Ekiti APC aspirant: Infrastructure development is my goal

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Editor

Kayode Ojo, engineer, businessman and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, has placed his hand on the plough and there is no looking back.

He is eyeing the Ekiti Government House in next year’s election. “I am focused on my ambition to serve Ekiti State,” he told reporters in Lagos.

The race for succession in the Fountain of Knowledge has kicked off. Politics in Ekitiland is usually tough. It is because naturally, Ekiti often stick to their firm beliefs and principles, which are often mistaken for stubbornness.

Ojo said he is entering the race for governor with a vision to guarantee a conducive atmosphere for infrastructure development, security and administration of Justice.

He is not the only one in the race. But, exuding confidence, he said he is eminently qualified to lift the flag and later, the crown.

What is a successful engineer looking for in politics? He said that he is driven by the passion  to make a difference. “There is no single black country that is suffessful. That is the reason for racism in Europe and America,” he lamented.

Then, he posed a question to the political class: what does it take to build an egalitarian society?

His answer: Leaders should bury their greed, separate wants from needs and do away with primitive acquisition and accumulation because it is vanity.

Instead, he said government and governance should be for service to the people, and not fir financial enrichment. “The office of Governor should be brought to the level of the people for creative service,” Ojo stressed.

Ojo, who hails from Ikoro-Ekiti, acknowledged the achievements of Governor Kayode Fayemi, whose tenure expires next year. He pointed out that the governor has laid a good foundation for his successor to build upon. The next government, he said, will be a government of continuity.

However, if elected, he said there will be a more radical approach. “Governor Fayemi has done well. He has laid a strong foundation. I am a development person. A knowledge economy is good. We will improve on Fayemi’s achievements.

“We must as a matter of emergency develop our economy. I asked from Governor Fayemj how he is able to pay salaries, considering the meagre amount from the centre; with 62,000 workers. The allocation is not up to N3 billion. We must do things differently by looking for more sources of revenue,” he said.

To Ojo, Ekiti has a brighter future, if Fayemi is succeeded by the right person. He described Ekiti as dynamic people, saying: “We should invest in people. We should bring in industries, tapping into agriculture and investing in infrastructure.”

In Ekiti, the clamour for zoning to the South Senatorial District has been intensified by some stakeholders. Ojo conceded to the agitators to exercise their freedom of expression. But, he doubted if zoning will shape the primary and general elections.

The aspirant, who alluded to the sophistication of Ekiti, said: “Ekiti is a very homogenous state. We speak the same language, from Omuo to Ikere, Ado, Ikole, Ido, Ijero. Historically, there has been no zoning. There will be no zoning in 2022. The focus is who is the best person that will make Ekiti viable.”

In 2018, Ojo was an aspirant. Reflecting on the last primary, he said that he has been strengthened by experience. Besides, he said the lessons of the previous contest are instructive. “You need to be more engaging. You need to understand the terrain.”

The aspirant looked forward to a credible primary where a level playing ground would be provided for contenders. Yet, he quickly added,  reflectively, that the shadow poll is a party affair.

Ojo said many factors will shape the exercise, including the inevitability of influence of external forces. “That is the nature of politics, “he added.

He said what is important for him how is to sustain his consultation and mobilisation  at the grassroots.

However, the aspirant ruled out the possibility of stepping down, saying that he is prepared to run a full course.

Across the states, governors always want to anoint successors. The situation may not be different in Ekiti. But, Ojo differed, pointing out that many successors have turned around to challenge their predecessors and benefactors to a duel.

He said: “We have examples of those who anointed their successors and it never worked, and they don’t maintain loyalty.”

Ojo, who said he does not have a godfather, added: “I have God the father, and not godfather. But, in politics, you carry your leaders along.”

The aspirant said his political structure revolves around the common man across the 120towns and villages. He said he believes that power belongs to God, and that if he wins the poll, he will not disappoint his creator.

Acknowledging that Ekiti APC is rocked by crisis, he said it is noting unusual, adding that conflict and conflict resolution are part of politics.

He added: “The solution is to bring everybody together. Politics is about interest. It is the nature of politics. But, I don’t have problem with anybody. I will always canvass unity and cohesion.”

Does Ojo has a Plan B? His response: “No Plan B. I am focused. I am gainfully employed. I am not desperate.”