29 Political Parties Joined Forces With APC During OTOGE Struggle- Shina Ajisafe

Kwara State Chairman of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Shina Ajisafe said 29 political parties under the Kwara Like minds Political Parties joined forces with All Progressives Congress during 2019 general polls to ensure victory of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Ajisafe in an exclusive interview with FactualTimes on #OTOGEaYearAfter Special Series described OTOGE movement of the masses because it was the masses that decided that enough is enough. Enjoy Excerpts;

What can you say about a year after otoge revolution?

Well, my name is Comrade Adeshina Luqman Ajisafe. The Chairman of Action Democratic Party, Kwara Chapter. A year anniversary of Otoge revolution has been won as a party. We are also very part of the coalition. To the glory of God, we are also part of the movement. I termed Otoge as a movement of the masses because it was the masses that decided that enough is enough and that is the interpretation of Otoge. If you look at the English interpretation of Otoge, you will discover that it is more like saying enough is enough. It was a good one and we thank God for a year celebration of Otoge revolution.

As a participant in the struggle and other struggles to ensure the victory of this party. What can you say about the performance of the current administration in the State?

Well, thank you very much for that question. With regards to the coalition that we did, I happened to be the Assistant Secretary of Kwara Likeminds Political Parties, that is the combination of about close to 29 different political parties in Kwara State. I happen to be the Assistant Secretary and we really thank God because the Governor approached us through APC structure that we should please form alliance with them so that we can fight this movement together. To the glory of God, I remembered vividly that we made public declaration, by declaring all our support for the new administration that we have now. Well, we are still waiting, because till now, even the present government have not been really be able to recognize us. You can take an example of what happened in Oyo state, where his Excellency, Seyi Makinde, at the end of the day, he has been able to come with other political parties and he was able to carry them along. So basically, what we are saying is that we joined forces together because it wasn’t only victory for APC, it was a victory for Otoge movement. Until now, we are still expecting that the government or the governor will be able to remember his promises and remember that he gave us his words that we should have a gentleman agreement that we should work together and at the end of it all, we will all be beneficiary of the movement and of this democracy. But till date, we are still hopeful and we are still expecting. We thank God and we are still praying that God will grant each and everyone of us long life and good health to be able to witness those genesis that we are always looking out for. We must not fail to mention that indeed the governor and the government has really tried in terms of infrastructure, roads and the likes of it. But it goes beyond that. So we are soliciting by using this medium to say that his Excellency, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq to please remember his promises with regards the Coalition we gave to make the OTOGE movement be an event we are now celebrating in the one year anniversary today.

How will you rate the performance of the Governor?

So far, in all fairness, we must be very sincere with ourselves, it has been well above average because if not for anything; the payment of salaries of workers as at when due has become a very regular thing. We have discovered that so many roads have been rehabilitated. And we are hearing so many promises, so many agenda that the present administration is doing which people will be of benefit, which is the basic needs like roads, health care, education and the likes. In all fairness, rating present Governor and the government is well over average and we can only but pray that by the time he will be celebrating his second year anniversary, he will have been able to attain something like 90%. But for now, it is well over 50%.

What will you like this administration to improve on?

Well, we wish that this administration will do more and look at the health sector and work more on it where everybody will have direct and easy access to health care such as having a kind of health care facilities and something that will make people to have easy access to health care. With this, I am sure, because there is this popular saying that “Health is wealth”. So we need to first and foremost be able to take very good care of our health. So we are suggesting to the government that they should look into health insurance where people will be able to have access to health care. And also the education sector, because ignorance is not acceptable in the law court. People need to be educated the more. In terms of health care, and health insurance scheme, the government should look into it and also the education and more. We will have a Kwara that will say we are having free education in Kwara State. These are very major sectors that we wish the government and the governor is going to look into, going forward by the special grace of God.

INEC deregistered 74 Political Parties, do you think the electoral body is right?

If you want to talk about the 74 deregistered, the INEC has the power and the right constitutionally to deregister political parties. They have their own procedure where they will say that for every party to have any any seat in power, for any party that does not have any good or enough coverage within the country, they have every right to say they want to deregister it. If you look at the last election, the ballot used was annoying, looking at the long sheet. I think it is a step towards the right direction with what INEC is doing. As ADP, as a party and as the State Chairman in Kwara, I think I’m in full support of the deregistration. It is not because of the fact that my party is part of those that was able to survive the tsunami; but in all fairness, we need to be able to have a flexible electioneering, going forward. I think it is a right step towards a right direction.