for those who are interested for the purposes of arguments, we have three senatorial districts in Ondo state- North, South and Central.

The Northern senatorial district where the governor comes from has produced three governors since 1979; they are the late Governor Adekunle Ajasin; the late governor Adebayo Adefarati and the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu. Cumulatively, the three of them spent 12 years, three months in office.

The Central senatorial district has produced one governor, Olusegun Mimiko  and he spent 8 years. The Southern senatorial district where I come from has produced one governor and that is the late governor Olusegun Agagu for five years, nine months.

So, if you are a zoning crusader, you should also speak that the Southern senatorial zone has produced one governor for five years, nine months as against the Central which produced one governor for eight years and against the North, three governors for 12 years, three months.

The national leadership of the APC has opted for indirect primary but you said you preferred the direct method. What is your reason for this?

One, there is a lingering political and judicial problem arising from the congresses of the state, local and ward congresses of 2018. Some people are in court and we are not united.

So, the only way to remove the controversy from the primary election is to ask all registered party members to go and participate.

Number two, direct has a capacity to mobilise party members for an eventual inter-party election. It can help to sensitise and mobilise party members towards the general election.

Three, it provides level playing ground for all aspirants and thus promote fairness, equity and justice.  Four, it reduces the influence of money in the process and it eliminates cash and carry as well as kidnap syndrome of delegates.

Five, it gives party members a sense of obligation to deliver the candidates they have chosen. Six, it portrays our national leadership as consistent and predictable and lastly, it is COVID-19 protocol-friendly.

Why would you gather 2,000 people in a place as against the Acovid-19 protocol of smaller gatherings of crowd? Let there be scores of people in their various wards rather than bring 2,000 people together.

Any politician who asks for the disenfranchisement of his party members is unpopular. He is undemocratic and ought to be rejected. He is a man that is afraid of his people.

Any incumbent asking for an indirect primary is a weakling and is one who has admitted to his unpopularity and unacceptability with the people. If he has performed, he should be happy to allow the party members decide if they want him to continue in office.