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TUNDE IMOLEHIN is an architect, notable environmentalist and well-known media personality. He is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he served as chairman, Media and Publicity, Ondo State Campaign Organisation and member, Contact and Mobilisation of the Presidential Campaign Organisation. He was also an aspirant to the Federal House of Representatives (OSE/OWO FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY). A Buhari loyalist to the core, he spoke on his party’s victory at the recent elections its impact on the polity and Nigerians in particular.
Unlike in 2012, this time around your party emerged victorious, what are your thoughts on that?
You know it was a collective effort and we give thanks to God. In 2012, we lost to the evil machinery of incumbency. But the days of underperformance and bad leadership in Ondo State are numbered. Buhari’s victory is a tonic that is needed to restore sanity in the country, particularly in Ondo State where I hail from.
What would you say led to Buhari’ and APC’s impressive victory in the last election?
The major reason is the total failure of the Jonathan administration. People were tired and wanted change badly and we proffered a better sense of organisation and responsibility to provide meaningful change through the ballot. Despite severe and several threats and intimidation, the will of the people proved superior.
How would this victory translate to electoral gains?
For a long time what we have lacked most is leadership by example. Patriotism, passion, quality of governance too have been meagre. What the APC government will provide is a change never experienced in the history of the country. We will practice participatory democracy. Everyone agrees that corruption, impunity and indiscipline are major impediments to sustainable change in Nigeria. Given his impeccable pedigree, Buhari has no excuse for failure. In fact, many actually invested in the transition because of him. He knows the burden. He is aware of the huge expectations. He will deliver. For the people to benefit immensely from Buhari’s leadership, personal sacrifices must be made, and attitudinal change is very essential. With the rot in the system, Buhari’s government cannot perform magic, thus for the system to ultimately work and be sustainable, the people must be ready to adjust to the changes that the unusual and uncommon policies and programmes the Buhari administration is likely to bring.
Are you saying the people should be ready for economic restructuring?
The truth is that winning the elections is not enough to suggest that our woes have ended. What Buhari’s ascension and the victory of the APC signify is hope and possibilities. The people should tag to this philosophy: no venture, no success; no pain, no gain. I expect a lot of very significant changes from the Buhari administration that will unsettle the greedy and avaricious. I expect a lot of changes that will request changes in paradigms and ways of life. I foresee a new Nigeria where people will live within their means; a nation with zero tolerance for corrupt practices and other negative and devastating effects and impacts of maladministration and poor governance; a country without perpetual internal aggression and unimaginable threats to lives and property; a national population with enough to consume and conserve; a productive and disciplined manpower, sustainable lifestyle and efficient utilisation and management of God-given natural resources and a society with zero-poverty index and very strong economy where only the best is good for every human endeavour, need and action. These are indeed possible under our party and Buhari’s leadership. What you should know which stands us apart is that we have sound human capital and have the capacity to discover and tolerate passionate and patriotic contributors to the development of the country.
Ondo State is without an APC governor and the decamped deputy governor is facing impeachment in a state where almost all known PDP stalwarts have joined your party, what are your thoughts on that?
Let me say this, we know why Mimiko is threatening to relieve Olanusi unceremoniously. My assurance is that every evil action has its own implications. If I were Mimiko, I will try to reduce the burden of my poor conduct in governance rather than multiply it. Second, despite the massively rigged bazaar on April 11, the hearts of the people are with Buhari and the APC. We are a party of disciplined people. Our structure is intact. I do not see any friction if people conduct themselves according to rules and proper decorum. For the defectors, we received them wholeheartedly and will continue to receive genuine people into our fold. They are part and parcel of us. We are one. They have a lot to learn from us because you cannot compare PDP with APC. APC is a progressive party. It takes some time to adjust and we are doing our best to accommodate and integrate new comers even though the president-elect has appealed to them not to rush their integration. We need sustained unity and focused vision to take over Ondo State in 2016.
Do you see your party being rocked by ambitions for political positions?
No I don’t. Our party is disciplined and there is adequate respect for merit, fairness and justice. This change will not derail, it will be sustained. We will disagree to agree. We will strengthen this democracy. We are a party with respect for party’s structure, ideals and philosophy.
You are promoting “CHANGE VISION ADVOCACY”, what is it all about?
You know change is a very difficult and tortuous journey. While the process of change raises hope for the oppressed, the oppressor becomes isolated and threatened and unsettled and will do anything to undermine the process. He may even deploy all the weapons in his arsenal to fight the change agent. So, the CHANGE VISION ADVOCACY project (which is not entirely new to me as I had employed several channels to promote it in the past) is to efficiently and effectively provide an advocacy platform to proactively engage and empower the people to own, maintain sustain this uncommon change. We are working with the party to achieve and very soon, we will publicly unveil the project.
What are your personal expectations as Buhari forms his government next month?
Inclusion, relevance; meritoriously speaking, I want Buhari to offer me bragging powers and rights anywhere I go. Not a few see Buhari through some of us and it will be very heartwarming to justify that confidence at the end of the day. Having worked with him in the past and seen some of his inherent qualities at close quarters, I have a clear vision of where we are headed. Buhari is disciplined and very focused. We need at least these two positive ingredients of leadership from him, out of many, for us to reap the dividends of democracy under his leadership. Although expectations are understandably high, Nigerians must be patient and prayerful. We also need constructive criticisms to perform optimally.
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