Engineer Orimadegun Agboworin is an indigenous son of the ancient town, Offa, Kwara State. He is a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a one-time factional chairman of the party. In this interview with Kayode Adeoti, he speaks on the preparation of his party for the 2023 general elections and the need for the former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki to stop interfering in the affairs of Kwara politics and focus more on national, among other sundry issues. Excerpts:
Being a veteran politician and a businessman in the state, how would you rate the performance of the incumbent government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) particularly in Kwara State?
The government of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is a terrible and unbearable one. What we are experiencing under this administration in Nigeria now is worse than the military regime. It’s saddening that the country is getting worse on a daily basis. What we’re getting is not what the APC promised Nigerians during the electioneering campaign. Our economy has gone bad and prices of commodities are on the high side. Prices have tripled with no hope that it will ever come down soon, many people now find it difficult to feed because there is no money and no job that would have provided a sort of relief. APC claimed Jonathan’s government was bad but they failed to do anything meaningful ever since Jonathan left office. Rice we buy N10,000 during PDP time, it’s now N25000. People can start drawing the differences. The cement of N750 is now N4000. This government lack seriousness. In Kwara State, people complained that Saraki is not good and they drove him away. But, those that hated him then are now regretting, I can tell you, the majority of those that voted against him want him back because of the kind of government Abdulrahmand AbdulRasaq is providing. We can all see what is happening in the country, Kidnapping everywhere, farmers cannot go to farm anymore because of the fear of being kidnapped and their farm produce are being harvested by the herdsmen to feed their animals. It’s so bad for farmers to see his maize or yam, what he has laboured for 6 months or even one year being harvested for animals to feed. They do this freely, those who challenged them today have gone for it. Nigeria is on the verge of collapse and the government is not seeing this.
Would you say people are regretting voting for the APC?
I have come to realise that the true colour of man is known when his pocket is deep. This implies people do not know the honest nature of APC until the party assumes power and started misbehaving. For years, APC has been in opposition, they are more of opposition-oriented party and that was why they were able to attack Jonathan Government well. APC as a party has nothing to offer the country except lying and perpetrating evils.
Will you say your party is coming back to Kwara State?
By the grace of God, the party will bounce back. But it’s coming with lots of innovations and fresh minds. PDP will not have Godfather again. Saraki, the former Senate President fought for Kwara and meant well for the state but people condemned him but God did exonerate him, his chances will shine bright again. It’s pertinent to add that in the subsequent elections in the State, let him leave Kwara State for us, let him not say ‘mi fun e’ (I give you). Let everyone go to the field and test his or her popularity. If he comes up to start dictating for us again, it will be a tough war for PDP to win. He should leave us alone to select the right people that will want.
Do you think many people will survive a political contest without him?
Why would anyone put his hope in a man? Those who hang their hopes on him are lazy. They should go and work first and have money. In my own case, I’m a politician but I have businesses that give me money. I always spend from my sweat and labour, Saraki cannot say I depend on his financial muscles for anything. The election is never a do-or-die affair to me because if I lose I come back to my company and if I win I do my part to develop the state.
What should your people be expecting from you come 2023?
What I’ve wanted to do is to contest for the local Government chairman of my area in order to may things right in the council. I’ve observed many people are going to the council just to enrich their pockets. Imagine now, our political office holders are going on radio to blow their trumpet over what they give people during Ramadan. As we speak, I’ve shared more than 25 bags of rice among my people and I don’t have to start saying this to the whole world. Once they want to select another person that will run for the council seat or any other seat in the state, Kwarans should think deeply and stop fielding people who came from Abuja, abroad on us. Many of these people do not know the terrain non understand the plight of the people they govern.
LG election is coming, how prepared is your party?
Nobody can rig an election again, before now rigging and inducement were possible but people have realised that it won’t move us forward either as a nation, state or council. The Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) government of the day installed is to divert our money. None of them can do a project. Since independence, this is the worse government. They kept on saying PDP spoils the government but they failed to make anything better. The clamour to have PDP back is high, people have seen that it’s better to stay with the government that guarantees the security of life and property. The question is, who is ruling the country, the bandit or our president or governors?
What can you say about the ongoing crisis at your party?
The crisis is everywhere I agreed but that of the APC is worse. I laugh when people mock PDP on the basis of its crisis. For any democratic government to strive, there must be a cup of issues, they are not to destroy the party but to make it stronger. Before the election, the crisis will mend away and everything will go back to normal. Another aspect we need to take care of as a way of addressing the crisis is to use credible candidates with impeccable character to run for our various seats.