Why I want to be Ekiti governor –Bejide

As the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State draws closer, Ambassador Dare Bejide, a leading governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, in this interview with journalists, including SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, AUSTIN OBOH, bared his mind on his vision for the state and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

When did you conceive the idea of running for the governorship race in the state?

Well, I believe the desire of a man is subject to the wish of the Almighty God. However, I started having the feeling that I could be Governor of the state when I was in government as Secretary to the Government under Engr. Segun Oni. I was confronted with the reality of the problems facing the people on a daily basis. I realized that an average Ekiti person is very honest and hard working but lack government assistance and attention to promote his or her business. I personally had the opportunity to assist some of these people within the limit of my power.  At that point, it occurred to me that I could make a difference and make more impact if I became the Governor of the state. Similarly, there was considerable pressure on me to contest in 2011 but I resisted because I occupied a strategic position in government and since the Governor also indicated his interest to  re-contest, I knew  I had to wait,  but I was convinced that it was just a matter of time for me to aspire to be Governor of the state.

Now that you are in the race, what are the reasons why you feel you deserve the ticket of the party? In other words, what are the new things you are offering to attract the votes of your party members during the primaries?

I am contesting this election because of my deep conviction that the state deserves the best in terms of leadership. Ekiti states needs a governor that has cognate experience in the management of human and material resources; I can assure you that I have the vision and moral rectitude to provide the right leadership anchored on integrity and untainted antecedent. I am bringing into the race my wealth of experience in party administration and a robust public service record. In addition, I have a deep knowledge of the political terrain, the people, their problems and expectations. I have always worked and lived with the people of Ekiti State. I am not an emergency politician. I have served the nation, the state and the old Ondo state in the last 25 years and have not been indicted for any misconduct or found wanting in any manner. It is equally important to say that that I have made significant contributions towards the stability and success of the party particularly when I was in the government.

Why do you think PDP members should prefer you to other aspirants contesting with you?

With due respect to my fellow contestants and utmost sense of humility and modesty, I remain a major contender for the governorship seat of Ekiti State.  I am a political statesman and a leading member of the political class in the State. I was one of the pioneer promoters of democracy and political activities in the state after Ekiti was carved out of the old Ondo State.  The governorship campaign of the first Executive Governor of Ekiti State started in my living room in Ado Ekiti, in 1996 .My knowledge of the people is not limited to the PDP alone. Unlike the ‘current invaders’ that joined politics in Ekiti in the last few years, I know and relate very well with all politicians in the state because I have had the privilege of serving as the State Secretary of UNCP which drew membership from majority of the politicians that are now in the PDP and the APC  in the state. I know the Obas and the chiefs. I am familiar with the politics of the Drivers Unions, the Okada riders, the artisans, the civil servants, the farmers and the market women. I was a student activist, former Secretary of the Bar Association in the state, a party administrator and a Public Servant who served at the state, national and international levels

Now, tell us what you would offer the state if elected as governor.

My immediate attention, if elected as Governor, is to commence the process of reducing poverty in the state. My programmes on health, education, agriculture and rural development are geared towards reducing poverty and promote economic development. We are going to create employment by recruiting young graduates into the civil service and also encouraging them to also be self-employed. We shall facilitate a process of making agriculture more attractive so that our youths will no longer run after government employment. Our educational policy will be designed to make education more functional to reduce youth unemployment. We shall diversify school curricular so as to emphasis integrated skills to make our youth less dependent on government employment. We shall make teaching profession more rewarding to attract committed and brilliant professionals. We shall endeavour to complete all existing projects and institute a culture of maintenance of existing facilities. Incidentally, the people have had the opportunity of being governed by the PDP government and have also tasted the better pills of the ACN/APC. I intend to bring the desired change to the management of the affairs of our State to reduce the prevalent poverty in the state.  We shall make our people happy again. We are aware that the frustration of our people is caused by lack of knowledge of the problems of the common people by the present administrators. They are basically ‘foreigners’ that suddenly found themselves in government. We shall discourage the current policy of promoting capital flight by patronising our local contractors. We shall re-train local artisans to improve their skills and standard of living. We shall create farm settlements in each of the Senatorial Districts and collaborate with the NDE to facilitate skill acquisition. We shall encourage the farmers to remain in their farms throughout the year by providing credit facilities, farm inputs and implements to elevate them from the present state of peasant farming. We shall open up the rural areas and provide social amenities to stop rural-urban drift.

How are you preparing for the race and what gives you the edge over others?

I am a grassroots politician, a legal practitioner and a former Principal Representative of Nigeria in Canada. I was State Secretary of five different political parties, including the NRC, UNCP and the PDP, the first governorship running mate of the PDP in 1999, Secretary to the  State Government, a pioneer member of our great party and currently the Chairman of a Federal Board. You will therefore realize that I am fully equipped to take over from the present administration in the state. I also wish to assure you that I am ready for any process put in place by the party to pick its flag bearer once the process is transparent.

How do you compare the achievements of the PDP administration in which you served as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) with the achievements of the present administration?

First and foremost, there is no basis for any comparison at all.  Our administration was the best in the history of this state in terms of provision of infrastructure and quality service delivery. Despite the challenges of going to the Election Tribunal for over three years and the conduct of governorship and senatorial re-run elections, we were able to complete 342 kilometers of roads across the state and had 444 kilometers of roads in progress when we left office. We reconstructed the Fajuyi Park and facilitated the relocation of the Prison to Afao Road, Ado Ekiti. We almost completed the Deputy Governors Office and the State House of Assembly Complex before we left office. We reintroduced the boarding system and the scholarship scheme in the state.

We reinitiated and completed the long abandoned 132/33KVA sub-station at Ado Ekiti. We constructed Water Treatment Plants at Ado Ekiti,  Okemesi, Ido Ile, Erinjiyan, Ipole Iloro and Ikere Ekiti and  booster stations at Isinbode, Ise Ekiti, Itawure, Ado Ekiti, Oke Ako  and other towns in the State . We constructed new Hospitals in three major towns and upgraded five existing ones in the state. We started the reconstruction of Oluyemi stadium at Ado-Ekiti and renovated and constructed over 2000 classrooms in the state. Now tell me what the administration of Dr. Fayemi has done apart from commissioning some the projects we completed before he was sworn in as Governor. Maybe he will be remembered for plunging the state into serious debt to prosecute white elephant projects awarded to his friends from other states.