20th August, 2010
Accomplished journalist cum administrator turned politician, Mr. Babafemi Ojudu has described the shot at the Ekiti Central Senatorial Seat, South-West, Nigeria in 2011 by former Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, his successor, Opeyemi Bamidele and himself as a good one for the development of Ekiti State. In an interview with POLITICAL TRAIN, the Ado-Ekiti-born aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) spoke on his ambition, the killings in Ekiti State and the bad image of the Nigeria police.
How have you fared in your campaign so far?
It’s been good, we are making appreciable progress and we are in touch with people at all levels. Things are going very well.
Reports have been all over that three jolly friends are battling for one seat (the Ekiti Senatorial Seat) without stepping down for one another and…
(Cuts in) who are the three friends?
Of course yourself (Babafemi Ojudu), Dele Alake and Opeyemi Bamidele, and there seems to be conflict of interest even though you are all friends.
There’s no conflict at all. It’s democracy in practice and in fact, I see it as being a positive and healthy rivalry. We have lightened up the entire place in Ekiti, mobilising our followers in all the nooks and crannies of the entire constituency introducing new styles of campaign, bringing in modern technologies of politicking. You know, if you look at our bill boards, they are the best you can find in town, same with the posters. Rebranding has increased; we have even gone scientific in our campaigns. We have empowered quite a lot of people in Ekiti, appointing coordinators and others who are campaigning for us, employing people for the task ahead.
Has there been any time friends or party leaders called the three of you together to choose one of you for the seat?
Nobody has called us together, but may be people are talking to people individually, but at the end of the day, we are going to resolve it.
How would you want to react to the killings in Ekiti, especially the recent one in Ilawe of a House of Assembly aspirant, Kunle Ayaga?
It’s bad enough for anybody to be killed. And you know, one must condemn that. As regards the recent killing, I don’t have the details, I don’t know exactly what led to the killing or who carried out the dastardly act. But we have to find out exactly what happened. I condemn the killing and whoever is found guilty must be made to face the music.
He was allegedly killed by a mobile policeman?
The policemen are more of killers than protectors of Nigerians, they kill everywhere. Just last weekend, more than 30 people were killed in Lagos, just because some policemen wanted to collect N20 from motorists at the checkpoint. It should be condemned by all of us. Nigerians cannot be afraid of people who are being paid to protect them, and are killing Nigerians more than even armed robbers and evil doers are killing Nigerians. People who are given uniform with tax payers’ money, people who are armed with tax payers’ money and purposely put on the streets to protect us are the people killing people. For me, it’s unfortunate. The Inspector-General should be called to order to put his officers and men on the right track and stop these wanton killings.
What are the chances of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ekiti State come 2011?
Across Nigeria, we are the party waiting to take over power from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In Ekiti State, of course, we have the majority and they’ve been stealing our votes and mandates, but I can tell you that in a matter of months, Nigeria will be ruled by ACN, not only in Ekiti State.