Rerun will spell doom for Osun ’ - d nation

Olarotimi Makinde, prominent actor and accountant, contested the election into the House of Representatives in Osun State in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress (AC). His opponent was declared winner. He spoke with Assistant Editor DADA ALADELOKUN on how far he has gone to seek justice, the implication of the tribunal ordering a rerun in Rauf Aregesola’s petition against Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and so on

As a successful theatre arts practitioner, what actually prompted you into politics?

It is simply the urge to lend my voice to happenings around me in the interest of my people. As an apostle of positive change, I had always been condemning happenings around me, especially in my community, Ile-Ife. At a point, the fear that people often nurse about going into politics did not move me; that is why I boldly ventured into the murky waters of politics the day after the murder of the late governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Engineer Funsho William. At that point, many began to see politics as a danger zone; wives were warning their husbands while fathers warned their wards to steer clear it. I believe that if those with clear idea of how to rescue the country from the doldrums are shying away from politics, the fools will continue to hold sway to the detriment of the masses. That explains my venturing into it.

At what point did you decide to contest for the House of Representatives?

I must confess that while coming into politics, I did not actually dream of contesting. I believe that if I have a leader who is accommodating, who share the same vision and ideal of people-oriented change with me, I don’t necessarily have to aspire to be the head. But at a point, while campaigning with him from one corner to the other, especially in my community, to urge people to help themselves out from the grip of Omisore/Oyinlola and company. When you challenge people to come out to challenge Iyiola Omisore, they tend to have the fear that he cannot be dared. No doubt, Omisore is an illustrious son of Ife but he does not have the genuine interest of the people at heart. We are from the same community. This is a man who has had the opportunity of changing the course of things in Osun State, especially, Ife, but he has not done it. He was deputy governor to Baba Akande, rather than join hands with the man to make meaningful impact, he colluded with others to fight the good old man. In the Senate, he has not done anything to benefit us. He lacks focus and that explains the kind of people he has around him. That was why I declared my intention to run against him for the senatorial seat. But as the Action Congress would think right, it preferred me in the House of Representatives and I picked the ticket for the 2007 elections.

But today, you are not in the House of Representatives; what happened?

Yes, the election came and went, but I’m a living witness to all that happened. Interestingly, Engineer Aregbesola and I had been able to sell ourselves to the electorate before the election. The reason is clear: The failure of the existing administration. The eagerness to have us on board was great and because of that, everyone was on us. But there were several bottlenecks created by the Oyinlola government. Some of our supporters were rounded up and put in various detention centres. Most of out leaders were declared wanted before the polls and on the election date; not a few went underground. At our campaigns, we were being attacked and blackmailed; I was even kidnapped in my father’s house. They caught me, blind-folded me and took me to a bushy place. I was not allowed to vote in an election in which I was contesting. I was in the kidnappers’ den for 24 hours. During the election, I was chased about with dangerous weapons by PDP thugs; I eventually got refuge in the hands of the Police Area Commander in Ife. In broad daylight, the thugs hijacked ballot boxes and did all they wanted to do. Omisore was going from one polling booth to the other in with some PDP leaders who paraded themselves as monitoring officials.

But Oyinlola believes he has brought good governance to Osun…

(Laughs) Osun is stagnant! All revenue avenues are lying fallow; no one has the initiative to harness them to hasten up development. In Osun, there is no good road, no water and peace is a scarce commodity. Recently, Oyinlola promoted about 40 Baales to the position of Oba. Sure, it was a good step, but honestly, it was politically motivated by him. He seems to be tactically preparing for a rerun. And to me, rather than ordering a rerun in Osun, it is better Oyinlola is left there because any rerun will lead most Osun people into their early graves. If the judge that delivered the Ekiti judgement knew it would lead to bloodshed, he would not have ordered a rerun. We have to learn from that.