Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan was chief press secretary to the late governor Alhaji Lamidi Adeshina between 1999 and 2003 and former chairman of Oluyole Local Government; he is currently the Director of media and publicity for the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Shettima.
While speaking on Saturday with Seun Owoseeni on Yes 101.7 FM, tagged “Big Deal”, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan congratulated the GMD Yes FM for contributing his quota to the growth of journalism in the country.
Why do you think APC is different from other political parties?
When you come in contact with organised people today in Nigeria, the first and most well-recognised party is the APC.
Settlement and preparedness go to APC; we have commenced the scientific campaign across Nigeria.
Some aggrieved members opposed your Muslim-Muslim ticket. What is the party doing about this?
People would want to paint disability when they are not comfortable with the success of the party. The issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket is a political strategy that can work for us; we have gone beyond the Muslim-Muslim ticket. I am a good example. I travelled every December and celebrated Christmas with my twin brother, Taiwo Olaosebikan. My wife is also a Christian; we are more developed in Yoruba land; they are just pulling us down with the issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. We should not bother about that. Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s wife is a pastor of the redeemed Christian Church of God. Tinubu is meant for growth. Those he mentored and developed are Muslims and Christians. We are civilized people in Yoruba land. It is not about the party but the individual.
Will Nigerians vote for your party in 2023 despite the current economic hardship?
Wherever we are in Nigeria today, we discuss democracy. In 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari came out and pleaded to Nigerians to vote for him, and the majority voted. So now Buhari has done his best. We rated him high in terms of infrastructure, and he did not do well in some areas. But now APC has brought another candidate, Tinubu, and Shettima will be on the ballot. You could also check Tinubu’s attributes and what he has done so far.
As we can see, Tinubu is competent, reliable and ready for the job. He would do it beyond imagination. We need strong institutions, not strong individuals. Whether you like it or not, Tinubu is the best for Nigeria in 2023.
Is it justifiable for APC to have taken us to this worrisome part for close to eight years now?
We are passionate about Nigeria; we want a functional country. Today is the 12th of November, 2022, and we are discussing moving the nation forward, whatever your perception of where we are today in Nigeria. We are already there. The main question is how we can move forward from where we are today. That should be the bone of contention. Moving forward, we have to get the best. If you convinced me about a particular candidate, I would definitely support his party. It is not about sentiments, but it is someone who can win and deliver.
So you mean Kwankaso cannot deliver?
We are talking about Nigeria, not Kano State. We need political solutions, which we must sort out with political issues. The person who can do it must have gone around Nigeria and built bridges across the country.
Will the APC governorship candidate win the gubernatorial election in Oyo State in 2023?
This is not true. The biggest organised party in Oyo State is the All Progressive Congress (APC), and this is the party that has put up a presidential and gubernatorial candidate and has made up 5000 members as a campaign committee.
This party has the executive in place in fifty-one wards in Oyo State. Party members work round the clock in our party. Some parties do not have candidates across the state; we have the strongest party. The goal is to move Oyo State forward; our interest is Oyo State. The APC governorship candidate is ready to serve us better as it is today.
Were you convinced about the APC, right?
No one convinced me, so I chose to join the party; I put my best in whatever I lay my hands upon, and Allah has been good to me. We have goals for a greater and prouder Oyo State. Some people fought for the state, while they lost their jobs and properties because of democracy. Senator Teslim Folarin is passionate about grassroots. The masses would enjoy the rural areas. And he would not cripple local government in Oyo State as it is today. Giving a local government ten million naira is not an achievement in our government. It was wasted on entertainment.
Can you illustrate the use of ten million for entertainment?
Of course, they do. Ten million was used for entertainment. Take, for instance, champagne gold, which is sold for three hundred and fifty thousand naira. So, giving a local government ten million naira should not be a big deal. The youth should rise and do operations. Where is our money? They should match to their respective local governments and ask their chairmen about the funds.
Has the President tried to improve the infrastructure level? Are you not also giving it to the governor of Oyo State in terms of infrastructure?
Yes, if Seyi Makinde has tried, that means he deserves a second term. It is not about the party but the individual.
Has Governor Seyi Makinde not tried for the people of Oyo State?
Governor Seyi Makinde and his infrastructural programmes are designed to achieve basic things to enrich himself. You will mess up if you are not prepared or capable of governance. The government is improvising the business class of Oyo state. Are you doing the infrastructure to lift Oyo people or devalue them?
A particular contractor called Peculiar ultimately handles the projects of Oyo state, and it should not be like that. The principle of contract is that a Nation strengthens its people. Leadership is a deliberate plan to lift people. When Seyi Makinde was elected as governor, he declared an asset of forty-eight billion naira. A governor would go out of his way to simplify things so that the people of his state can progress in their lives. We have so much poverty in Oyo state that Seyi Makinde has not released funds to the local government.
What efforts has Senator Teslim Folarin made since 2003?
My principal senator, Teslim Folarin, returned to Nigeria in 2002. He contested and became the Federal Republic of Nigeria senator at age 39, which was an achievement for him then. Senator Teslim Folarin displayed vision as a youth then. He spent four years and found himself capable and worthy, and he was chosen as a leader of the Senate at age 43.
He failed to become governor of Oyo State in 2015, and today, he is contesting to be governor in 2023.
The principal function of national assembly members is lawmaking. Teslim Folarin did well in office and was promoted to national assembly leader. His primary function was excellent. And his good works and visions would start manifesting soon.
