Mr Kehinde Ayanwale, a lawyer is a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State and the publisher of London based Entertainer International Magazine. In this interview, he speaks on issues as they affect the PDP in Osun State and Nigeria. He also speaks on other sundry issues. PATRICK OKOHUE reports
Let’s look at the last election in Osun West Senatorial District where PDP won despite the fact that APC controls the state, how do you see that election?
Actually, the election is a message to those in power, those in government, especially Governor Rauf Aregbesola that the business is no longer as usual and that people have spoken through their votes.
Their votes were not determined by money or deceit any longer. The election was very good and clean, free and fair, and a victorious one for PDP across the board.
So, all in all, the electorates through their votes have pointed to the direction they are going in the coming election in the state.
PDP won in nine local governments out of 10, that is what is called hands down and by this it is unchallengeable in any court of law.
Although it is a constitutional right for any person to challenge the election if the person is not satisfied with the result, but I don’t think any person from anywhere in this world will challenge the result of this election.
By next year, there will be governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. What is your expectation from those elections?
In Britain people decide and look at how election will be through opinion poll, the last Osun West Senatorial by-election is a symbol of opinion on what to expect in the governorship election in 2018 in Osun.
As a politician, publisher and journalist, I do sample people’s opinion across the state, the feeler is that people are tired of APC in Osun State, a state that cannot pay salary and pension.
Series of abandoned road projects despite the fact that it received Paris Club refund twice. The pensioners are suffering, the governor was commissioning uncompleted projects despite the huge amount available to the state in the last quarter.
Lots of PDP members are now performing government’s responsibilities as social responsibility and community development services. Even a councillorship seat from Aregbesola’s Ward will be won by PDP in any election in Osun presently.
How united is the PDP in Osun State?
Under the leadership of Soji Adagunodo, Chief Gbenga Owolabi in Ife, Chief Odekunmi in Gbongan, Fatai Akinbade in Ogbagba, Lere Oyewumi in Ikire, Senator Akinlabi in Ode-Omu, they have united the party and they have been able to take the party to higher level and this made us victorious in the last Osun West Senatorial election.
Honestly, there were two factions of PDP before the election, both factions united for the election and came victorious. After the election, the Supreme Court judgement solidified the unity.
So, there are some who have moved to SDP, Labour, Accord or even APC but with the recent victory and the judgement, many are coming back while leaders are working seriously with all possible means available to them to bring others back into the fold.
And I can assure you, all of them will be back to PDP before the next year’s governorship election and 2019 general elections.
Do you nurse any political ambition?
I am a PDP man, PDP member and a solid and full PDP person to the core. I can’t say I am going for a particular position, if the party decide that my responsibility should be within the party Secretariat I will abide by the decision of the party leadership.
Presently, what interest me most is to work tirelessly to ensure that all aggrieved party members return to the PDP fold
PDP ruled the country for 16 years, and APC has been in the saddle in the last two years, how will you compare the government of the PDP and APC?
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