Tunji Ariyomo is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Coordinator of the Ondo Central Campaign Network, a frontline promoter of the Buhari-Osinbajo’s re-election bid in Ondo State. In this interview with journalists, he speaks on what the people of the state stand to gain with the re-election of the duo. CHARLES AIDOGIE was there.
Your campaign train is seen everywhere in the state, especially in the Central senatorial district, what are your candidate’s chances of winning?
I have stated this times without number that the Buhari-Osinbajo ticket is a winning one. The president’s chance of success at the coming presidential poll is very high. On a daily basis, more and more individuals are flocking to support Mr. President. People are volunteering. People are taking up the roles of canvassers on the streets. I am leading the campaign at the heart of Ondo Central, the state capital; it is heartening to see young men and women daily reaching out to be part of the efforts. This is encouraging.
Some school of thoughts may contend otherwise, but a number of Nigerians are of the opinion that the last four years have been economically tough for Nigerians. Don’t you think that can threaten the chances of your candidate?
There is no doubt that the entire world, not just Nigeria, is just emerging from the impact of the global financial recession. The wanton profligacy of previous governments in Nigeria masked the true state of the Nigerian economy pre-2015. That said, the Buhari-Osinbajo administration has launched high impact micro-economic initiatives that target the most vulnerable among our people. People today in their thousands and millions can readily identify with social impact programmes like N-power, like the trader-moni scheme and other social impact initiatives which can be accessed without requiring the traditional ‘long legs’ or being filial relations of those in charge as it used to be under previous leaders.
Let’s focus on your state, Ondo State. There are currently different factions within your party. How can the president win under such a circumstance?
First, let me say that there is no human organisation where you have more than one person that would not be exposed to typical internal wrangling and disagreement. It is a normal part of life. But I can state emphatically that Ondo State APC is united on the matter of the re-election of President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo. That is a fact – regardless of any so called faction.
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That said, I must also state here that there are no factions in Ondo APC. Yes, people may have contending or even conflicting aspirations but we will continue to work to resolve such in the spirit of give and take. Recently, our members were happy and excited when they saw Mr. Governor and Senator Ajayi Boroffice embrace at a function. So, the party is united behind the Buhari-Osinbajo ticket.
But some people in Ondo State claim that the state has not been fairly treated by the Buhari-led administration in terms of federal project
[cuts in] I keep hearing this. But we need to be educated with facts. I concede that our people have the right to agitate for far more than we are getting, but what we have on-going and in the pipeline under Buhari are substantial enough to excite our people.
Ironically, the projects that are coming up such as the Ondo Deep Seaport that is being aggressively pursued by Governor Akeredolu, the recent approval by Buhari that the railway transit spectrum for the East-West rail line be re-routed through Ondo State key economic towns of Ifon, Owo, Akure, Ondo and Ore, the planned dualization of Akure /Ondo /Ore road and the planned dualization of Akure/Ado roads, among others, are the very reasons why we must ensure that we return the duo of Buhari and Osinbajo to avoid the fate that befell several iconic legacy projects initiated by the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu which were later frustrated and abandoned once the president that issued the initial approval vacated office.
Our people must remember that the Olokola Free Trade Zone, the Deep Seaport, the OK LNG, the petrochemical plant and refinery were some of the projects that Agagu was able to midwife and secure necessary approvals of the federal government under Obasanjo.
They were later frustrated once Obasanjo left office even if we concede that Agagu’s successor administration did not appreciate the long-lasting economic impact of such iconic high-impact economic projects. All of these were basically killed once Obasanjo was replaced as President by another person.
The parallel today is that Akeredolu has also now towed similar path as Agagu and has obtained federal approvals for a number of these projects.
If Buhari is changed, what do we think will become the fate of those projects? I have stated this clearly to our people that a win for Buhari is insurance and a guarantee for the people of Ondo State that these iconic high impact economic projects will be completed that they will not be abandoned or become white elephant projects.
