FG should waste no further time on restructuring — Hon. AbdelMajid Adesegun Adekoya
In this interview with Bankole Taiwo, the Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon AbdelMajid Adesegun Adekoya, popularly called ‘Attacker’ speaks on various topical issues bordering on his stewardship, reported plans to dump PDP for APC, 2023 Ogun governorship race, and the tasks that President Buhari must accomplish before leaving office, among others.
President Buhari, during his recent interview with Channels described PDP’s government as a failure. What is your reaction to this?
That’s not true. It is sheer political statement and obviously fallacious when compared with the success of our party when we were controlling the central government. I don’t know of any projects being done by this administration that was never started by the PDP government. Was the creation of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ICPC the making of this government? Mention just one memorable thing in this country that you want to say that PDP government did not have its hand in. Such statement is laughable and if PMB says PDP is a failure, then APC must be mother of failure. The truth however is that it won’t be acceptable to describe a government as failure because even with all the failings of this present APC government, I will still give it to President Buhari when it comes to release of budgetary allocations for capital projects. For instance, if the budgetary allocations for capital projects is N400bn, Baba Buhari will ensure all the money is released and that is why incidents of abandoned projects has been reduced very drastically, unlike how it used to be in the time past. So it doesn’t matter that we are not in the same party, Baba Buhari deserves commendation for such bold moves and support. So, PMB himself knew that such statement is bereft of truth and was only uttered for political convenience, talk is cheap as they say. If Baba is saying PDP government is a failure, what should we say of his own government with this alarming and unacceptable level of insecurity? For instance, to go from my home town, Ago Iwoye to Ibadan now, you must have finished reading book of Moses seven times, Ogun section is relatively safe but from Idi Ayunre in Oyo State, you are on your own. Can even Baba himself travel to Daura with less than 14 armed security agents if he won’t fall victims of these marauders. He can’t even go with just 50 soldiers, and the security of lives and properties remain the first priority of any responsibile government but who is safe in Nigeria today? It just goes to show that if PMB says PDP is a failure, then APC is a colossal failure.
What do you think should be the area of focus for the Buhari’s government this year?
President Buhari should gird his loins and begin to work very seriously to hand over a safer and secured Nigeria, yes he may not be versed as far as the economy is concerned but for security, a retired infantry General at that, he has no excuse, he must be so dedicated and committed to ensuring that the country is safe. He should give the directive that he doesn’t want to hear news of killings or kidnapping or that of banditry again. For the remaining 15 months, the President should get down to work and ensure that this country is safe for all, things are really pretty bad as we speak
In about a year and half, the 9th assembly would be winding down, will you say that the 9th assembly has lived up to expectations of Nigerians?
Certainly, things are really getting better because governance is a continum and the 9th National Assembly is far better than the 8th Assembly just like the 8th Assembly must have also been better than the 7th. Going by the numbers of bills that have been passed and their relevance to making life more better for Nigerians with our democracy being strengthened the more, then we have done very well. For instance, we have been able to ensure January to December budget cycle. Appropriation bill are now signed to be effective from January whereas in the time past the budget implementation for the new year will begin in May.
In the last one year, what significantly have you been able to bring back to your federal constituency comprising of Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside?
Firstly for all Nigerians, there is this nauseating discriminatory law that seeks to favour only men while the women are neglected. Though, it may not be something that everyone is aware of. This particular law supports that if a male Nigerian marries another national, say a Canadian, the female can file to be a Nigerian but if a female Nigerian marries another national, such a man from another country can’t file to be a citizen of our country. I found this very discriminatory and chauvinistic and a bill to amend part of this constitution was sponsored by me. Thankfully, the amendment had been passed by both houses and once the newly amended constitution is assented to by President Buhari, it will be part of our constitution.
And coming down home here, I feel so uncomfortable when we have all the military training universities in the north, Army University, Biu, Borno State, Airforce University, Bauchi, Defence Academy, north, Police Academy, Wudi, Kano, at least, 10 military degree awarding institutions are in the north, about three are in the south; Maritme University, Oron, another one at Okerenkoko, Warri, Delta State, there is also Admiralty University in Delta. However there is none in the south west, I hereby sponsor a bill for the establishment of paramilitary training center here at Ijebu Igbo where our officers from the Correctional Home formerly prisons, road safety, police, civil defense corps, immigration, etc could attend for degree training. The bill has scaled second reading. The bill for teachers to retire at 65 was also sponsored by me and had been passed and assented to by President Buhari. The bill to establish a vocational and entrepreneurial centre at Ijebu Ife sponsored by me had also scaled second reading and now with the committee. I have also the bill for establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical) at Ako, my village. That has been passed too. As lawmakers, we are principally elected to make laws and we thank God that we have not been found wanting in this core area judging by the experience shared above.
However, in term of other developmental projects, I challenge any other legislators across the country to come out to say he has beaten me to it. The Ago Iwoye multimillion naira ultramodern stadium is ongoing, N300m had so far been released for the project with capacity to accommodate over 1000, for the ultramodern Orimolusi palace, over N200m had already been expended on the project. Another multimillion naira international fertility centre, an annex of Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta is ongoing too at Ako, the international development centre which is almost 80% completed at Ako is there too, I have a jetty project at Oni, Ogun Waterside. I have lost count of schools constructed, renovated and refurbished. For last year alone, Ogun State government gave me 13 schools to work on and they are now 80% completed. There is this last village in our community, it is called Odoye, they already have their transformers and just very soon, the light will be there and several other rural communities. The roads are there too, numerous to mention with several street light projects. In our secondary schools here, Methodist Comprehensive High School, Ago Iwoye and others, we have provided them with computer laboratories, go to Ijebu Igbo, work is ongoing at Holy Angels Secondary School likewise the Girls Secondary School there…
…(cuts in) in all of these achievements, I am sure your people would have love to see Ago-Iwoye-Ilisan road as being part of your achievements, what is happening sir?
That is a state road and I am sure the state government would also frown at me jumping there, Ago Iwoye people knew that if not for that I would have been there, however, for the budget of this year, the governor has mentioned Ago-Iwoye-Ilisan road as one of his top priority project that would be fixed before the year runs out. We have taken Gov Abiodun for his word but if he doesn’t behave true to his promise, I don’t see him campaigning successfully here at Ago Iwoye and Ijebu Igbo because what I know is that whoever help us to fix that road will be adequately compensated, that much I know.
Could you please speak on your rumoured 2023 Ogun governorship ambition?
Many people who see me trying to develop my village, Akomatoole have been spreading the rumour all around that I am doing all that because I wanted to be the monarch of the town whereas that is not the case, if at all I want to be anything in that village, maybe just Baale, the community head and not an Oba. Each of us has what persuades us, for instance I don’t smoke, I don’t drink but that doesn’t make those who smoke cigarettes and drink my enemies because that is what persuade them. I don’t have an hotel like others but I have a very big farm, I was there till 11p.m. yesterday, so I am never interested in governorship of the state. If I were the governor of the state, would I be able to develop my village, Akomatoole, Ago Iwoye, Ijebu Igbo and the entire federal constituency as I am doing? Will the people from other zones not be shouting marginalisation? I am so fulfilled serving my federal constituency and in 2023 my plan is to return to the green chamber, the House of Representatives and not even to go to senate. So, the rumour of the governorship ambition is nothing but rumour, it is not true, I don’t have such ambition
Recently, the news was all over that Attacker is planning to defect to APC because his third term ambition to return to the House of Reps is under massive threat, that some stakeholders have vowed to frustrate him and deny him the third term ticket. How true are all of these?
It is all lies and baseless report. Recently, I was adjudged as the best and most vibrant federal lawmaker out of nine of us in Ogun State, the voting was done online and our party chairmen got wind of this news and wrote me a congratulatory letter. I am the only lawmaker in Ogun State elected on the platform of PDP, I am a principal member of the national assembly, I am a member of the National Executive Council of the party, I am a member of the PDP caucus meeting, a major stakeholder of the party too and in all of our meetings, I never picked up information about all this baseless report. The truth is that you don’t disband a winning team, which coach who wants result will bench his best player? That’s not to say that poaching is not allowed and encouraged in politics because it is a game of numbers. We are surely in the transfer window period just like the case is in football when the coach will be all out to get more versatile players, the same happens in politics. It’s of no use to deny that one is not receiving invitation to join the ruling party but the truth is that I have also been working round the clock recruiting their members into our party, PDP. Yes, many of the leaders in APC were once with us in PDP, yes, people like former governor, Sen. Amosun, Alhaji Sarafadeen Ishola, the Nigeria Ambassador to UK, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the governor who made me Commissioner for good eight years and had since remain a very big brother and leader to me, even the present governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun, we were all together in PDP but the truth is that, I have not seen what will make me dump PDP for any party.
What should the people be expecting this new year?
We shall consolidate on our efforts to make life more comfortable for our people through quality representation and lawmaking as well as completing the numerous ongoing projects. This year is going to be full of commissioning of many of these projects by the special grace of God. I should be able to bring in the likes of JJ Okocha and many more when the Multimillion naira Ago Iwoye Stadium will be commissioned.
The Presidential aspirants for 2023 are now emerging, the likes of Tinubu, Osinbajo, Tunde Bakare, Sen Anyim, Alhaji Atiku among others. Where will you pitch your tent?
As a member of PDP, I will definitely queue behind anyone that my party eventually pick for this daunting task, though, as a Yoruba man from the Southwest, I would have loved my party settle for someone from the Southwest here but I won’t definitely go against whatever my party decides. However, we really need a very competent hand to take over from President Buhari because of the numerous challenges confronting us as a nation.
You are used to hunting with the local hunters. Do you still do that?
Yes now, I am a farmer and hunter, it is what we have been doing for many years, something we have passion for and it provides opportunity to bond with our people. I am always excited hunting with other hunters from across the state.
Some are of the opinion that there won’t be election next year except we have Yoruba nation. What is your take on this?
That is not right, and there will certainly be election next year by God’s grace. Rather than pushing for war and splitting of our great country, we should go by the way of restructuring. This will help each region to grow at their pace and many of our challenges would naturally fizzle out. War is not a child play and I don’t know how what those agitators are asking for will materialise without war, I am not for that because of many pains and unbearable sorrow that will accompany such needless exercise. What we need to go back to is that system that could help us grow at our own speed and pace. I am against dismembering of this country. In America, the salary of governor of a state may not be more than $5000 and in another state, it may be $100,000 depending on how buoyant such state is. A state may allow for capital punishment while another state may frown at such way of dealing with a criminal. That is true federalism. We had our first high rise building, first dualised road, first radio and television stations even ahead of France when we operated as a region, so the FG should in the new year set ball rolling for restructuring, that’s the way out of our complex situation as a country.
