Taiwo Salawu is one of the political sons who went through the political tutelage under of the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu. Salawu is a former councillor at the Ibadan Municipal Local Government, and personal assistant and special adviser to the then Council Chairman Akinyemi Aboke.
In this interview with AKINREMI FEYISIPO, Salawu, who was a staunch member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but recently joined the African Democratic Party (ADP), talked about the era and demise of Adedibu, Buhari administration, Oyo politics and chances of former governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, in 2019, the threat being posed to the 2019 polls by insecurity, among other issues. Excerpts:
There are recent killings in Borno and Zamfara States. How would you react to this?
This is a sad development again, just as the 2019 elections are less than two months; this might be a threat to the next year’s polls. There is the need for a new approach in the fight against insurgency while the President Muhammadu Buhari should as well overhaul security architecture so as to effectively tackle emerging threats and challenges facing the country. I think it is time we all rise collectively to stop this senseless killings of innocent souls because this is getting out of hand. This year, many people have been killed also in Benue, Plateau, Yobe, while vices like kidnapping, armed robbery, etc still stare the country in the face. The way things are going, insecurity poses a huge threat to the successful conduct of the general election next year. So, it has become very necessary that government should do everything within its powers to address this issue urgently.
What is your assessment of the Buhari administration in the last three and half years?
The present government is a failure, all that they promised before the 2015 elections, they have not fulfilled. The expectations were high when the government came in power over three years but it has performed below expectations with their change mantra. Even when Buhari came in 1984 in army uniform he did not achieve anything. This government is calling itself progressive. Are they really progressives? As a progressive you must implement free education, free health care as it is done during the Obafemi Awolowo era.
What do you have to say about Ajimobi’s government in Oyo?
The ruling party in Oyo State is a government of noise and propaganda. It was shout of change, change without achievements. Look at where I stay at Akala Way for good seven years now, government didn’t do anything there, a lot of roads were not rehabilitated or maintained which led to many vehicles being damaged; they were doing dual carriage way where people did not even reside.
Go to the hospitals, did they buy drugs or give free medical treatment? On education, it is zero; if not because of people who protested, most of the schools might have been privatised now. The outgoing government’s policies, programmes and projects are best described as anti-people which leave our people in pain and despondency.
How will you describe the late strong man of Ibadan politics, Lamidi Adedibu?
Yes, the late Baba Adedibu was my father and mentor; I was his political son because I went through his tutelage. But his name will continue to reverberate in Oyo State politics because many players passed through him also in one way or the other. His demise affected the fortunes of the PDP and politics generally in the south west.
Oyo State politics cannot have the same colour it had in the days of the strongman of Ibadan politics because things have changed. His death has a lot of impact on the political system of Oyo State.
Since his demise, have you seen PDP recording any success in Oyo State? At his 3-Day fidau prayer when he died, I was interviewed and I said that time that PDP may not record any victory any more, then the prediction has come to fulfillment; this is as if PDP died with Adedibu.
Following his death, the political camp has scattered as many of his associates have moved to other parties and pursuing their political ambitions differently and some of his disciples have deserted his family.
Although death is inevitable, Adedibu’s case will not be the first even when Obafemi Awolowo died, they organised a birthday for him in the first year, many people attended it, second year just core loyalists were there, people believe in what they can achieve from you.
The same thing happened to former President Olusegun Obasanjo; many people used to attend Ibogun Day when he was in power, look at it these days, how many people now attend?
Even President Muhammadu Buhari, if he leaves office today, most of his so-called friends or loyalists will not be there again. I will eternally be grateful to Baba Adedibu for what he did for me and my twin brother, Kehinde, but some of his core loyalists still go to his residence at Molete regularly to say hello to his family, especially, Bosede his wife.
Why did you join ADP now and what are the chances of Adebayo Alao-Akala in the election?
I joined the ADP because I have trust in Akala. We have been together during the APP days. He was Chairman, Ogbomoso Local Government, during his 11 months when former Governor Rashidi Ladoja was impeached and his four years as governor between 2007 and 2011, he appointed my late twin brother as SA of sports.
His credentials are superb and he has a lot of achievements to show for it compared to other candidates. Oyo State must be governed by somebody who has acquired an experience unlike some of the contestants now who have not even contested or won a councillorship seat and now they say they want to be governor.
Oyo people are not foolish. Ibadan people have ruled the state for almost 17 years and 2months; do they remember the renovation of ancient Mapo Hall or Ade Oyo Hospital? It was during Akala’s first regime that these were renovated and rehabilitated. It was during his tenure that the Erunmu Dry Port started. Although, I will vote for Atiku Abubukar, we were together in SDP, PDP those days; I am 100 percent sure that Akala will win the governorship election in Oyo next year.
I believe Atiku will perform when elected, just as former President Goodluck Jonathan did. Some the achievements include creating additional 12 universities; 101 presidential special scholarships for innovation and development, increase in O’ Level credit pass in Maths and English, sponsoring lecturers for postgraduate studies at home and abroad; 51 polytechnics were rehabilitated; there was double increase on education allocation and road infrastructure within the country, among many other achievements.
What is your advice to the Nigerian electorate, INEC, government and politicians as the 2019 general election approaches?
Nigerians should use their PVCs wisely and not sell to any politician. With what happened in Ekiti and Osun elections, the electorate should not sell their votes. The INEC should maintain its role as independent umpire while President Buhari should ensure that the 2019 elections are free and fair as he promised the international community and Nigerians. The politicians should eschew violence and play the game according to the rules and should not play it as if it were a do-or-die affair. For the youths, they should not allow themselves to be used by politicians for thuggery, violence or election rigging because of those people going around with money to entice them. These politicians and their rich godfathers have their own children abroad as we speak now and those of them, whose families are still here, will take them away as we get closer to the elections. So, the youth should be very careful and vigilant.
