PDP Will Retain Ogun State- Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka

 

The winner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Ogun State, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka popularly known as GNI believes the PDP will emerge victorious in the forthcoming election which is less than two months away. He opens up on some pertinent issues in this interview with AHMED BOULOR.

 

There seems to be some uneven balance about what is happening in Ogun state. A congress produced you as a candidate of the party while the National Working Committee of the party is saying there is nothing like that. What is the situation of things as it stands?

 

Olisa Metuh has indeed come to say that there was indeed a primary in Ogun state, there was an attempt to put a stop to it but that attempt came after the end of the congress. So, what that means is that there was indeed a congress and a primary, I now emerged as the candidate. There has not been another one and of course the period for primary has ended and therefore, there was a primary and I have emerged. If there’s anybody that has any issue with that will have to go through the process to go and complain. What I know is that I am the candidate of the party, legally nominated through a primary that is in line with what is put on ground. Any other thing after that is a story, if you permit me to use that word. Of course, everybody knows there are procedures in the party and if anybody has any complaints should go and lodge it and I am sure they will listen to the other side. I am the candidate and that is not in doubt as far as I am concerned.

 

What effort are you putting in place to reconcile with other aggrieved aspirants?

 

That has started. Even before we went to the primary, two of the aspirants had formally, in writing, stepped down for me but I have been talking to other aspirants. In this game, you cannot do it alone, you need to carry everybody alone, but we are working on that. We expect that sooner than later, we will be able to complete that process and then, we will go into campaign proper. 

 

Having emerged as the party's standard bearer, what do you think are your chances?

 

Well, the man at the helm of affairs today is not doing well. That is known to everybody and that is reflected in everything around him. Within the APC, you have major divisions; some of the lawmakers that came in with him have defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Even within his government, some of his appointees are resigning, that has given us a very good ground to come in. Our chances are good and we're doing this against the backdrop of a more unified PDP, much more than we had in 2011. Yes, there are still quite a lot of things that can be done to make it more solid. We are working on all of that but I am convinced beyond doubts that our chances are quite good and that we are going to win the elections.

 

What’s your take on the allegation that some of your godfather in PDP forced you to pay N500 million and also take an oath to ensure you got the party’s ticket?

 

You see, some of the drawbacks of our democracy are that mischief, lies, and deliberate falsehoods constitute the order of the day; and for those who engage in these vices, all is fair in war. However, let me state emphatically that there is no iota of truth in this and it is a wicked lie from those anti-democratic elements. You should know that in a process of this nature, a keenly contested primary election we just held, rumours are bound to fly around all over the place. I am not new to this type of falsehoods. I contested in 2011, and one of the things they said was that the whole assets of Gateway Holdings and the assets of the state are in my account. But, events thereafter, including several probes and audits are yet to trace anything to me. The truth is that nobody collected a dime from me. They do not see how anybody can be loyal to a governor or to a leader as I am to Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who has never told me to take an oath of allegiance. I did not take any oath and he never asked me to do such a thing. I am someone, who believes you must be loyal to your leader, especially when the process is going on as expected. But immediately I felt otherwise during the process of crossing over to the PDP from the Labour Party, I had to do something else. And that put paid to lies that I took oath with OGD in the first instance.

 

Do you foresee any stumbling blocks in your attempt to be become the next governor of Ogun?

No, I do not foresee anything. There could be attempts but we are dealing with all of that. But of course, as long as everything we do is in line with the process and the law, I am sure we will win. I do not foresee any attempt beyond the ordinary. Political power is not a tea party; there will definitely be a lot of challenges on the way. These are normal, but with peoples' support and that of my party, I am sure of winning the election.