All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Abayomi Semako Hunye is a governorship aspirant in Ogun State. He spoke on his credentials, zoning, achievements of the Abiodun administration and factors that would shape the primary and general election in 2027.
How old are you in the politics of Ogun State?
I am from Ipokia local government, from a town called Tube in Ipokia local government . I think had the opportunity of being a two-time commissioner in Ogun State. I was a commissioner in the Civil Service Commission, and later I became the Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives. I’ve been the chairman of OSACs, an outfit of the state that focusses on the less privileged, precisely the farmers and the the micro businesses. Presently, I am the Special Adviser on Empowerment and saddleed with the responsibility of waste management in the state.
Preparations for 2027 have started. What are your calculations and expectations?
The people of Ogun State are not left out. We have three senatorial districts – Ogun West, East and Central. East and Central have been producing the governor. The West has not produced a governor. This has been a problem; a touchy question. So, it is an appeal because you can’t force them. This is an election thing. We are using this opportunity to probably appeal to everybody that it would be fair for the next governor of Ogun State to come from Ogun West. In the last 40 or 50 years, only Ogun Central and Ogun East have been producing governors. Our district has not been privileged to produce the governor. That is not fair.. We cannot have it by force. We have to negotiate it. We have to appeal to other districts to see reasons with us, which I believe this time around, other districts would see reasons with us.
Preparations for 2027 have started. What are your calculations and expectations?
The people of Ogun State are not left out. We have three senatorial districts – Ogun West, East and Central. East and Central have been producing the governor. is particularly Speaker 2 01:30 there’s a problem there. TThe West has not produced a governor. This has been a problem; a touchy questio. So, it is an appeal because you can’t force them. This an election thing. We are using this opportunity to probably appeal to everybody that would be fair for the next governor of Ogun State to come from Ogun West. In the last 40 or 50 years, only Ogun Central and Ogun East have been producing governors. Our district has not been privileged to produce the governor. That is not fair.. We cannot have it by force. We have to negotiate it. We have to appeal to other districts to see reasons with us, which I believe this time around, other districts would see reasons with us.
Many aspirants are in the race. What is your chance of getting the ticket?
We are aware that quite a number of people are interested in becoming governor. Many people may be interested in taking a shot. I also ran with this present governor in 2017. So, so I’ve always been around and I believe this is the third time.
Our former president just passed away. He ran four time. He eventually got it. So, I believe this time around, it is the time of the Ogun West people.
But there’s something that people complain about. Ogun State has many big towns in this country. But in terms of development, the story is not impressive. Why?
I want to slightly disagree with you. In the last two years, we could see serious changes. Our governor is up and doing. We recently had the National Sports Festival, and the whole state was filled with different kinds of personalities from within and outside the state, and even outside Nigeria, and they really commented about our development. We have been able to make solid impressions in the area of infrastructural development. We are not relenting out efforts in the areas of education, health, sports and tourism development, refuse disposal. Also, there is peace and orderliness in the state.
What are the qualities you expect ifrom the next Governor of Ogun State?
A very fair person that will consider all others districts and foster fairplay. That is, you don’t start thinking about your own district alone, because the vote will not come from you alone. You must ensure that the dividends of this democracy are distributed to the other sides of the state, so that everybody can benefit and feel the presence of that very government, which I think is a promise that I’m going to fulfil. There is no place I had the opportunity of managing that is not doing well.
Do you think you can emerge as candidate from the list of many aspirants from your senatorial district?
Well, with the best of my ability, I think so. Number one, I’ve been around for quite some time, at least for the past 16 years. My goal is clear and one thing I know is that experience is one of the advantages that I believe I have gained over the years. I’ve tried it several times, though I was not privileged to be there. But I think with that that number of years, I’ve been consistent trying this. Also count on me in terms of performance. Performance is key. I am a performer. I have track record in the public service. With what I’ve learned in the past, I would able to do well and serve our good people well.
The governor, Prince Dapo A iodun, would not be indifferent to the nature, sentiments and idiosyncrasies of his would-ve successor. Do you fit into the succession agenda of the governor?
I have experience. I am a loyal party man. I ñn all the responsibilities given to me in the past, I performed creditably. There is no way I would be able to determine his mind. But I know we are close, and if somebody has considered me; he has given me the opportunity of serving in three different capacities within a short time; I believe he has confidence in me. I have been with the number one citizen of Ogun State. Having served well in those lower positions, I think I should be able to do well in the number one office.
We talked about structure in politics. How do you assess your personal structure? How formidable is your structure?
Well, structure is key. But I want to tell you, but at times, it may not work the way you look at it. Now, in 2018, we were about almost 30 in the race. The governor wasn’t around. He wasn’t among the 30, but he came up just three months to the whole thing, and he was able to get the ticket. Also, I want to count on the favour of God and people. Destiny also counts. There were many people in the race. Three months to the primary, the winner came. And luck smiled on him. So, I believe this time around, my luck also should shine.
How are you prepared for the likely Naira, dollar pound sterling war that is likely to characterised the primary and the general election?
Let me tell something from my experience. Money is key in any election, but there is no amount of money that you may think you have that will be enough. Definitely, people that believe in you will definitely give you support. It has always been like that. I told you I’m not new in the game. So, I know how it has been in the past. So, I believe that would not be a challenge at all.
Could you unfold your broad blue print or manifestos that you intend to sell to the people? What are your core priorities?
Everybody wants to talk about infrastructure. They are key. But the most important thing I want to look at is empowerment of the youth. I am engaging them, and how do we do that? I want to ensure that we have a kind of industrial park in each of the three districts. I want to build industrial parks and powers will be there 24 hours. So, if you have any skill, you can go there and do whatever you want to do. Because I know power is one of the major challenges that we are having. Our future lies in the hands of these youths. We should empower so that they can be useful to themselves and to the nation. So, that will be my major priority.
The second is road network. We just need to do more on our roadnetwork.s. When we have better road, more investors will come . With developed manpower, good roads and empowerment, we are good to go. The youths would be well positioned for better tomorrow in a conducive environment where they can thrive.
Ogun State is the second richest in the Southwest, next to Lagos State. But how come that the state is still lacking in good road network, given the fact that it has more industries than any other state, even Lagos?
Why do we have more industries? We are having more industries because of our closeness to Lagos State, because of the population of Lagos state. So, there are no lands in Lagos State. So, everybody moves to Lagos Sstate. So, they can take the advantage of the population in Lagos State. But, in the last 10 years, and compare with now, you can see that there is great development of road network. And I want to tell you, my governor has done well. He has been the best governor in the areas of road infrastructure, looking at the total numbers of road that have been constructed within this term, which I think I want to also do more.
Would zoning or rotation shape the process as we gaze at 2027? What is the assurance that it would be adopted?
Its adoption has nothing to do with the electoral law. The electorate has to determine who becomes the governor. Now, we are having a governor from the East. Zoning or rotation is a party affair. Nut I want to tell you, I want to assure you that I am from a party that believes in equality and fair play. And with that, the slot should go to the West.
The West District of Egba or Yewa people is the least united in Ogun State. Why is it so?
I want to believe that there are so many factors. Number one, those areas are the border areas. The economic hub of Ogun State lies with us, because, if not for the probably the recent time that we are having industrial development in the Central and probably in the East. The whole industrial option was in the West, which is Agbara Industrial Estate. But despite that, because of the nature, because we are border area, majority of our people believe in inter-trading. They were involved in trading than politicking. But today, that orientation is changins.So, we have now realised the importance of getting involved in politics for the development of our people, which I think will definitely be adaptvantageous to us.
What’s your plan for security?
There is nothing you want to do with without security. No amount of investment in security would be too much. So generally, we are going to strengthen all the arms of security that we have – the police, the Civil Defense, the Army. All we need now is that we have to move from the analog time to Twitter time. There are so many things that we need to do today that we don’t even need manpower. I think it is right time for us to start looking at that. Checking or arresting people for smuggling, we now need technology to do that. Again, there are certain things you can put in place that will check people and you know, the the ctual thing iscthere. So, I think we want to go into that area that involves bringing latest technology.
By 2027, your party would have spent 16 years. Can you say the APC-led governments have justified the confidence reposed in them by the electorate?
The governor has lived to expectation. The next governor has to build on the strong foundation. You see, Ogun State is completely different. You can’t compare Ogun with Lagos. It is the most enlightened state in the country. So, it’s not a state that anybody will just come up and say, you want to become a governor. That’s it. So, people are educated and enlightened. So, I think that is why you cannot really predict and say this is really what is going to happen in Ogun State. Our people are very conscious. They are at alert. They know what they are looking for, and they will go for that. And I believe this time around, everybody is aware that the state has not been fair to the West District and they will consider that.
What is your position on the clamour for the creation of a new state out of Ogun?
Yes, that’s better for development. You make it more smaller. So, for now, we say it’s very big. We say it’s three times bigger than LastatState. So, if Lagos State is time, if Ogun state of Lagos, that means you can see bring two states. So, the two states of Ogun will be neighbours to Lagos State. So, even if it is two states that are coming, it is a plus for us.
What is responsible for the over-confidence in Ogun APC that makes them to think that PDP cannot bounce back in the state?
Let’s forget about PDP. Those days are gone. Where’s the PDP? It has split. The Atiku group has left. Today is in APC. PDP is divided into three and two are already with us.
We asked about Plan B in politics. Apart from your governorship ambition, what other plans do you have?
This is my third time. I had contested before. I contested the first and second times. Life did not end there. So, this is the third time. I have to consider which area I’ve not done it well, what do I need to improve upon? What do I need to do better than what I’ve done before? Are you gettinguresults? That is why I said experience counts. So, I’m going to use that, and I believe that my efforts would be fruitful.
l have a rich background in the civil service. I was a civil servant in Lagos State, and I did my part. I left as a director. I tarted my career in the local government, and naturally in Lagos, when you get a particular level, you go to state service, after which I joined the politics of Ogun State. But that’s where I came from. I joined politics in a bid to to strengthen and help my people. I’m from Ogun West. I’m from the the disadvantaged area of Ogun State. I want to see whatever I can do to better the life of my people and the state in general.
I have a rich background. I’m a community development expert, and I know what it takes to have a developed community. I know what it takes to have a developed people in an area, and that is my future, and that’s what is driving me to the position, and that’s one of my my focus. I want to use the training that I benefitted from Lagos State, both within and outside in Nigeria, for the development of my people. Lagos State had trained me so that I can put them to practice.
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