Asojuoba Micheal Adesanya, a management consultant, ICT expert and a core member to the fast-rising Accord Party, in an interview revealed how Accord Party was formed, why it was formed and also talked about what the party has in store for the coming years.
Excerpts:
Can we meet you?
I am a Management Consultant and an ICT expert with passion for a more qualitative life and greater Nigeria via politics. I cut my teeth in politics during the days of UPN at Isara Remo and we were then like the footsoldiers of Baba Olanihun Ajayi and Chief Dele Awoniyi both of blessed memory. I later moved into NRC and much later PDP. However, due to the protracted crisis that has engulfed PDP for some years now some of us felt it was time to move on for the crisis had dragged on for unnecessarily too long and yet there is still no respite in sight for the party.
Some of us who shared this sentiment started what we called Ogun Integrity Group and Dr. Doyin Okupe is our arrowed. Our thrust is integrity which Yoruba called Omoluwabi and after mobilizing well enough across the length and breadth of Ogun State we felt that we should take it further to another level and that is how Accord party which is now spreading like wildfire in the harmattan came to be in the State. The two giant parties, APC and PDP have failed the electorates and are also having so much of internal wrangling to contend with rather than facing the business of good governance for the masses, so Accord party remain the choice for the people.
Dr. doyin Okupe, the arrowhead of this party is said to have no political worth in the state and that he had never won his ward at iperu while in PDP….
(Cuts in)… that’s not true, Dr. Okupe has always been very vibrant and active in the politics of Ogun State, you can ask Hon. Ladi Adebutu who is from Iperu as Dr, Okupe. He single handedly brought PDP to Ogun State long before the likes of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Dapo Abiodun and many others came on board. The challenge here is that while at the federal level, he would rather prefer to give his advice than seen to be contending powers with the people at the State. He has all his foot soldiers across the State.
What is Accord bringing to the table for the people of Ogun State?
The thrust of this party is integrity or better still, Omoluwabi in Yoruba parlance. Whatever you do with the consciousness of Omoluwabi or integrity will always stand out. On this note Accord will not tell lies, we won’t impose candidates as there will be level playing ground for everybody. Additionally, Accord is the party of the younger generations, we believe it is the time the youth began talking their rightful position in the leadership of this nation and so all the youths in Ogun State and beyond are most welcome. We are also going to do a lot in terms of a allowing the women not to only have their say but also have their ways, in other words, they will be proportionately represented in all our activities and programmes.
What has been the acceptance like since accord berthed in the State?
Very, very encouraging. Many who had sat back are now saying well, if political of integrity has returned we want to be part of this brand politics and they have been coming in drove. We have people from PDP,ACP and many other parties, so it really can only get better. It’s more of coalition of sort and that is why we are having confidence that God be by our side, Accord party will wrestle power from incumbent APC in the State in 2019. In fact, some of the governorship aspirant in the State have knocked at our door and that is to tell you that the party is really gaining the ground.
HOW true is the report that Accord party is about Dr.okupe’s governorship ambition?
That’s another lie, Dr Okupe aspired last to be the governor of the State about 15 year ago. If at all he wants to contest now, then we should be talking about the President and nothing else.
What is your assessment of APC government in the State?
It’s terrible because it has been a government not base on integrity or omoluabi, we have all realized that it’s a government of deceit and outright falsehood. This is a government that will rather waste about 2.8 billion naira on a model school in my own local government which is now haven of animals whereas a quarter of that money would have been used to rehabilitate the existing schools in the local government and make them model. It’s really been a government of waste. Where the free education and free health is programmes the party promised? Accord is out to change all this and that is why many people should come on board to join hands with Accord and chase away this government of falsehood.
When did you say the formal launch of the party will hold?
By the grace of God, the formal launch of the party and commissioning of our party secretariat will be on the 29th of August at Abeokuta. It’s been planned to be a very colourful and big event that will attract various dignitaries across the country, Accord has really come to stay for the good progressives in the State.
Is Accord party buying into Yewa Agenda as touching 2019 governorship contest in Ogun State?
The party is yet to make its official position known on that but we definitely sympathize with them however, personally, if it’s within my power I would have wished the next governor of the State comes from Ogun West Senatorial Districts. Unfortunately, the people concerned have also not been walking the talk. Rather than rally round their own, you see their leaders throwing weight behind aspirants from other zones. They must really re-organise their house, I mean they must be united in purpose and show the seriousness this onerous task deserve.