2023 :Under Adebutu’s Administration, Ogun Economy will wear a toga of sustainable growth – PDP OGHA Candidate, O’kenny

In Nigeria, the period running up to general elections are usually euphoric, exciting and full of hope for a better future. Because most administrations do not do particularly well, people are tired of them before the end of their tenure, and are idealistically looking forward to a Messiah who will take over at the end of that cycle and turn things around for the country. 

Ahead of the 2023 general election, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP House of Assembly Candidate for Odeda State Constituency, Hon. Odewunmi Kehinde Hassan popularly known as O’kenny, in this interview, explains that in Ogun State, Peoples Democratic Party’s choice of gubernatorial candidate would determine the party’s impact in the general election. He sees Former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ladi Adebutu as the only one with the capacity to defeat the All Progressives Congress, bring the rays of sunshine and good governance to the people of the gateway State.

Excerpts……

NGS : Can we briefly know you ?

Hon. O’kenny : My name is Hon. Odewunmi Kehinde Hassan popularly known by many particularly in the political spheres as O’kenny, born over five decades ago in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State but hails from Odeda local area of the gateway state vying to represent the good people of Odeda State Constituency at the Ogun State House of Assembly in the 2023 general elections on the platform of the most acceptable political party in Nigeria, People’s Democratic Party, PDP

You see, the name Odewunmi Kehinde is an household name not only in my homestead of Odeda local area but across the entire state both in the private and public sector due to my well documented contributions to the socio-economic development of my immediate community and the state at large over the years.

NGS : The recent court judgements that validated the candidacy of yourself and all other candidates vying for elective positions on the platform of PDP in Ogun State, What do you have to say about it ?

O’kenny : If you could recollect, bid up to 2019 general elections, we faced similar challenges but we came out stronger from it and learn how to thread the rope better, the beauty of Democracy is that it gives room for different opinions, we agree to disagree and at the end of it all, the interest of the people must be of utmost importance, PDP has become a united family more than ever before, all aggrieved members have been pacified and brought back to the fold to ensure victory, you can’t rule out what we went through in the last couple of months in politics, our challenges shows how formidable we are as a political party and I want to use this medium to congratulate the party leaders and our steadfast loyalists who made it happen, also I want to appreciate the judiciary for upholding the true sense of justice on the people’s mandate

NGS : Thank you sir, In brief, can you give an history of your heritage, Odeda local government area ?

O’kenny : Thank you very much, Odeda Local Government Area which is about 10 kilomitres from Abeokuta (the State Capital) has an extensive landmass mostly grass, the vegetation of the Local Government is mainly Orchard and of thick grasses, Thus, the land is suitable for agriculture and livestock rearing with population of about 99,000-115,000 people according to last censor.

As I said earlier, Odeda is agrarian area, with the population predominantly farmers of Egba extraction and we contribute so much to the internal generated revenue of the State but nothing much has been benefitted from government as a result of the misrepresentation from the state Assembly and other strata of government in years past a trend I intend to correct if elected in the 2023 general elections.

NGS : What are the major challenges would you say is confronting Odeda?

O’kenny : In Odeda we have so many natural resources yet untapped putting our people at back end of development most especially our youths, Odeda is blessed with vibrant youths but they are not adequately empowered, As we have a very large mass of arable land for agriculture, not to talk of other mineral resources such as Lime-stone, granites etc.
if the government tapped into all of them and give our youths and womem opportunities, am sure we are going to give more to the state internal revenue.

NGS : Having been doing well in your private life and business, Why did decided to join politics most especially with the general assertion that it is a dirty game ?

O’kenny :(Laughs) Let me first correct the impression that politics is a dirty venture and not meant for the Saint, you see, my own ways of playing the game is a little bit different from others. It depends on how or which angle you view it.

I strongly believe we can change the narratives if we are truly ready for change and compete favourably with developed countries, a society doesn’t operate in abstract, people must take actions, if everyone is running away from politics, then we continue to have this set of mindless people superetending over our collective future bringing our dear Nation to ruins and I Odewunmi Kehinde is ready to effect the needed change starting from my State Constituency, Odeda

NGS : You contested for a seat at the Ogun state house of Assembly in 2011, what really went down at the time?

O’kenny : In politics, nobody is bigger than the platform on which you intend to run, party decision is key in actualizing ones political ambition, so it wasn’t as if I was not good enough back then but the Party, I mean the People’s Democratic Party, PDP felt that there was need to balance the scale and respect the zoning mechanisms, you know PDP is known for respecting the rule of law and putting people first in decision, so the party leaders prevail on me to step down my ambition which I obliged and fast forward to 2022, here we are by the special grace of God, we shall triumph at the polls.

NGS : Would you say Odeda has witnessed the desired growth and development commensurate with the enormous potentials and human capital development?

Hon. O’kenny : I wouldn’t say that, because if I gross over it, I will be doing a great disservice to my people and I what stands for politically, Odeda has not been treated fairly at all, the kind of people we pushed forward to represent our interest are only going there to divert and corner our collective resources to their purse thereby neglecting their primary assignment which is to cater for the well-being of the people by coming up with life changing bills and opportunities.

NGS : Fast forward to 2023, what has changed now that once again prompt you to vie for the same seat in the coming elections?

Hon. O’kenny : What is going on in Odeda presently called for a paradigm shift away from the misrepresentation by the current administration to a more productive one which I am offering my people as I called for their support, me at the State Assembly is going to be a partnership with my people, I stay among them and I understand where the shoe pinches and I am ready to offer solutions because there won’t be a disconnection between the legislative and the executive under the PDP administration, thank God, we have seasoned administrator piloting the Affairs of government in person of Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, when a good relationship exists between the executive and the legislative arm of government, the grassroots enjoys the real dividends of Democracy.

NGS : If voted in, what are the things you intend to do differently?

Hon. O’kenny : Doing the right thing involves many sacrifices especially in the society where things are upside down but if we look at the outcome, we should pay the price for the Prize, I want to assure my people that for Odeda State Constituency which I am vying to represent in 2023, the change that is coming is a positive one and it will be very constructive and will bring meaningful development to the life of our people.

NGS : Do you have an acronym for your agenda and your programmes of development will center on what and what ?

Hon. O’kenny : Our people have seen it all and it is obvious they are tired of their present situation, if you go to the street, both old and young ones are rooting for my party PDP and me to come to their rescue and I keep promising them that is exactly what we are out to do.

Answering your question, what I intend to do is to Introduce and sponsors different bills capable of adding values to my constituency, such as the need to comprehensively declare state of emergency on agricultural sector, periodic youth employment programmes, women and aged support and aid opportunities for rural women, facilitating employment opportunities, facilitating rural road network to assist our farmers in transporting their farm produce.

Working closely with the executive by making them understand how Odeda and his citizen has been neglected for decades.

Making sure our local government is functioning very well among other laudable plans.

NGS : Less than three months to the general elections, how did you rate the chances of your party to win across all elective positions?

Hon. O’kenny : My chances and that of my party is extremely big, more than before, because the present administration has performed woefully and people have seen that the only Party capable of bringing back the good old days is PDP and they have been supportive.

Infact, the gubernatorial candidate of my party, PDP, Hon Ladi Adebutu has mandated that all seeking elective positions in the 2023 elections should go and compile a comprehensive lists of what the electorates in each of the State Constituencies needs tagging it “Contract with the People”. This contract will be counter signed by respective House of Assembly, related National Assembly Candidates and our Governorship Candidate, with respective Communities for onward execution when we come into power by the special grace of God in 2023.

NGS : On the final note,Your message to your people in Odeda as we prepared to go to the poll.

Hon. O’kenny : To the entire people of Ogun State, You all will attest to the fact that In the last three and half years, all has not been well with our dear state and when a challenge comes, such as this, as I tell people, what we need to do is to pray, be resilient and hopeful and the hope has come in the Candidacy of Hon. Ladi Adebutu.
  
God has endorsed it and by His special grace, the process of rebuilding and recreation of hope for our dear gateway state have started particularly with you all.

To my people in Odeda, I am afraid if I do not stand up and call upon others to stand up and take action, we won’t have a place to point at as our heritage.

A great man once said “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the perfect definition of insanity”.

People of our great heritage, Odeda” as we geared towards the general elections, I Odewunmi Kehinde Hassan popularly known as O’kenny is seeking your hands in cooperation to liberate ourselves and generations yet unborn from the shackles of misrepresentation and legislative redundancy that has continued to put Odeda in the back waters of social and economic development”.

If given the chance, I will be accountable, available, and maintain close communication with my constituents”.

I also vowed to offer good representation and legislation if given the mandate in the forthcoming election”.

My bid for the Ogun State House of Assembly to represents the good people of Odeda State Constituency stems from a burning desire to turn the tide through an all-inclusive and progressive process”.

I am sick and tired of watching all our leaders come into office, take all our money and do nothing. They have compromised our security, our economy, our ability to feed, clothe, and house ourselves, in other words, our livelihood.

Now it seems they would compromise our lives as well. We can’t keep electing the same group of leaders with different party names and expect things to change.

So I beckon on you all to join hands with me so that we can together change the Narratives.