Interviews
Sheriff Musa Has Enough Experience To Perform As Chairman Of Ado-Odo/Ota LG- State Signage Boss, Odetoogun Says
Alhaji J.K Odetoogun is a versatile politician, who has followed the metamorphosis of the progressive party in the South West from Action Congress (AC) to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In this interview, the respected politician, expressed his views about the candidature of Hon. Sheriff Musa in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government under the APC, saying that he has all that it takes to rule the LG as Chairman. Excerpts…
Can we meet you sir?
I am Alhaji J.K Odetogun from Alapoti Ward in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of Ogun State.
Can you tell us a bit about your background politically?
I joined politics in 2012 as a member of the then Action Congress (AC) then to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), now we are in the All Progressives Congress (APC). My first outing was contesting for the Federal House of Representatives in 2015 from Ota. The primary was done on December 8, 2014. It was a journey that actually established my political career. In that race, the primary was conducted between Hon. Ojugbele and myself and the scores was known to everybody. Thank God it was a stepping stone for me and it has been great so far. In 2019 I was an aspirant of the APC for Ado-Odo/Ota 2 State Constituency for the state house of assembly. Of course, we thank God to his glory that has led us to the level that we are in today.
We understand that you are holding a sensitive position in this government, what is your current office?
I was appointed as a consultant to the Ogun State Governor on Signage on May 2, 2020. I am also a member of the Board on Signage in the state and the Deputy General Manager of Signage of Ogun State.
We know that the APC has chosen Hon Sheriff Musa as its Chairmanship Candidate of the party in Ado-Odo/Ota LG. What kind of person is he?
The appearance of Hon. Sheriff Musa signifies a kind of leverage in the aspect of the youth coming into politics and performing a better opportunity for the youth that could display some strength that can create more opportunity for the youths. I have no doubt that Hon. Sheriff Musa is going to perform because you look at the level of reasoning of an individual, it goes a long way, exposure, and experience also go a long way in taking decision. it is an everyday learning, nobody is born with ruling or authority. But I know that whoever has teamwork spirit is going to excel. I have no doubt that Musa is going to do very well. He is a very calm and gentle man, who is ready to learn and he is going to do his best.
We understand your optimism, but that is if your party wins the election. Are you optimistic that the APC will win this election?
Certainly of course, it has to do with the spirit of commitment, determination, above all, courage is more important. We have the zeal and we have the courage. We have the number and when you look at our registration that we did recently, you will see that the number and the volume in the party have gone so wide that adding a few number to that will earn us a win in that election.
Are you not scared of the PDP?
I don’t think we have a stable PDP in the state, I am not going to talk more about the PDP at the national level. But as it relates to Ogun State, we know what is going on. I have no reference to their fear at all.
Let’s assume that Hon. Sheriff Musa wins the local government election, if you meet him one on one, what would you ask him to concentrate his efforts on?
I will meet him from time to time because I belong to this local government, and he is in the same political class with us. I will always advise him to put in his best and listen to advise and build on the experience he has acquired overtime.
Which particular sectors would you want him to concentrate on?
I would love to look at it from the perspectives of the councillors that he would meet from time to time, who would come up with the needs of their wards and what the people expect. It is not what I expect, but what the people want, which is why we have the councillors. I will advise him that whatever project he has he should share it with them, sell it to them and let them buy into those ideas and by extension take it home for ratification. Of course there would be an appreciation for whatever effort that he has put in, which would make it easier for us assess him.
Do you think that Prince Dapo Abiodun would toe the line of his predecessors that all IGR must go to the state?
I am not sure there is any Governor that is going to take a decision without the state assembly making the right law. So, if the law is enacted, of course, it is not the decision of the Governor, but that of the assembly with the approval of the Governor to become a law. But I would not want to think that the Governor would do something that would be out of the space of the law.
The question is coming on the background that people believe that Ado-Odo/Ota can self-sustain itself, but because the revenue that they generate here is always taken to the centre in Abeokuta that will now give them stipends
Self-sustenance is a relative word in this case. When you look at the number of primary schools, the responsibility to pay the salaries of teachers and other responsibilities that are actually entrenched in the Constitution to be taken by the local government, one would know that no matter the revenue that we look at, the local government might not be able to cope. Of course, there is always a sharing formula to the local government every month. However, this local government is the industrial hub of the state and we know that harnessing the opportunity would give the local government an edge in the state.
How will you describe the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun?
Wonderful and I know that he has been a systematic government that is taking a step at a time and he is in the right direction.
