Governors, leaders used their influence to stifle ADSenator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa is the National Chairman of Alliance for Democracy (AD). He was elected Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District in 1999. Akinfenwa who has remained in the AD since its formation, despite defection of other chieftains of the party in this interview with MICHAEL BAMIGBOLA in Osogbobore his mind on national issues. Excerpts:Not much has been heard about Alliance for Democracy (AD) in recent past. Why'Though we are not on ground and moving but we are acting like a silent burner preparing for a greater future which has now come. You all know what happened to AD in 2003 when our former governors who were elected under the platform of the party defected and went to another political party. But I refused to leave AD because it has a root. I have been in politics for a very long time since the days of papa Awolowo, Ajasin, Adesanya and Bola Ige. They were all strong members of the Awolowo political dynasty.Action Group (AG) gave birth to Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and UPN gave birth to AD and that root is there and I dont want that chain to break. That is the reason why I stood my ground to ensure that AD remains. It was a very difficult time.Dont forget that six Governors of AD except late Chief Adefarati deserted AD to form another political party which has no root whatsoever with the Awolowo political dynasty. They may be deceiving you, those who formed the political party, many of them were papa Awos enemies and opponents. I decided to remain and nurture AD for generations coming to belong to that political chain, to that political dynasty. It was a very serious crisis, not that all other political parties have crisis, the PDP have their own crisis even the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) have its crisis but our own was a very strong crisis because those who were governors, leaders of AD then used their influence and their money to fight AD.They deceived the public, they lured our people but they have now seen the light. They deceived the people and told them that AD is dead, AD is not dead. AD is alive. By the grace of God, AD is going to win and we believe in it very strongly.Most of the Awoists, the likes of Ebenezer Babatope, Bisi Akande and others are either in PDP or APC, do you fill betrayed by their action'They betrayed that political dynasty. You are all aware of this. Dont let us shy away from the truth, AG gave birth to UPN and UPN gave birth to AD, AD has not given birth to any political party. AD still remains AD, those who deserted AD betrayed AD and one significant thing I want you to know today, all these governors who deserted AD are receiving their pensions under the name of AD today, and they said AD is dead, and they are receiving dead money. If AD is dead then they should stop receiving their pension as AD governors that is the truth of the matter.Before now, AD was well rooted, but the reverse is the case now. Do you think that ladder is still there to assist your members that will contest the coming elections'The truth is going to overcome falsehood. Many of those that have deserted AD have been calling and visiting me that they want to come back home because they have seen the truth, they have seen the difference between AD as an offshoot of a principled party and many of them are coming back. Deceit will fail and fall at any given time that truth emerges and truth is emerging now.The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered UPN, is it the same AD that is back as UPN'This UPN is not Awolowos UPN, let it be very clear to everybody. I was one of the founding fathers of UPN, my number was 1178 that of my wife was 1179. We have many of our leaders today who are founding fathers of UPN none of them is in this UPN. This UPN is founded by people who have no connection with Awolowo and, no knowledge of UPN at all. They dont know the focus, they dont knowthe manifesto. They are completely ignorant of UPN. AD has no fear about UPN. Tell me who among the prominent founding fathers of the original UPN or followers is in todays UPN. Do you see Reuben Fasoranti, Olaniwun Ajayi, Adebanjo or any of their followers there' The party was founded by people who want to use the name in order to make some names. They are opportunists.Does internal democracy operate in AD like it was in those days'We dont impose candidates. We do everything democratically; we bring everybody on board to take decision about the party. That is the internal democracy which we inherited from Papa Awolowo, Bola Ige, Ajasin and many other leaders. We imbibe that from them, and we still maintain it and we shall continue to retain it. I am the national chairman of the party, I will never force my son or wife or uncle or my son-in-law as a candidate of the party, the party will decide who should be what. That is what is called internal democracy.I am the National Chairman, I am not Gadaffi, all Gadaffi children are in his cabinet and his family members are holding one post or the other. We have such Gadaffi in Nigeria too but I am not one because we believe in internal democracy and we shall practice it to the maximum now that AD has formally come back.Until few years ago, you were very close with the likes of Chiefs Bisi Akande and Bola Tinubu. Why did you part with them sir'No, they parted ways with me. I have told you earlier, I belong to AG, let me tell you one thing, I was so persecuted in the days of the woes of AG, they drove me away as a young school teacher, they drove me away from my school under oppression. I took protection in Owo, under Papa Ajasin and it was the coup that saved me otherwise I would probably have been wasted. So, it is they who parted ways with me. I am still standing on the same line that all of us belong. I stand for truth, justice and genuine democracy and that may be reasons why they parted with me.Are you satisfied with the leadership posture of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the Yoruba Nation'A true leader doesnt buy leadership, but emerges. None of our leaders had spent money to buy leadership, they only emerged. Papa Awolowo emerged, Papa Ajasin emerged, Adesanya emerged, Bola Ige emerged, none of them gathered people and pay them to be leaders. No, leaders emerged, leadership is never bought.Several years after the demise of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his name still stands out. How pragmatic are you to ensure that you maintain the democratic principles of this late sage'Many people say today that they are Awo children or they are Awo followers. By their governance, by their administration, they are not executing what Awolowo stood for. Awolowo stood for the good ofthe common man. By way of education, health, rural integration and agriculture, none of them is doing what Awolowo did. There is enormous wealth in this country which they are using but they dont use it for the common people.Let me tell you one thing, during Bola Iges regime or Ajasin or Jakande, we did free education. I was the Commissioner for Education and we knew what we did for the people of the old Oyo State. We gave them 100 percent free education. Books were bought, chairs and lockers, each metal locker and chairs marked OYSG for every student. We didnt build sentimentally prestigious schools which are not necessary.Then our budget was #400 Million per year, yet we did what we did. A Local Government even took more than that now and there is nothing to show for it. There was what we called gainful employment when we were in government. If you are a product of Teachers Training College, all that will happen is that you will go to your local government, see your name and where you are posted to, if you are a graduate you will go for interview with the central schools board then you will just go and see your name on the notice board where you are located to. But today it is not so and they said they are doing gainful employment; the most ridiculous is what they call OYES, what is OYES' There is no letter of appointment, no condition of service, they just waste the lives of these children for two years and throw them away. We gave our children gainful employment which Awolowo told us to do and that is exactly what we will do when we win election in any of the states in this country. I am very sorry about what is happening in this country today especially for people of my age and of my experience.
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