The Best Of Akeredolu Is Not Good Enough – Fadahunsi
A governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Dayo Fadahunsi has described the three years rule of Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu as not good enough for the people of Ondo State. Fadahunsin made this comment in Akure on Friday in an interview with Triangle Media.
He said that Akeredolu had tried his best but the people of Ondo State are still saying that the best so far offered by the governor has not been good enough, hence their desire for a change. Fadahunsi added that the yearn for a change has necessitated his gubernatorial aspiration.
He posited that the public servants in Ondo State have since been yearning for a fellow public servant like them to become the governor of the Sunshine State. Fadahunsi who described himself as the best qualified aspirant to deliver Eldorado in Ondo State because of his grassroots experience and unmatched knowledge of public administration.
“My background, my carer, my exposure and my charisma count a lot. I have live all my life in Ondo state. I have lived in Ondo state and Akure for close to 40 years.
“So, I know the people and the people know me. Among the aspirants, I have the clear record of 33 years as a public servant and I got to the peak of my career before I retired from the service. In the process, I was involved in unionism which took me to the level of Chairmanship of Ondo State Council of indigenes. Equally, I was elected the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in Ogun state Congress”.
In addition, Fadahunsi also said that none of the aspirants in the PDP could match his grassroots understanding of politics. He said: “I live with the people, I eat and drink with the people. When I mean the people, those that are in the grassroot and by that privilege and opportunity, I know where the shoe pinches them and I know what to do. I believe very much in the bottom up approach to issues. I won’t give you bread when you need to take rice. I won’t give you road when you need to drink water. We will approach the people and ask from them what they need and we will provide”.
Likewise, Fadahunsi also described himself as a man of unmatched experience in public adminstration having worked with 14 different governors in Ondo State. He said: “I have the singular privilege to have work with 14 governors in this state in the course of my career starting with Baba Ajasin to governor Olusegun Mimiko. So, that thing you can’t buy in the market. That is what you can’t get anywhere. As a grassroot person, I started in 2002 to organize the unorganized work force, I mean the artisans, Iya loja, okada riders, and all the non indigenes. I brought them into various Associations and since that time God has been helping”.
Meanwhile, Fadahunsi assured that his impeccable character within and outside of public office would count for him in the gubernatorial contest. According to him, “By the grace of God, if honesty, tested, and trusted loyalty, experience, exposure, dedication are yardsticks to elect a leader at the coming general election in Ondo state; I think I will definitely stand out”.
While responding to the question of coming from the same Senatorial District with Governor Akeredolu, he said : “We are not from the same party, he is for the APC and I am for the PDP. By looking at the political calculations, Agagu was there for 6 years, Mimiko from Ondo town was in office for 8 years. It is the turn of the North now. So, Akeredolu is doing his 4 years while me from the PDP will complete the four years left for the Northern Senatorial District. If the political class refused to do what they are suppose to do, the electorate will do it”.
Contrary to the insinuation of being a green horn in the political terrain, Fadahunsi said he had been in politics since 1982 after his secondary schools days during the time of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
“I started paying politics since 1982 after my secondary school days in the days of UPN. So, since that time I have not left politics. Each time I had the opportunity to get appointed to any position, I always turned it down because of my career and business until the last administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
“We dragged it and it took him 6 and half months before he could convince me to join his government. I thank God that at the end of that administration, I left the government with my head high. I left that government with my integrity intact. I left that government as a future leader and I thank God that I had that privilege to serve people of Ondo State at that level”.
He however lamented the comatose state of education in Ondo State. Fadahunsi, nonetheless assured that he would restore hope to Ondo State if given the opportunity to govern the state.
“Our education is a comatose state despite the fact that we have the privilege of having 5 tertiary institutions that we are running. The cost of education in Ondo State has gone beyond the reach of the masses.
“By the grace of God, by the time I get to the position, the people will know that they have the governor of their own. The workers will know that they have the governor of their own. The artisans, the market women will all know that this is their own governor and I will behave as such”.
Similarly, Fadahunsi has appealed to the conscience of his party members and the leaders alike to ensure that the best candidate is chosen to fly the flag of the umbrella party. He added, “Well, to my party members, I want to appeal to them to search their conscience and bring out the best out of all the aspirants that are contesting to fly the flag of the party in Ondo state”.
He emphasized therefore that both members and leaders of PDP should do the needful and not give room for regret after the gubernatorial election. He also advised the people of Ondo State not to make another mistake of voting for the APC which they will later live in regret just as they are now regretting the choice of President Buhari. “They should search us very well at the end of the day bring a governor out of us not a candidate. Somebody who will win election for the PDP. So, the leaders and the electorate and the delegates must be conscious of that fact because of prosperity,” added Fadahunsi.