Physical Development is gradually transforming the metropolis of Ado-Ekiti the state capital from that once sleepy town to a picturesque landscape.
On the occasion of his office commissioning at Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti, the opportunity to interview Prince Akinola Olaisade wasn’t to be missed. The APC chieftain used the interactive session to give his opinion (as a respected party man) on burning issues within
the progressive fold of Ekiti APC
Below is the interview excerpt:
INTERVIEWER: Good afternoon sir, esteemed Prince Olayisade I am definitely not attempting to underestimate your popularity in Ekiti and national politics but for the benefit of our audience sir and posterity kindly please tell us how best you want to be known sir.
INTERVIEWEE (Prince, Olayisade): First and foremost I must sincerely welcome you to my office Boris, my name is Prince, Akintade Olayisade a prince from Ido kingdom, Ido Osi local government area Ekiti state. I’m a staunch member of APC, I started politics in the year 2000 under PDP, I was appointed as the SUBEB Chairman in the year 2003 to 2006 thereafter, during the first term of Dr, Kayode Fayemi led administration I was appointed first as Chairman Public Works Corporation second, as Special Adviser and Chairman Project Monitoring Committee and I have had my own time in politics and we are still hopeful that we are still there and we will still be there.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you for that brief history, thank you for the brief Introduction sir. It is a rich dossier you have given us within such a short period of time sir and what that clearly tells me is that your influence politically cannot be underestimated.
Sir, the four year election cycle is fast approaching in Ekiti what lessons do you feel our party should pick from the Edo and Ondo scenarios.
PRINCE OLAYISADE: We cannot compare what is happening in Ondo and Edo to what is obtainable in Ekiti there is no faction and in Ekiti we are running a government of inclusion, government that people are benefiting from even though there is no perfect way of governance but nevertheless, so far so good we thank God that we are on track. The scenario in Edo and Ondo is a clear departure from what is obtainable in Ekiti, there can still be improvement in the way of running the party. How do I mean? Maybe before the COVID time we cannot say they should go back and start holding meetings, you know meetings is politics and politics is meetings (sic). It is when we meet that we know where the shoe pinches and it is that time we know the yearnings and aspirations of our people but in a government circle you know we have a governor that is very busy but nevertheless, he is on track as far as governance is concerned in Ekiti.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you for that sir, sir rightly so, democracy for any ruling party dictates managing the administrative aspect of governance and the politicking front with the masses, in Ekiti today how would you qualify the ruling parties politicking with the citizenry sir?
PRINCE OLAYISADE: Well, I will say that… As i said earlier on, we should give ourselves a passmark. When it comes to budgeting the governor and his team will go around the local governments to make sure that what they put in the budget for a particular area is what the people really are yearning for so it is not that where they need Water they will say it Electricity so government is prioritizing the needs of the people you know that brings connection between the entire populace and the government. The government is not so far from the people. As I said earlier on there is no system that is perfect there can still be improvements but so far so good it is what the people are really yearning for that are been given, it may not be all but you know the essence of government itself is continuity, you know where we are today we continue from there tomorrow.
INTERVIEWER: Prince, I have this final question to ask and it is a controversial one so I will give you the option sir to decline responding but if you choose to sir I will throw the question at you sir it is on party politics. So sir, a few notable party men have taken upon themselves to undermine the concept of party supremacy by contesting in court the legitimacy of the current APC EXCO, if you can please X-ray with your experience and party politics wisdom sir this incident?
PRINCE OLAYISADE: It is abnormal, you know when you take your party to court without exhausting the internal ways of settling dispute, court should be the last resort. There are some people who are belligerent politically, people who call themselves politicians by way of necessity or by way of luck, you know nowadays people whom they brought from somewhere, contested for elections and emerge as a candidate has become a leader, has become a politician even without having grassroot support. You know that is part of what staggered elections has brought to Ekiti, the reason why they are now trying to bite the fingers that fed them because I don’t see any reason… There is no problem in Ekiti when it comes to party politics, our problem is not that, the problem may be how do we share the cake, how do we get what is supposed to belong to is but the real problem is not how we have elected our party officials.
Elections took place, you know there are three ways for elections to take place either by consensus or by…
PRINCE OLAYISADE: That’s by way of primary either direct, by consensus or by indirect. You understand me? So one way or the other what I am saying is in a nutshell that we contested primary in Ekiti to elect our officers and it has been done since 2018, so for somebody or a group of people to wake up from their slumber after 2 years of putting the EXCOS in place to say Oh! EXCOS, they were not elected they were handpicked therefore, they should be dismantled and do another one (sic).
Those that do not even have any connection with the grassroot saying that. They are saying that to the entire nation so they will be able to think that they are relevant, they know themselves if they limit the elections to their household some of them will even loose elections. So we will see how it goes but it cannot go far, it is a wishful thinking.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you very much Prince sir, thank you for your time and in Jesus mighty name the purpose of setting this beautiful edifice for your office will be achieved in Jesus mighty name.
PRINCE OLAYISADE: Amen, God bless you my brother.
INTERVIEWER: I really appreciate the tour you have given me around and we pray more elderly resourceful people like yourself could think and bring this kind of things to Ekiti here sir because what you have put down here has consumed resources, but most importantly sir it is bringing development closer to the people sir so, thank you very much for that sir.