Osun 2022: APC Will Suffer Serious Defeat, PDP Lawmaker Irekandun Declares, Gives Reasons
A member of Osun House of Assembly representing Obokun state constituency, Adewumi Adeyemi Irekandu, has declared that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 16, governorship election in the state.
Speaking with Legit.ng, Irekandu, an architect, said it was obvious even to the blind that the chances of the PDP in the election are very high, especially from the national outlook.
Source: Facebook
He said:
“You know what is happening in our country. And of course, it has a reflection on what is happening in the state. So, the chances of the PDP are high. And on the Osun gubernatorial election, the chance of the PDP is very bright and very high. Chances are excellent that the PDP will form the next government of Osun state.”
PDP’s candidate Ademola Adeleke will defeat Governor Oyetola
The lawmaker maintained that his position is the opinions of many people in the state, adding that the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Ademola Adeleke is loved by old and young.
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Irekandu noted:
“By popular opinion and not just my own opinion, people are ready to return to the PDP. Senator Ademola Adekele is compassionate. Someone that loves the people and has a passion to make life a lot better for the people. And we have seen what he was able to achieve while he was in the Senate.
“The welfare of his people was a priority for him and the people know this. You can compare the rating of our candidate with the other party’s candidate. You will see how the public is always ready to receive him l. To be realistic, even before we go into elections, from our experience we already know who would win from the acceptance of the candidacy by the public.”
Oyetola’s government performs below 50%
He added that the performance of Governor Gboyega Oyetola-led government since 2018 could be rated below average, saying that it is paying the worker's salaries as when due though are unable to pay arrears and that of some pensioners.
The architect turned lawmaker noted:
“So as not to sound political and to be realistic, they are paying the worker's salaries as when due though are unable to pay arrears and that of some pensioners. There was a time in this state when it was difficult for the workers to receive their salaries. At a time they resorted to payment of half salary and I think that is where the acronym ‘Hafsah’ came from.
“In terms of infrastructural development, I won’t score the government high. Also, on security, I won’t score the government high. Because in my constituency we are having some security issues. And the Amoketun that we expect to be on top of the situation has not been doing much compared to the two other states in the southwest. Some people see Amotekun as personal bodyguards to some of these political appointees.
There is no friction among APC and PDP lawmakers in the Osun Assembly
Speaking on relationship among opposition and ruling members in the cause of legislation at the state Assembly, Irekandu stated that their political differences did not affect the legislative activities.
He said:
“No. There has not been any need for friction. This does not mean we have not had our differences but it has not affected the legislative activities.”
PDP will make difference if it wins Osun governorship election
He said PDP would make a huge difference if it wins the governorship election in the state, stressing that power would be returned to the local government.
The legislator said:
“Everything I have mentioned we will strive to improve on it. Even on security, as the state does not control the security architecture, it is controlled by the federal government. Amotekun can be empowered beyond being political bodyguards. That will be different with the PDP because we will make sure they protect the people they are supposed to protect. We will strengthen them and equip them.
“And if the PDP emerges, power must return to the local government. All these projects the state government is doing and claiming are mostly projects for the local government. A governor will come out and say they have tar a 2 to 10-kilometer road, so what has the local government done?
“A few years ago when the PDP was in power, we know what they were able to do. Local government chairmen were commissioning roads in kilometres. We believe that the local government is the closest to the people. How many have the chance to go to the governor’s office? This will be a major stride in the PDP administration. In education, as PDP stakeholders, we will encourage our teachers. We need to equip them, strengthen them and make sure they are paid.”
President Buhari-led administration has failed Nigerians
On the seven years administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Irekandu lamented that people are being killed on daily basis with little efforts by the federal government to put an end to the senseless killings.
He said:
“Buhari’s administration has failed Nigerians. It is quite unfortunate that lives no longer have value in this country. The essence of a government is to protect lives and properties. This is in the schedule of our constitution. And this administration has failed woefully in that regard.
“Number two, improve the welfare of the people, to make life better for the people. Have they been able to secure lives and properties? Do you know the number of people that have been killed since this administration came on board? I am not talking about politics here, some of the people who died, of them were members of the other political party so it is not politics; this is about the reality.
“Recently a Catholic Church was attacked in Owo, Ondo state. Dozens of people lost their lives. [It was] a very gory sight to behold. It is very, very unfortunate. What was the reason people voted out the PDP administration? Was it not because of these killings? Has it abated? Has it stopped? Or has it increased?
“It is quite unfortunate because people lose their lives every day. It could happen to anybody. Priests are being kidnapped. Soldiers are being killed anyhow. You cannot even sleep with your eyes closed peacefully in your house.
“This administration still has a year to make a lot of things better. It is not beyond them, because The Federal Government has all the powers of the government at its disposal. The soldier, the military: everything. They should use them. Forget about tribe, forget about politics, and solve this problem of insecurity.”
Atiku is the best among other presidential candidates
Speaking on his preference for the former vice president Atiku Abubakar over candidates of other parties including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he stated that the Waziri of Adamawa believes in one Nigeria.
He added:
“If you have monitored Atiku’s campaign, you will discover that one of his slogans and the focus of his campaign is 'One Nigeria'. That makes him someone who understands that the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct. And this is one of the reasons I will be voting for him.
“Besides, he has proven this a lot of times. In his family, he has every tribe, or let me say every region as part of his family. Hence, I say he sees Yoruba as his family and Igbo as his family and he will unite Nigeria.
“Furthermore, I feel he is capable because I have been able to see what he has built in his private life. Someone who has been able to do that will be able to build the country we are clamouring for. Besides all these, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a member of my party too."
My achievements as a lawmaker
Irekandu further stated that he had initiated some bills that if they are passed would have positive impacts in the lives of his constituents.
According to him:
“I have some bills I have submitted to the House of Assembly. On the fore is Osun State Disability Protection Bill (2020), this is a bill that will give leverage to the disabled; their health, their association, access to public buildings etc. Another one is Osun State Local Content Bill (2020), Osun State Community Social Responsibility Bill (2020) and Osun State COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Bill (2020).
“Let me elucidate, Osun State Local Content Bill (2020) is a kind of a bill that will improve the economy of this state because it states that whatever is used in Osun state should be produced in Osun state. Hence whatever the government wants to do in Osun state as long as we have people that can do it in Osun state should be given the opportunities to do it. Even if the governor needs furniture, it must be produced in Osun state. The bills have not been passed but they have been submitted to the house of assembly, we believe that with the support of my Honourable colleagues, these bills will be passed.
“The third one is, the Osun State Community Social Responsibility bill, this is a bill that will make sure businesses in the state contribute some percentages to the host community. During the COVID-19 outbreak, these businesses donated to the federal government though they have branches here. What the bill is saying is that any community that host you, at least give them a percentage. No matter how small.
“There were times we had security challenges in our constituency, so these issues were brought to the House of Assembly and attention was given to them. And some of our roads have become impassable, I raised some motion at the floor to drive the attention of the government to it. This and many more had been done.
He further stated:
“Beyond law-making and even though there is no constituency project as it were for the state lawmakers, I've been able to execute several people-focused projects for my constituents. Scholarships were given to students. We have helped make payments of WAEC fees for indigents secondary school students. We've also reduced the number of out-of-school children in my constituency by taking children that are out of school back to class.
“We've sunk boreholes across my constituency, and I've organised economic empowerment programmes for my people wherein equipment worth several million was purchased and given to over a hundred of my constituents.”
Crisis breaks out at Osun Govt House, allegations raised against leaders
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that crisis broke out at the Osun state Government House, Osogbo, the state capital, as some members of the APC protested alleged moves by the party’s leadership to manipulate primary election results in favour of some aspirants.
It was reported that APC had conducted primary elections into the state House of Assembly and House of Representatives respectively.
According to the report, non-announcement of the results by the committee had created confusion and conflicting results have flooded social media, apportioning victories and defeats to different aspirants.
Source: Legit.ng
