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| Omisore compares his background to Aregbesola's (Credits Iyiola Omisore.org) |
Senator Iyiola Omisore is a dynamic personality that must be given a second look. This lawmaker who served as a Deputy Governor in Osun state, Nigeria and later became a Senator took some time to call #HNNAfrica to share his vision with me on his gubernatorial aspiration in Osun state, Nigeria. I asked him several questions
including those about his controversial past, moving forward and going to the Senate to represent the people he so loves with key legislative contributions in the upper chamber.
We started the interview very early in the morning via phone and the lines were rough with a few echoes due to the phone lines in Nigeria. I managed to edit the interview as best as I could to ensure you hear his own words. The entire interview is here in text as you read this write up.
On the overall approach of his Rescue Mission and the distinction between human and physical development, he plans to adopt a
holistic transformation of Osun state implemented as interventions across 8 Cardinal
Programmes including good education, health, security and transparency. He said that he is committed to ensuring the people believe in Osun state again. He stated that
Osun people need to be conscious of their state and who is leading them with real investments in their lives.
On Education Omisore expressed how big he is into education in his state stating why the students come first before the strikes. Ibrahim Ishola from HNNAfrica’s Facebook says he is watching the opposition incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola spend state money heavily on his campaign rather than send Polytechnic students back to school and pay their lecturers. Omisore's opinion on that was that his
8 cardinal programs will restore dignity in education, negotiate and put them back to work so that students can get their education.
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| Omisore's door to door approach to campaigning (Credits Iyiola Omisore.org) |
On Youth Empowerment and Job Creation he says there is unemployment all over Osun state. He talked to me about his empowerment scheme which stands for
Omisore Youth Support Forum (OYSF) where he's giving graduates and undergraduates
GUIDANCE and ASSISTANCE on how to get jobs and match them with their fields of study. OYSF has provided financial support to many of the
graduands and presents a example of engaging young people in true sustainable
empowerment, a definite any community of young people need right now.
When we talked about Financial Management in the state, he said there was over N430.0m in debt owed to various agencies, banks
and programmes. There remains a controversy on the debt profile of Osun State I asked him. It is unclear to the public how much the state owes and to whom? How would he ascertain the true indebtedness of the state and manage this in the event that he is elected to the office of the Governor of Osun state? He said there are debts owed in form of loans, World Bank loans and more.
Olubunmi Nasiru asked on Facebook that Osun Government officials repeatedly say that the allocation of money from the treasury is small and so it’s hard to execute capital projects. I asked him how he plans to sustain Osun state with the federal budget allocated should he win the race. He says the current level of Federal allocation can make a
difference if they are prudently managed – not supporting over inflated contracts
or being diverted to pay masters outside Osun State.
On Governance, Peace and Security, these were a big goal of his for Osun people. Everyone is scared of the Boko Haram insurgency and even bombs planted in Osun; he said he plans to work closely with all areas of state government employees to create good governance. Omisore told me that Osun state has been a peaceful state
until the recent past where local capacities to engage in economic activities
have been compromised. He plans to change all that and give residents a peace of mind.
He constantly demands accountability from the Rauf Aregbesola administration. He wants to be held to account and in the same way always demand for accountability, something many Nigerians shy away from ending up like uninformed citizens. He told me of the recent Osun Finance Commissioner incident where the commissioner lied and later admitted he was in Delta state when police arrested him on a controversial trip. He also talked about Aregbesola’s qualifications with respect to if he is a COREN registered engineer like he initially claimed or just a school holder. Omisore told me that Aregbesola was yet to respond. The incumbent Governor never answers him when accountability is involved he said he has no doubt,
Aregbesola has NO COREN number and is not a registered engineer. He has recently submitted WASC as his highest
qualification to INEC.
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| Omisore eats corn given to him on campaign trail (Credits Iyiola Omisore.org) |
His strategy for the Rescue Mission Campaign comprises of House to House versus mega rallies. He is going into towns and villages instead of people always coming to a mega rally. His social interaction has filtered into the streets in this form. He does not want to box everyone in the crowd and wants to reach as many individually. He says he personalizes his campaign to reach everyone and nobody left behind.
His Social Media Strategy for the Campaign is absolutely impressive; I must commend him for the use of social media for his Rescue mission campaign. People are following him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and he is considered the leading politician in Nigeria using social media in a political race. He says he does not delete any hate or vicious comments because of his pedigree and the social media fans can teach him, correct him and he tries to answer everyone and even educate, inform and even learn from them in the process.
On the big question about elections bringing many issues to the court of public opinion. Many still implicate or suspect him in an aspect of
former Oyo governor Bola Ige’s murder when he's been cleared by the courts. I asked him if society has been fair on his image during this governorship campaign? He said it does not affect his campaign at all and that people have been very fair to him and I quote "It does not affect my campaign at all at all" in the Nigerian phrase.
Omisore says there is nobody who has left PDP who has not decamped right back. He says PDP is the only party that has strong internal democracy, where everyone aspire to be what they wish to be without the constrain of a ‘god father’ or ‘patronage’ by a person or group for the people and no party in this country has the pedigree of PDP which is steadily revamping its image. An umbrella cannot stop the rain but can help you stand in the rain and a broom can sweep up the dirt but that dirt can also be swept under the carpet I told him. He says that people will be voting for candidates and not parties. If he decamped to another party people will still vote for him.
We talked about
Violence and the upcoming elections on the 9th of August 2014. As an International Journalist who came back home after 37 years in North America, elections have been seen as violent exercises where people are injured or killed. He told me as the opposition in this gubernatorial race that he will ensure on his own part as a credible candidate that there is no violence on August 9th 2014 so that the people of Osun can peacefully exercise their voting rights?
INEC is conducting free and fair elections these days; the President is putting great security in place at the polls. We’ve seen it in Ekiti; even US President Obama commended that election. We never want to see the Abiola scenario again where free and fair elections were annulled. I asked Omisore if he were to win this election come August 9th 2014, does he predict a bigger landslide than Ekiti state? Does he think he can win the hearts of the people of Osun state? He told me that he expects a bigger win and he expects a credible free and fair election and “win fair and square.” He says he has done his homework, house work and ward to ward campaign.
On his Closing Statement, Senator Iyiola Omisore said that the next time I speak to him, He will be referred to as the Governor-Elect. His confidence and self esteem was very high, a good attribute for a leader. The highlight of this interview was the part where he said that many people in Osun state are still not enlightened on how government works and how it should really work. He stresses his commitment and bond in not leaving anyone behind.
Read Senator Omisore's
wikipedia profile
Access his achievements in the Upper Chamber
Access The 8 Cardinal Programmes of the Rescue Mission
Twitter @Iyiosun
Facebook.com/Iyiosun
Visit his website
www.iyiola-omisore.org
Now please listen to the audio below and share this audio and text post.
KOO
Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo
@HNNAfrica on all social media
7/19/14
Ibadan Nigeria via phone
