It is a religious statement that advocates thus " From the mouths of two, three or more people one can establish the root to the truth" and since "It is when one has not gone far into a distant adventure one will disputes the fact of an existence of a hunch-backed squirrel......" our much concern to emphasize in drumming it to the ears of those at the corridor of power to know the state of things with the downtrodden and the citizenry, at this period of recessional hardship and promptly and purposefully encourage them to be pragmatic in the provision of succour and solution whichever way, to cushion the dastard effect and help to alleviate the citizenry's suffering; induced us into going extra-mile, combing and exploring farther into the horizon of our beats, to ascertain and redressing the areas where both the politicians and electorates have gone amiss, to have caused this present effect of agonized suffering and economic hardship, the experience which had caused or led many families and friends parted ways, because of the scarcity of money and sordid state of the economy of the nation.
However, on this note we were also lucky enough to have had an interview with Honourable Joseph Gbenga Oyekola; a member of the Oyo State House Assembly from Atiba Constituency under Labour Party, whose responses to our questions took another turn, when he pointed an accusing finger at the members of the press, that they have been bought over, by some political lords in censoring most of the constructive criticism, comments, opinions and views often made by the members in the opposition and thus frustrating the much effort of those in the opposition, in achieving much, to check, caution and constructively call to order those in the corridor of power, under the party (APC) in the rein of governance.
This we unwind-ed as it went between us and the frank honourable; Gbenga J. Oyekola, who did justice to our various questions posed to him without fear, favour nor bias against anybody, group or party. And since we see it as our responsibility and that the onus lies on us to shed more light on any issue or subject-matter that needs prompt deliberation and urgent attention, this we see to as an adage corroborates that " When a blacksmith hits a piece of metal continually with hammer against his anvil then it means there is an image he wants to wrought out of it". All we want is a true change, to free the commoners from " penal-servitude" and perpetual- suffering".
Meanwhile here we bid you to settle down to the interview, read, digest and deduce your own opinion and view from it yet " opinions are free; facts are sacred " while we want your sincerity of purpose to read between the lines, in concluding on the piece, with freedom accorded to your understanding always, as it should be, without influencing your conscience nor concern, hence we invite you on-board and wishing you a happy voyage.
Your position as an opposition member, your silence thus far and politics as an art-interrupted?
I disagree with you that the opposition had been silent, how do you mean, how will people hear us; the opposition talking when people like you; the press and journalists had compromised.
Could you buttress up your point on that?
You've compromised, now let me give you an instance . I'm an opposition member in the Oyo State House of Assembly, whenever an opposition raised any issue in the 'house' we hardly hear it on the news, whether print or electronic media, you doctor the news, the information, you don't give people raw information as it is , whenever you gather information some people call you and sit you down to tell you have to edit information, doctor information, they pay you for it, you have compromised!
Sir, we are strictly on that but some few ones may be doing that but we don't support it, don't forget there was a bill you advocated at the floor of the 'house' to check the proprietors and proprietresses, on the obnoxious school fees, here you advised them to be considerate and implored the 'house' members to constitute an adhoc committee to work on that, we like you for that because you stood in for the masses yet, we reported this but,we have not heard anything from it?
They will not come up with any report even when they move round, call the meeting, invite the stakeholders, hardly you will see them doing anything to actualize something tangible, because they believe "it is our- government, we should not rubbish our government", which government is their own,, government through democracy is "government of the people for the people by the people", any government policy that does not have human face is nothing, to me is nothing, your policy must consider the masses, must be masses friendly, so anything out of it is nonsense.
Politics as an art, what are the major things politicians suppose to do in the society?
Politics even is a science, it is an art of governance, it is by politics you can get into power,when you are talking about what people needs or expect to get you see , I would want to narrow it down on the leadership, you see people voting for you are giving you their mandate that go and serve, represent them, the ability to represent well would repose that confidence in them, that they have believe in you. Already when you get to power and you are doing as if you are god, some people want to look at you that well! you are coming back even, if they don't have anything to do to remove you or to do anything they will still wait for you, until you finish your tenure then! they will decide, look at American voting system; if they want you it is through their ballot, if they don't want you it is through their ballot.
Sir in what way do you think the electorates have compromised?
The electorates have never compromised, compromised what?! Compromised that they have given you their votes or what type of compromise are you talking about?! we go to them to deceive them, how will they know who and who are better off, not until they put you there they don't know your level of intelligence or performance. What you will do they don't know, they only believe in what you are saying, so you can't tell me the electorates have compromised.
I'm talking about their act of getting money from the politicians and aspirants?
What type of money, what are we giving them, are you talking of the money they give them for votes, can you compare that to the money politicians realized, giving two, three, five thousand on the election day , how will you measure that to the level people are amassing wealth through politics!
What do you have to say about 'credibility' in politics?
Een ! it is high time we come back to our senses party or no party, party are just symbols, people will now realize we should pursue personalities. Personality is what we should hold in high esteem. I want to advocate to the masses that parties are immaterial, integrity matters, people who are going to serve you, don't bother yourselves about their parties, be concerned about their past deeds, their antecedents, what has he done, which offices has he occupied before, so you should forget about their parties.
PDP and APC have disappointed the electorates except Labour....interrupted!
I don't believe that, please I'm not a sentimental person, I don't believe except Labour, you see I have told you parties are symbols at which people are registering, people should need a platform before they contest and let me tell you sincerely right from 1952 when politics started you discover that people are just changing their identities by moving from one party to another, a lot of people in government today are formerly in PDP today they are in APC, no party is good, parties are the same, it is people in their parties that matter, who are in party A, who are in party B, what are the antecedents of people in party A and B, you can't find a perfect society, so far there is no perfection in humanity but we will continue to manage ourselves and by the time you discovered that you have some like minds in one party, you study their manifesto, you discovered that you can move along with this thing, then decide! And don't forget you should not loose focus, you need party just as platform to contest, that is just it, no party is okay, unless you try it, when you tried PDP you discovered their faults, when you tried APC you discovered their lapses, when you try another party peradventure you try Labour you will discover this are better but to assure you they will be better.
What is your suggestion to the electorates having their own organization since you party people are not orientating them to know what they should do, as they don't know what is what ?
It is not one responsibility, my own responsibility and focus is to have a platform at which I will contest and canvass for votes, it is the duty of the National Orientation Agency to orientate them, I would come to you and tell you my party is okay, please! vote for me, I would not tell you the party at which I'm contesting is not good, don't place that responsibility on the politicians, just be concerned yourselves about the personalities and their antecedents .
The same set of people are in politics and we learnt some parties are warming up for merger what can you say to this?
It is better, it is good for democracy, this is the mathematics behind it, you will always have NO1 party which is the ruling party following by NO2 which is the opposition, invariably you have NO3 , it is not always easy for NO3 to be NO1, that is why you discover people coming together. NO3 doesn't usually come to be NO1 hence, NO2 and NO3 come together to face NO1 then they become NO1 that is democracy, that will give you a very strong opposition , look at APC; CPC, ACN, APGA party for this Okorocha AA came together , to form APC because they wanted to become NO1. And God allows that, so it is not a crime for other parties that are weak now to form NO2 so that will be able to become NO1.
Sir, on re-structuring in Nigeria, with agitation from some groups like South South's Mende, Biafra, etc, what is your take on this?
You see the idea of Federalism has to be respected , I would not want to say restructuring or whatever but the issue of Federalism, Nigeria is a Federalism, we are operating a Federating units, we have the SouthSouth, SouthWest, NorthEast, NorthWest, I want that one to be recognized that our constitution will be strictly adhere to, you see my concern is this; we have problem with our constitution and one would expect the National Assembly to face amendment of 1999 Constitution, when we were using 1979 Constitution it wasn't like this, 1979 Constitution is better than 1999 as ammended so I want the National Assembly to sit down and look at all the 'lakunas and problems we have in our constitution then they come together ; the two houses to give 'people representative constitution', not constitution that will consider our people , not an immunity of stuff of constitution, we are having now, if we can have that we will progress.
Can you assess President Muhammed Buhari on the issue of anti-corruption, what can you say so far?
President Muhammed Buhari is trying except that I want to look at it from my own perspective that the anti-corruption crusade is being selective , people tend to believe that the moment you are in ruling party, make yourself available and you dacamp to the ruling party you have immunity that nobody will try you for whatever offence or the thing you have done regards corruption, that one i don't take, he should make sure he is not selective , be you in any party, he should fight wholistic! wholistic!!. Like what OBJ said that corruption too happens in the religious establishment especially when people wanted to be elevated, those with highest offering, tithes are given priority not minding the sources of the money, by so doing they encourage corruption.
What is your score for President Muhammed Buhari government?
He has tried but until you finish a race; you don't give prizes at the beginning of a race, whether President Muhammed Buhari has tried or not let him finish the race , that is when one can say whether he has tried or not.
No comments:
Post a Comment