Fayose has degraded our values in Ekiti — Sen Ojudu

Ojudu

Senator Babafemi Ojudu represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District in the Senate. In this interview, he reviews recent developments in his state and expresses optimism that Ekiti state will rise again. Excerpts:

What was responsible for your party’s loss in the just conducted general elections?

It is not particular to Ekiti State. As at the last count, about 76 Senators will not be returning. There is so much noise about how much we earn and there is a misconception about what our roles are.

So people do not understand. Constituents expect you to assist them in paying their children school fees and all of those things. And if you don’t do that, they are angry and they resort to calling you names.

Even those you have assisted once, come back again and you let them know you have others who are still waiting but they don’t want to know. The kinds of things they want you to do for them are often not your function. They want you to play the role of the executive and, of course because you are not the executive, you cannot do it, they hate you for it.

Unfortunately, we never made attempt to address these issues collectively as Senators. There is no way elected lawmakers could have solved the personal problems of everyone who voted for them without looting the economy.

Vacating power

That, for me, is largely responsible for the 76 Senators that are not returning to the Senate.

Do you think that the honour being accorded the outgoing President for conceding defeat at the election is justified considering the attempts made towards truncating the success of the electoral process?

For a man who has been so used to power to come out and concede defeat, it is worth commending. That is the reason for all the commendations you have seen. It is also a way of saving him from being disgraced. It is a means of helping assuage his feelings and psychologically assisting him in coming out of the trauma of losing an election. So, I don’t think there is anything bad in it. I want to say that it is even commendable.We have to be magnanimous. It is difficult to vacate power and we know the consequences for not vacating power by people who have been defeated during elections in Africa.

Given the opposition by the PDP of the use of the Smart Card Reader for the election, how would you assess the process?

Well, the electoral perfection in Nigeria is a work in progress. I believe that there is still more to be done while commending the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the good job they have done. When I see some figures returned from parts of the country, I am worried that we are not yet where we should be.

Looking at it sincerely, if you are talking of true democracy, where you will find it is the Southwest. If you see the votes from Rivers and the votes from the Delta, they are indefensible.

And the card reader, which worked in the Southwest but disallowed from working in order parts, would have checkmated that.

What is the problem in Ekiti state as your party seems to be moving towards extinction given the outcome of recent elections?

Honestly I will be lying if I tell you that I can put my finger to what the problem is.   I just realize that the only reason I can give is that there is too much poverty in the state. That perhaps has economically affected the reasoning of the people that they are losing their sense of what is good for them.   They no longer want to subscribe to high ideals. All they want is money which is what has been reduced to stomach infrastructure.   That is what has been used during the campaigns and that is what they go for.

I cannot blame them. In Ekiti State there are no industries to create jobs. All they have is the civil service and teaching. Virtually everybody Ekiti are politicians and this is what they survive on. Whoever brings the money is the king no matter his or her evil design for them. So the challenge before any government now in Ekiti State is how to create industries and provide employment for the teeming youths. Anything short of this will create a horrendous social problem.

How do you feel when your state is now associated with impunity and rascality?

Honestly it is very embarrassing, frustrating and demeaning when all these kind of things happen here. It is here judges are being beaten, it is here seven law makers are making laws in an Assembly of 26 people.

It is here the governor is financing newspaper adverts canvassing the death wish for a presidential candidate. It is here opposition candidates in a general election are not allowed to campaign and paste posters. This is why some of us are saying that the processes of choosing our leaders   in Ekiti State are wrong and we must subsequently sit down, put our thinking caps on to ensure that the best from among us govern us.

Could this be connected with the impeachment notice served on Governor Ayo Fayose?

Well, again, I think this is more about illegality and abuse of the constitution. It is more about illegality.   How could you have 26 lawmakers and budgetary appropriation is being done by seven lawmakers who do not form a quorum.

The quorum is a third of the 26 membership of the house. Seven could not have, in the circumstance, been a quorum. There is no way seven could be a majority in a house of 26. It is illegal. It is an infraction against the constitution and it is treasonable.

Assaults on the rule of law

You are a governor, you are challenged in a court of law, the judge decided to rule in the case before him, you think the case will not be decided in your favour and then you beat up the judge and threw the place in pandemonium. These are assaults on the rule of law and are unacceptable in a civilized society.

But there is perception that leadership problem is reason your party is fizzling out of power in Ekiti. Is this true?

I will look at it critically and I will say, “Yes, our party has leadership challenges but those challenges are not insurmountable and we will find a solution to the challenges.”

It is said in certain quarters that the collapse of APC government in Ekiti was caused by APC itself. How true is this?

Many factors are responsible for the collapse of the APC government here and so, I don’t think one can say it is just one factor. There are other factors. We can only learn from our failures so that tomorrow will be a better day.

Do you think that Ekiti people will see light at the end of the tunnel?

Of course there is hope.   Many educated people will come in and we are already thinking of that solution and by the grace of God we will get there. We will have a government of the people that will serve the people and will be of good example for the whole of the country.