Action Congress is a
house of cards. It will soon scatter – Ajisebutu
From Richard Jideaka, Abuja
Wednesday,
November 22, 2006
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•Ajisebutu
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Honourable Munir Adebayo Ajisebutu is the only remaining
gubernatorial aspirant in the Alliance for Democracy in Lagos
State. All other aspirants have since decamped to the newly
formed Action Congress. Ajisebutu, an economist and venture
capitalist is a 38- year-old who speaks with passionate idealism
and refreshing vision about governance and responsibility
of power.
A former chairman of Surulere local government, he spoke recently
to Daily Sun about his ambition, his vision
and how the Alliance for Democracy was wrestled from former
Governor Bisi Akande’s group. Excerpts.
Since the Independent National electoral Commission
has just declared your group (Akinfenwa’s faction) as
the authentic AD, how does this decision impact on your gubernatorial
ambition?
It is a wonderful news. It is a great boost to my aspiration.
We have won a hard earned victory. It is a tremendous triumph.
We have been in court for more than four years now. But now
it’s all over. Justice which has long been frustrated
and hijacked has been effectively restored and redeemed. The
Akande people are usurpers and interlopers. They have no rational
claim right from the beginning. They are pretenders to an
unlawful and illegitimate claim. With their blind rush to
the Acton Congress, they have naturally nullified all rights
to AD. Evidently, that makes me the only credible and legitimate
aspirant under the banner of AD in Lagos State. I am quite
happy and thrilled.
But they are still threatening to take your group
as far as to the Supreme Court. Chief Bisi Akande said he
never left the party.
That is nonsense. He is an active participant and conspirator
in the launching of Action Congress in Abuja where he featured
prominently as an effective and exuberant collaborator and
founder. He is out. They are all out.
How will all these litigations affect the fortunes
of your party?
There is no more litigation. The next is futility and distraction.
Here in Lagos State we are reaching out to those who believe
in genuine reconciliation. We are talking. We are mending
the fences. Though the INEC has restored our legitimacy, we
are not pursuing a winner takes all approach. We believe in
compromise and cooperation with fellow progressives who have
been unwittingly led astray by the reckless ambition of a
very few. Yes, our chances are bright.
How bright? AD is hardly on the ground in Lagos State again.
Majority of your people have gone to AC.
That is not true. That is not the reality on the ground. It
is an appearance that is deceitful. All is not well in their
ranks. There is a silent quake threatening to tear them all
apart. With the apparent attempt to impose a candidate on
the rest of the aspirants, they will all scatter into different
directions after their gubernatorial primary. Nothing good
will come out of AC. It is all smoke and delusion. They will
fail.
You sound so confident and even cocky
I am a pragmatist. I analyse what is on the ground. I am not
disturbed by appearances. The truth is the reality does not
favour the present composition in AC. The party was hurriedly
formed. It was not well thought out. Proper consultations
were not made. Everybody was stampeded for the narrow vision
of a few. It is a house of cards. You push it a little and
it will all scatter into the winds.
Why do you think your Alliance for Democracy is a better choice?
It is the best choice. It is the refreshing choice. It is
the only progressive party. It is people centred. Its appeal
and enduring idealism is about the welfare of the common man.
Its vision is about restoring the societal balance, ensuring
equity in the economic provisions. We do not only identify
with the poor and the displaced, we want to reform the whole
societal standard for the benefit of everyone.
How do you reach out to the people when your party is poor?
You need money to mobilize.
Well, we are not the party of the money bags. We don’t
have the high economic profile and the inexhaustible slush
funds of the other parties. But we have the various advantages
that money cannot buy. We have goodwill. We have sincerity.
We are genuine in our purpose. We are truthful in our vision.
We are truly interested and committed in uplifting the wellbeing
of the people. We are not going to be deterred by hustlers
and political profiteers.
You have been very quiet. Are you genuine in your
gubernatorial ambition?
Everything is strategic. You don’t give out your game
plan. We had to secure the party first. It would be meaningless
shouting and running everywhere when the party itself is not
in your grasp. It would be futile pursuing an ambition without
a platform. That hurdle has now been vaulted. The party is
ours, safe and secure. I am the only aspirant in AD. That
itself is significant. All other things will now fall in place.
Yes, I am genuine and realistic. This is more than personal
ambition. It is about idealism. It is about commitment. The
struggle is on!
Again, your visibility profile is almost zero…
That is not true. You don’t have to throw billboards
all over Lagos to be effective. I operate among the real people,
moving from ward to ward, engaging the real electorate in
genuine discussion far beyond the artificiality of podium
publicity. I am visible among those who matter. That is the
first phase. We will now be moving to the next phase. Everything
is strategy. We are not going to be influenced by what others
are doing. We have our own game plan.
Are you really a serious contender?
Nobody gave Otedola any chance. Senator Bola Tinubu came to
the AD primary barely two months before it took place. It
is an open field. It is only God that will decide. I trust
in the will of God. |
