Mogaji Kola Olabisi, Director of Media and Information for the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, speaks with JOSHUA DADA about today’s election and the conditions under which the party would accept its outcome.
As the election approaches, how confident is the APC of victory, and what gives you that confidence?
We are very confident in our governorship candidate’s prospects of winning the forthcoming governorship election, given his sound educational background, robust work experience, and humane character, which together demonstrate that he has what it takes to serve effectively as the state’s chief executive. He is no stranger to governance, having served as a two-term finance commissioner in the state.
What are the three major issues you believe will determine how people in Osun vote on election day?
The three major issues that will determine the outcome of the election are: the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke’s visible abysmal performance in office, which has hindered the state’s development; the incumbent governor’s lack of wherewithal to think outside the box, as he prioritises spending the monthly handout from Abuja instead of finding ways to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.
Another is the uneven development of the state, which favours Governor Adeleke’s hometown by 72 per cent, to the disadvantage of all other towns and local government councils in the state. The biggest issues that would determine the outcome of the election in the incumbent governor’s disfavour are well known.
Do you believe the electoral environment is currently conducive to a free, fair and credible election? Why?
It would be an understatement to say that the electoral environment is conducive to a free, fair and credible election, as those who believe the governorship is their birthright are promoting and funding violent attacks on our people almost daily to scare genuine voters away from carrying out their civic duty on election day.
The hit squad arm of the Accord Party is responsible for the killings and maiming of our members and supporters. It is on record that no fewer than 30 of our members and supporters were killed by the political hoodlums of the Peoples Democratic Party’s extraction before the 2022 governorship election. This means that Governor Ademola Adeleke and all the elected PDP functionaries who purportedly won the 2022 and 2023 elections stepped on the blood of our members to achieve their questionable victory. Ijesaland recorded the highest number of political killings, with 17 out of the 30.
What’s the police doing about that?
The police have been doing their best to protect people’s lives and property. Another angle to the political imbroglio in the state is that the governor and the leadership of the Accord Party have been frustrating the police in carrying out their statutory responsibilities by blackmailing them whenever they do so. It is on record that Governor Adeleke has been keeping many of the hoodlums on the police wanted list in the Government House to evade arrest and prosecution.
The governor also granted clemency to hardened criminals in the state’s correctional centres about a month ago. It is these released criminals who have been killing our members and supporters in Ijesaland and other towns across the state.
Are you satisfied with the level of preparedness shown by the electoral umpire and the security agencies?
With the assurance given by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, we do not doubt that the commission will do its best in the state. The INEC Chairman has since relocated to the state, where he has been monitoring the commission’s activities to ensure an effective governorship election. The mock election carried out by the commission in some designated local government councils about two weeks ago would allow the electoral body to correct any lapses. We have confidence in the commission that it will conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in the state.
There have been concerns about political violence. What steps has your campaign taken to ensure your supporters remain peaceful before, during and after the election?
