Lawyer and human rights activist Dr. Tunji Abayomi is taking another shot at the Ondo State governorship election. In this interview with Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain justifies why he should be given a chance to govern the state.
Why do you want to be governor of Ondo State?
The first thing is that, why is government constituted among people? The essence of government is to have a sovereign to which the people delegate their powers, to realize for them what you might call the possibilities to make life fulfilling; in terms of their hopes and aspiration and in terms of development. The whole essence why I’m running for governorship is because I believe that the above natural expectations of citizens of Ondo State have not been met. In the case of Ondo State, since the present government came to power, it is not only that they have not been met, they have been defeated. Those who are following developments in the state are embarrassed because Ondo State happens to be the state that receives the highest allocation from the federation account in the Southwest. Yet, it is embarrassing that the state cannot pay salaries. I was looking at the rating of states recently on the internet; I think as at today, the state is facing a challenge: its expenditure is about N6 billion per month and the total income is five-point-something billion naira. So, it is an indebted state. So, my mission is to see how I can turn the fortunes of the people around, through discipline, commitment to vital ends, responsible choices, compassion which would reduce the tendency for corruption and intelligence, as well as connection worldwide.
There are about 18 aspirants gunning for the APC ticket. What gives you the edge?
It is very simple; the first thing is that I have been in this journey since 2007 and in each instance I’m always the most popular candidate. As a matter of fact, they call me gomina mecunu (governor of the masses) in Ondo State. I’m more or less the Buhari of Ondo State. The second thing is that if you trace the journey of my right, you will know that by natural disposition, I’m closest to the ordinary people. Thirdly, out of all the competitors, I do not believe that there is one person who can claim to have the kind international connection that I have; as a lawyer, I have represented three presidents — Olusegun Obasanjo, Jerry Rawlings of Ghana and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Apart from that, I have been a member of the board of the Kennedy Centre; I have brought a member of the British House of Lords to this country; and I have connections with Canada and other Western countries. But, also, I have indigenous knowledge to know where the problems are, because of my constant and regular interactions with the people. Indeed, most people in Ondo State see me as a man of principle; a man that is consistent. I have never equivocated in terms of my standing since 2004 when I joined the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD). As a matter of fact, in spite of so much pressure, from the PDP by virtue of my relationship with Obasanjo or the Labour Party (LP) because of my friendship with Governor Olusegun Mimiko, I never changed my position. If we also look at the temperature of this time, the atmosphere of Buharism, I think I fit into it much more than the other aspirants.
What is your assessment of the performance of Governor Mimiko?
The performance of the current governor is very poor in my view. For instance, it is actually embarrassing that it cannot pay salaries as we speak — two months salaries. Secondly, when you look at the income of the state — by the last count I understand it is over N900 billion and place it against what has been achieved, you will realise that it has not achieved much. What has it achieved? It unnecessarily renovated what needed not to be renovated; an eight-kilometre road in Akure, the Oba Adesida Road, as well as the road from Akure Airport to the town. That is the extent of the road construction that it has done so far. The government also attempted some work in the health sector: it built what it called Mother and Child Centre, which is nothing more than a maternity clinic. But, it made so much noise about it. In any case, it even makes more sense in my view to expand the maternities attached to the various general hospitals that were built from deep thinking by the late Obafemi Awolowo. Those general hospitals are located in different communities in the state. In education, the government built mega schools; everything is mega. But, to my mind, it does not show deep thinking to spend such huge amount to build mega schools. The idea of community schools during the Awolowo era was to reduce the anxiety of parents by having schools within walking distances, so that the pupils can walk to school within their neigbourhood easily. And it is more manageable because it serves the community. The irony is that there are no pupils for the mega schools today. In my view, the money should have been spent to develop and modernize those community schools. In fact, Mimiko’s government is characterised by waste, lack of vision, mismanagement of resources and lack of deep thinking in terms of choices. Ondo State represents the pain and disappointment of Nigerian citizens.
Given your experience in 2012, have your party leaders given assurances that there would be a level-playing ground this time around?
Yes, I had confrontations with the leaders of my party the last time (Rotimi) Akeredolu was picked. Then, Akeredolu never said anything about me because he knew that my disagreement was based on principle. It is like this; if you are studying for an exam and before the exam the authorities declared that somebody has come first; it is wrong and unfair. Immediately I left Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, I called Akeredolu to brief him on my discussion with Tinubu. I concluded my discussion this way: I’m of the view that it wrong politically; if I were you, I will reject it and insist that a free and fair primary is conducted. That was why Akeredolu never said anything negative about me. In fact, I notice that he has been standing on the same principle in recent times. Besides, if you look at the recent primaries in the APC, most of the candidates that emerged were not the ones favoured by the party. But, the people chose the candidates they preferred. It is like (Kwame) Nkrumah said, the people have the right to govern themselves by their choice. The people are sovereign; they are the ones that will choose the person that will govern them. As human beings, it is normal for leaders to have preferences and perhaps do something to push it. What is wrong and unacceptable is to simply take over the process and have your own way, to the detriment of the populace. But, things are different now and we hope that it will continue that way. I think the press should help us in this regard, to discourage the tendency for money politics; because you cannot be asking for men of integrity and at the same time be asking for abnormal money during primary: do you want them to steal the money? If they spend a huge amount of money during the primaries, when they get into government what will happen? So, we have our people to appreciate that the end we are advocating for is good governance in the overall interest of the generality of the people. What Buhari is doing now is to turn the tide, to see whether something good can still come out of Nigeria. I belong to that camp, the community of Buhari advocates.
What would be your priorities, if you are given the chance?
The first thing is to tap the mind of the people, to develop their possibilities. I will tell the people to develop their mind; every revolution is a product of the mind, not a product of the hand. The first thing is, how do I now tap the mind? I will start with the youths; I will challenge them. I will create centres for invention, design, development and innovation and I will challenge them to come up with ideas; what they can do to transform the society in every area and I will back it with resources. If that happens, I can tell you that our society will be transformed. I saw a typical example in a friend’s house, when I went to Abuja. There were 35 products made of wood; that means that if I encourage the carpenters, they can create products even for exports. I tried something a while ago; I took local artisans to NICON Hotel, in Abuja, many years ago. I said, this is where the wealthiest Nigerians live; look around and picture what you can do, if given the resources. After that, I took them back to Okeagbe. If you get to my house today, you will never believe those things were not made in Italy. This means that the mind is a powerful object and that is why it is often said that it is a terrible thing to waste.
Given the state of the economy, how would you source funds for your developmental projects?
First and foremost when government is disciplined in terms of choices and avoidance of waste, it can manage within its means. Look at what the head of the international Monetary fund (IMF) said the other day; she said in spite of the dwindling revenue from crude oil that Nigeria does not need an IMF loan, if she manages her resources very well. So, if the leadership is disciplined, the state can survive. One of the biggest tragedies is the consumption of government; the amount if the wealth of the people that is consumed in government house is abnormal. They order for a set of cars this year and the following year they will order for more. What is wrong with the ones in their garage? Buhari is teaching us; he is still using the same car. Why must the leadership spend so much when the people are starving?
It is the turn of Ondo North Senatorial District to produce the governor, but people say there is an Akure agenda to install another governor from the Central District …
I think it is due to lack of understanding. If we even take a governor from Akure, what would be the advantage to the people of Akure? As a capital city, most development is centred in Akure since the time of Adekunle Ajasin. So, Akure dies not gain any advantage; that’s number one. Secondly, I was speaking with one of the prominent political leaders in Akure recently; he said our people are not realistic. Is it possible for a governor from Ondo town to spend eight years and in the next dispensation another governor is picked from within 30 kilometres from the town? I agree with him; it cannot work.
Things are organised in Ondo State. The next zone that would produce the governor is always allocated the deputy governorship position. When Ajasin was governor, he took his deputy from Ekiti, but eventually Ekiti was excised from Ondo State. When Adebayo Adefarati (Ondo North) became governor, the deputy came from Ondo South, which eventually produced the next governor in the person of Olusegun Agagu. When Agagu became governor, he picked his deputy from the Ondo Central and afterwards the zone produced the next governor in the person of Mimiko. When Mimiko became governor, he took his deputy from Ondo North. So, it is the turn of the North to produce the next governor.

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (Apc) has taken the bull by the horns by reconciling the factions in Ekiti State in a bid to reposition the crisis-ridden chapter as a formidable platform. Odunayo Ogunmola examines the impact of the peace move.
Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) was hit by a crisis, following its outster from power by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) two years ago.
The chieftains started to trade blames. Since 2014, a lot of water has passed under the bridge.
APC is the ruling party at the federal level, former Governor Kayode Fayemi is a minister and the last local government election was boycotted by the party and majority of voters.
Before the appointment of minister, various interest groups in the party were locked in intrigues, lobbying and horse trading with the party’s national secretariat and the Presidency was flooded with petitions against  “ministerial aspirants”.
It was widely believed that any group that got the ministerial slot would gain the upper hand in the “battles” that lay ahead.
The suspense over who becomes minister dragged on for about four months before it was resolved with the appointment of Fayemi by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Following the angst created by the loss of the governorship poll, not less than four factions emerged in the party, although their promoters always maintain that they are not factions but “interest groups” or “caucuses” raised to revive the party.
The groups include the APC state executive, which is believed to be loyal to Fayemi and other party members, who served in his administration referred to as the Isan Group. the Action Group is led by a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency, Senator Babafemi Ojudu; the Bibiiire Coalition is led by former House of Representatives member Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele; the Restoration Group initiated by four former House of Representatives members- Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, Hon. Ife Arowosoge, Hon. Robinson Ajiboye and Hon. Bimbo Daramola-and the Justice Group led by Chief Sesan Fatoba, former commissioner during the Adebayo administration.
Although the APC is not in power, the various groups are positioning themselves to get appointments and patronage in the emerging APC Federal Government and ahead of the next governorship primary and election anytime the opportunity beckons.
With the key appointments in the Presidency and the FEC already settled, eyes are now on the commissions, boards and agencies of the Federal Government.
Realising that the party needed unity to realise its dream of bouncing back to power, the national leadership held a meeting with the caucuses last December, with a view to bringing them together to chart a new course.
Shortly before the meeting, they had earlier met the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; National Secretary Mai Mala Buni; National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Chief Pius Akinyelure and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.
Those at the meeting included former governor of old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, former Senator, Chief James Kolawole, former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Ronke Okusanya and Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi.
The meeting, according to a source, was centred on the issue of appointments which was settled with the submission of names, from the caucuses into the federal commissions, boards and agencies.
Another issue at the root of the crisis of confidence in the party was the matter of the dissolution of the state party executive led by Chief Olajide Awe, which some groups in the party believe is loyal to Fayemi.
The aggrieved groups are calling for an Executive Council (EXCO) which, according to them, will represent all shades of opinions in the party. They insist that the Awe-led EXCO, which they accused of leading the party to defeat in several elections, must go to allow a new set that will represent all shades of opinions.
The clamour for the dissolution of the state EXCO led the stakeholders to Ila Orangun, Osun State to hold a meeting with the former APC National Interim Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.
Akande is believed to be in charge of the organisation of state congresses, hence the recourse to him to find a way of dissolving the Ekiti EXCO to pave way for a fresh congress where a new set of party executives will emerge.
A very reliable source said the last meeting held in Abuja on December 16, 2015, was at the instance of the former governor and Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Chief Segun Oni.
The meeting was said to have commenced at 12 noon and lasted till 6.00 pm.
The December 16 meeting was attended by former Governor, Chief Niyi Adebayo, former Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, state Chairman, Awe; his deputy, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye; members of the Seventh Senate, except Sen. Olubunmi Adetunmbi; members of the Seventh House of Representatives, excluding Bamidele.
Also in attendance were former Chief of Staff to Fayemi Hon. Yemi Adaramodu; former Special Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Hon.  Dapo Karonwi; former Assembly Majority Leader Hon. Churchill Adedipe; former Assembly member, Hon. Bunmi Oriniowo; state Publicity Secretary, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun.
The list also includes: Former Secretary to the government Dr. Gani Owolabi; former Special Adviser (Governor’s Office), Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae; Elders Forum Publicity Secretary, Dr. Adebayo Orire; former Commissioner and Afenifere leader Hon. Funminiyi Afuye; former governorship aspirant Chief Babatunde Odetola; and Mr. Kayode Afolabi.
The source revealed that Oni, who set the ball of discussion rolling, appealed to the interest groups to sink their differences and come together as a formidable and united front.
The source said: “Oni opened the discussion that we should become one and united, so that we will be focused to fight a common enemy. He said the party needs a unity of purpose because Ekiti people are not happy with the Ayodele Fayose-led PDP government at the moment.
“Oni said Ekiti needs the APC now to salvage them from bad governance and rudderless leadership going on in the state, hence the need for all interest groups in Ekiti APC to close ranks and work towards returning the party to the Government House to give quality leadership to the people.
“Former Governor Adebayo in his own contribution said he is not against any caucus in the party, as there are no political parties without caucuses but infighting should not be allowed to kill the party and affect its electoral fortunes.
“Former Deputy Governor, Prof. Adelabu appealed to members to bury the hatchet, saying the APC is the natural habitat of all members irrespective of groups to which they belong.
“Chairman Awe who spoke thereafter toed the line of Oni; he expressed his delight that we came to the meeting because that was the fourth attempt to invite us.
“But, we members of the Action Group insisted that we are not against anybody, but that the party must be reconstituted and must be open to allow others interested in joining to do so without let or hindrance.
“We told the national body that we don’t like the way the three former governors have been treating Olumilua; that he should be carried along in the scheme of things.
“We have been holding meetings in Olumilua’s house on the need to restore unity to the party, be it Action Group, Restoration Group, Bibiire Coalition and Justice Group. It is only the Isan Group that has not been holding meetings with us.”
“From the body language of the (state) party leaders, the party is now open to all members. In fairness to her, the Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Olaleye, who is the most senior EXCO member on ground, adopted friendlier approach to members of other caucuses.
“The executives no longer antagonise members of other caucuses and this is a good development and a direct result of the Abuja parley and we believe they would build more on it.”
Another major breakthrough resulting from the Abuja peace parley was the visit to Olumilua at his Ikere Ekiti country home, by Adebayo, Oni and Fayemi.
The visit, which delighted many party members, was seen as the implementation of the Abuja parley.
Fayemi  said he is interested in pursuing unity and ensuring that the party waxes stronger, adding that there are no factions but interest groups working assiduously to restore the party back to power.
According to him, a party is formed by members who come from various backgrounds with the intent of capturing power for the benefit of the people and in party politics, disagreement is normal.
He said the Ekiti APC is on the right track as its teeming members are still intact and are working hard to keep the party stronger, virile and more united.
Fayemi explained that the unity within the party was brought to the fore by the agreement of leaders and members not to participate in the last council election and to challenge the composition of the state electoral agency in the court of law.
The former governor described the election of the new local government administrators as “an illegality which will not be allowed to stand.“
Consequent upon the Abuja parley, the Action Group caucus held a meeting where 12 resolutions were made. The resolutions which  were conveyed in a communique made available to our reporter reads:
“We agreed that we are all members of the party (APC), with a resolve to make the party stronger, vibrant  and viable; we agreed that the party is our veritable jar from which all of us have drank and will continue drink; we agreed that the party is sick today and requires the right treatment, which may include surgical operation; we all agreed that no sacrifice is too small from any quarter within the party to ensure that the party regains the lost glory; and it was a shock that some elements in the party have taken unilateral actions to suspend some  members within our party.
“We all agreed that such negative steps already taken by some leaders in some local governments and wards should be reversed, particularly those wards and unit excos allegedly suspended from the party in Efon should refrain from doing so.”
It was also agreed that the state EXCO should set up a fact-finding committee to visit Efon and meet with Chief Mrs. Ronke Okusanya, Hon. Dapo Karounwi and other leaders, as well as the local government EXCO, with a view to resolving the crisis. This should be replicated in other local governments as a way to foster unity within the party.
Other resolutions, according to the comminuque, are: “We agreed that members of the Action Group and other groups are bonafide members of APC in Ekiti and nobody should pronounce otherwise or threaten to suspend them from the party.
“We all agreed that there is the need to forge a new understanding within the party in Ekiti State.”
The question was asked as to how Olumilua, who hitherto was excluded from the ex-governors caucus, was classified. It was agreed that he should be one of them and we mandated Oni and Otunba Adebayo and the State Chairman to meet with Olumilua with a view to giving him the deserved recognition.
The communique also reads: “We agree that after the Evang. Olumilua meeting, another should be convened with all the other groups within the party including the Bibiire/Labour Party group in attendance, to further unify the party.
“We agreed that there should be cessation of hostilities, especially in the newspapers and on the social media.
“We agreed that the fine point of restructuring and reforming the party for better effect has not been addressed at the last meeting, as it was simply exploratory and that there is the need for further meetings in various strata of the party.”
The interest groups also celebrated the appointment of Ojudu as senior political aide in the Presidency which they described as well deserved and an indication that the state chapter is blessed with personalities who can prove their mettle in the country.
The state chapter praised President Muhammadu Buhari for the appointment of Ojudu as Special Adviser on Political Matters. Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement that the appointment reinforced the importance of Ekiti State in the nurturing of the party for the challenges ahead.

More than 2000 people have benefitted from free health programme organized by Mike Egbayelo Foundation.
The programme, which took place in Apapa Local Government Area, Lagos, was part of the independent mobilization programme for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Apapa.
The one week event afforded residents of Apapa to benefit from the free BP and blood sugar test, free cancer screening, free eye test and glasses, free drugs and treatment.
The chairman of the occasion, Pa Sarumi Adebayo, was full of praises for Egbayelo, whom he described as worthy of emulation.. “I wish we have people who are thinking about the welfare of our people. If we have people who want to come and help, please they should not hesitate, “ the party leader advised.
The convener of the Foundation, Mike Egbayelo said the event was a significant milestone in the life of the foundation, which aims to provide supports for the All Progressives Congress (APC) .
According to him, one does not need to seek political appointment to render assistance. He assured the exercise would be a continuous one.
“Today’s event is a confirmation of the progressive and people-oriented programmes of our party and a way or saying thank you to Apapa people for making APC their number one party in the local government. Free and qualitative healthcare is one of the cardinal programmes of our party, and thus we are aligning with this philosophy to prove that APC is the party to beat.”
It will be recalled that the foundation began its intervention last year by the provision of cash support of N10, 000 each to children of 10 widows in secondary schools and N100, 000 (one hundred thousand naira) grant to a deserving student who secured admission to a private university to support the tuition fees.
The foundation equally facilitated gainful employment to 12 Apapa youth from our 5 wards in Apapa Local Government.