DESPITE the result of last weekends National Assembly election that favoured the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ogun State, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) remains resolute that he would win the April 26 governorship election, saying the parameter for voting will be completely different, while hinting that PPN is always ready to discuss with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. But rules out stepping down for its candidate, Gen. Olatunji Olurin.What are the chances of your party, the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in the governorship election in Ogun State, in view of the last Saturdays National Assembly election resultsOur chances are good and bright. I have to admit that we need to do bit more work, but we have no fear, because we know that we would do very well in the governorship election, which we know we shall win, by the grace of God.We have critically looked at the last election and the outcome and we know that our chances still remain bright.In that last election, yes, about seven seats were contested for and we know that two of the seats, especially the Ogun East and West senatorial seats, we really did not have candidates and the people we fielded were those in the original list of the party before we made the changes.Governor Gbenga Daniel was to contest in Ogun East, while Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor was to contest in Ogun Central, but the two of them chose to stay in the PDP and we were not able to make any change before the closure.We had a candidate we thought should win, but there were errors and lapses that brought the result that we have seen and we are working hard to correct all those mistakes.But if you look at the line up of the PDP, for instance, we thought the party has been in existence for so long and fielded their best candidates, but we can now assess their strength, because they could not get any of the medals. They won no seat, whereas PPN has won one.By and large, there were internal wrangling between the PDP and PPN, which dragged for so long and for us, it was just four days to the election that we got off the hook, when we got the final ruling of the court that we could contest. As you know, the PDP in Ogun state did everything to stop us from contesting the election.So, if within three days we could win one seat in the House of Representatives, we are optimistic that we would win the governorship election, because we have put all these distractions behind us.It is obvious that ACN has capitalised on the crisis between PDP and PPN to win the three senatorial seats, but things will change now and the subsequent elections would be different, because candidates that we fielded for the state House of Assembly and the governorship are solid grassroots politicians that can deliver any day.Are you saying it is too early for the ACN to start celebratingJust too early, but we wish they continue celebrating till we do what we want to do. We know that most of them that know what is on the ground are aware that it is not yet Uhuru.We are going to have 26 candidates for the House of Assembly that day, the governorship and the remaining House of Representatives are going to contest on that day, so we are hopeful.So, you are not baffled with the result on groundI am not particularly surprised; it is only in Ado-Odo Ota that I expected us to do better than we did and not in other locations.There is so much talk in town about PDP and PPN talking of an alliance, as results from the last election showed that they split their votes. What is your disposition to thisThat is not out of place, we were together before, but along the line, there were divisions, because we got the mandate, while another people now use legal ambush to get in there. Now that everybody has seen the results, especially PDP, they are the ones that have brought out their A team and their best candidates could not clinch any seat.In my opinion, that is the best PDP can do in this state, because if with the calibre of candidates they fielded and resources at their disposal they could not win, I think it is a clear signal that the party has been completely rejected in the state, because I dont know any candidate left in PDP that can spring any surprise.Once you have brought out your best and they could not achieve the desired results, the next thing to expect is decline and when you face such a situation, you just have to look at various options to avoid defeat, hence they are talking of this alliance, which is okay.For us too, we know that if all of us had been together, it would have been a lot better, so our doors are open to discussions. We have a platform and we know that it is a better one. We have got a medal without fielding our best and now that we shall field our best candidates, the expectation is obvious.We all now know which party is declining and which one is rising, therefore, if the one that is declining wants to work with the one rising, there is nothing wrong with that. We are open to discussion.Would you step down for Olurin if in the course of this alliance you were asked to do so No, there is nothing like stepping down; that is certainly not possible. We know how we got to where we are and we know all they did to stop us from contesting. We know that all we have been fighting for all this while is principle and it is still on that principle that we stand.He who calls for equity should do that with a clean hand. On what ground would anyone talk that we should step down The mandate we have is clear; it is not that they have done better than us.We have been on this race for about three years and we know the position of Olurin for two and half years, which was that he was not going to contest the election because of his old age. For over 80 per cent of the period of the contest, he said he was not interested in the race. So, if he came last to the race, he should be the first to opt out and make the sacrifice.Like I said, no sacrifice is too much for ones fatherland and I am ready to do that anytime, but in this particular case, the person that should make the sacrifice is the person came last into the race. This is the time for him to make the sacrifice and become the hero.Besides, we know the process that threw him up and it is clear which party between PDP and PPN in Ogun State has chances of winning election. We know which party is rising and which one is dying.If the two of you insist on facing the electorate, dont you think the hope of Yewa/Awori presenting the next governor of the state would be dashedI said it earlier that no sacrifice is too much for ones fatherland, so as a Yewa man, I am ready to make any sacrifice in the interest of Yewa/Awori.But the fact is that the process started about three years ago and along the line, Olurin said he was not going to participate under any circumstance, because he is too old, promising to support anyone brought forward.My point is that that sacrifice should not be too much for Uncle Olurin, because he just came into the race and brought us to where we are now.Yewa/Awori leaders screened over 12 aspirants. He did not show up, because we all believed he was not interested in the race. Our leaders did everything to avoid this kind of situation; they asked everybody in Yewaland interested to show up, but he did not.The question is: whose interest is Olurin serving It is certainly not the interest of Ogun West, and the game plan of those who pushed him to contest is getting clearer, but Ogun people are equally wise enough to read the handwritings on the wall.If they have succeeded in stopping us, as they tried, maybe we would not be saying this now. But with what is on the ground, it is Olurin that should make the sacrifice.What are the things that gave you this confidence that PPN would win the governorship electionThe registered voters in Ogun State are about 1.8 million. I think less than 800, 000 voted in the last election, so there are still a lot of people out there. ACN has about 300, 0000 votes, so there are still a lot of votes to be shared.The real candidates are now coming out; the parameter for voting would change. The issue of equity would come to play; the game has just started.With due respect to my brothers, we all know that it is not the turn of the Egba to present the next governor. As I said, we knew what happened and how it happened and we are working hard to get over them.Less than 40 per cent participated in the last election. For each vote ACN got in Ogun West, we know how they got it and it is going to be a different ball game in the governorship election. The voting pattern in Ogun East will take a completely different dimension, because of certain factors that I would not disclose now.
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