Mr Adinlewa Oluwafemi, the Publicity Secretary of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ikorodu Chapter, recently visited THE IMPACT Newspaper office in Ikorodu, on a thank you visit as the only paper in the community, that has been reporting activities and programmes of opposition parties particularly the PDP which was why the paper was the only community news medium invited to cover the inauguration of the new executives of the party in July. THE IMAPCT Publisher/Reporter-in-Chief, Kunle Adelabu with Tunji Anani and Eseoghene Oluwakemi Joseph engaged him in a short interview on the performances of the elected representatives on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), preparation towards forthcoming council elections and why people should trust PDP with power again after 16years rule. Excerpts:
THE IMPACT: Recently, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade and other Ikorodu elected representatives on the platform of APC gave accounts of their stewardship to Ikorodu constituency. How will you describe their representations so far?
Mr Adinlewa: Hon. Agunbiade as an individual is a great man and a philanthropist who has been very good to his people and party. So far, and as an opposition, we have not seen anything in term of representation. They have not effected the changes they promised the people during campaigns before the last general elections. We have really felt the effects of their representations and we are expecting them to do something about cultism problem affecting every part of Ikorodu Division. In the next three years, we want to see the representatives sponsoring a law that will deal with the issue head-long. We also want them to join hands with the security operatives to stamp out crimes and criminalities from our society. The insecurity that is terrorizing our people and making them abandoned their homes is another issue we are expecting the APC government to deal with squarely.
THE IMPACT: The State government recently inaugurated new officers of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and assured that the council election would be conducted soon across the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas. How prepared is your party for the elections?
Mr Adinlewa: We are prepared because we still have our structures in place in all the local councils and local council development areas in the state. As you can see for yourself during our inauguration ceremony that you covered, we are fully on ground. Many of our members have also been showing interests in one position or the other. We are ready to field candidates in every position and challenge APC in the council elections. We just want the APC government to be fair and transparent in organizing the local government election because they are currently in power. We want them to reciprocate the fairness which our party extended to them during the last general elections which brought them to power particularly at the center for the firstitme. We expect them to reciprocate and allow for fair, just and transparent electoral process. If former President Goodluck Jonathan could give Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) freehand to organize free and fair elections that produce President Buhari and other APC Governors, we are equally expecting that in Lagos State, the governor will do same by allowing LASIEC freehand to operate. If the coming elections are transparent, I can assure you that our party will dislodge APC in Ikorodu Central, Imota, Ijede, Igbogbo and other councils in Ikorodu. I do not even think they are ready for the election which is why they have continued with their illegalities by appointing Sole Administrators instead of organizing proper elections.
THE IMPACT: Why do you think Nigerians should trust PDP with power again after 16years of controlling the polity?
Mr Adinlewa: Nigerians now know the different between goodluck and bad luck. During the last elections,ed we campaign and appealed to them to leave President Goodluck Jonathan at the helm of the country’s affairs, but they chose ‘badluck’ (President Buhari) and today, we are all experiencing ‘badluck’. We had just left government barely a year ago, we know the number of Megawatts that Nigeria was generating then, but today, what is the state of our electricity? The Megawatts keep dropping and their excuse for the mismanagement is that we destroyed the country in the 16years of our ruling. During the President Goodluck tenure, we also contended with Boko Haram, Niger-Delta militants and other challenges. Indeed, our government did what it supposed to do without any excuse. I am sure that if elections were to be conducted today, Nigerians would vote for PDP.
Post a Comment