Ondo 2024: My Commitment to Turn Things around and loyalty to the PDP will Make Me Clinch the Party Ticket – Otunba Bamidele Akingboye (OBA)
A formost Okitipupa born Businessman and Philantropist, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye also known as OBA has assured his followers and the good people of Ondo State that his clinching the Party ticket during the PDP primary election is incontrovertible going by his loyalty and steadfastness in the Party. Even though the name OBA in the politics of Ondo State is no doubt a household name going by his antecedents and dedication to the party, the Governorship Aspirant has prepared to make the State a cynosure of all eyes.
- In this interview with members of independent newspaper publishers of Nigeria at his residence, the businessman turned politician highlighted *his various unprecedented programs if he becomes the Governor.
- How best can you describe governance?
Governance is about business. It is not just ordinary but Ondo State has been using contemporary teachers and politicians to run the affairs over time. I will not pass blame on anybody because they all have tried in their own ways. But the truth is that you cannot offer what you don’t have. I’m an entrepreneur and for almost 40 years, I’ve been running my business and have done well. God has blessed me and my businesses and I believe the only way I can give back is for me to come back to my State. I consider Ondo State as the richest State in Africa. If you look at the indigenes of Ondo State, they are brilliant, beautiful and good people who don’t just quarrel anyhow. They think before they do things. If you look at the kind of mineral resources God has given us in this State, it is enormous. What we need is someone who can think out of the box and turn things around. One who knows what it takes to become successful. And that is part of what I want to offer this state.
Bearing the fact that PDP is not the ruling party in the State, what is your chance at the poll?
If you look at the history of Ondo State, every four years we change government. It was only Gov. Mimiko that spent 8 years and late Governor Akeredolu tenure is still running. So, I have hope that the leadership of this State can be changed in favour of PDP because the people are suffering from the bad policies of APC. By the grace of God, I will secure my party’s ticket and I will change the narratives for good in Ondo State.
Over time, successive governments have been able to do one or two things to the best of their abilities even though it might not be enough. What do you intend to do differently sir?
This will be the first time that a businessman, a successful one at that and a God fearing fellow will be coming out to the stage. I can assure you, you will see a lot of difference. Governance is about commerce. I will create a lot of wealth in this State because we have a lot of things to use in creating wealth and a lot of people will benefit from it. For example, Ore should be on the world map. What stops us from creating a super Industrial Park from Ajebamidele to Osifo and create infrastructure security for people to start coming to develop that area? People will move into that city if they have electricity supplies. In Lagos State today, they generate over 400 billion naira every month as revenue before they could declare that fund, they must have stolen at least half of it. Look at Dangote refinery today, that is an investment that is sitting over $20 billion dollars. There is Lagos deep sea port which is about 5 billion. There is the Ethanol company which is about $3 billion. There is Indominido. They are building Lagos City Airport about 4 billion and other companies like that in a circumference of two empty kilometers radius. So, we are having an investment of about $40 billion sitting there. You can press your google, it has never happened anywhere in the world. So in quotes, the day those companies start operations, at least 5 million human beings will resume in that area everyday. Some will have cooks, some will have drivers. All what a brilliant person needs to do is to create a super city in Ondo State that is less than 40 kilometres from Dangote Refinery.
So, I don’t want to talk too much on this. There’s a lot of things we can do to create wealth, and empower our youths to make them useful. Also, we will create an avenue for mothers to have enough to do.
I have had opportunity to travel across the globe as a business person. Malaysia is selling over $7 billion Oil Palm products every year. In my own country, we’re not selling 7 million naira in a year whereas we can generate over N400b Naira.
*How prepared are you for the Governorship race?
I have been consulting and planning to change the fortune of the state since over 21 years ago. I have put all the necessary machineries in place to win the Party’s Primaries and general election in this State. Since the days of Ajasin, Adefarati and other politicans that ruled Ondo State there has been no business oriented person among them. Ajasin was a teacher as well as late Adefarati. I’m going to be the first businessman that will lead Ondo State by the grace of God.
I have been doing my business and I became millionaire when I was 18 years old and ever since then, I have been maintaining that level. Now, I think the best way to give back to the society is to come and lead the State at this critical time. I have been building the party in Ondo State for years and PDP remains the best political party to drive my ambition because of the peculiarity of the State.
How have you been able to empower your people over time as a successful businessman and Philantropist?
I have been touching lives positively from time immemorial. During the Corvid 19, I gave N2 million each to each Local Government Area in the State running to several millions of Naira. I have been paying school fees of some students and empowering some indigent people and I will continue to do that.
Insecurities have become the order of the day in Nigeria, what plans would you put in place to curb insecurities in the State?
Insecurities came as a result of lack of job and hunger. We are going to do everything to tackle this challenge as a matter of urgency if we come to the position of power in Ondo State. There are lots to do to create employments for our people. It is those that are jobless that can take to crime. We will also equip the various security personnel to protect lives and property.
It has become the normal thing for any new Governor to discontinue with projects of the past Governors thereby allowing waste of resources of the State. How would you describe this?
On continuity in Government, my government will put a law in place to ensure continuity of projects and protection of the resources of the State and that all the projects will be focusing on 50 years life span.
*Ondo South where you came from has been in darkness for the past 18years, how do you intend to tackle this as Governor*?
Electricity is the key to development, my government is going to generate power to make the State a cynosure of all eyes economically. Thank God the federal government has given the States the mandate to generate their power. So, power failure will soon become a thing of the past.
My businesses are in different countries of the world, if I become the Governor, I’m going to replicate the ideas in governing the State.
If I have opportunity to become the President of Nigeria, I will stop importation so that we can produce in our country as a way to be self independent.
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