[dropcap]H[/dropcap]on. Shamsudeen  Abiodun  Olaleye is a quintessential leader and gentleman with the character of humility, passion for service, respect, fairness, accountability and a model others can follow. He is the embodiment of cerebral articulation, the essence of unparalleled philanthropy, the epitome of intellection and breathtaking simplicity, the personification of undiluted humanness, the perfect example of leadership symbolism, the paragon of idealism, the soul of humanity, the heart of warrior, and a perfect gentleman.

Many reasons have been proffered as to why there is executive non performance in the local government system in Nigeria. While some have blamed low funding believed to be caused by the non autonomy of the LGA system which they claim reduces the powers of the Chairman and his officers to whims of the state Chief executive, some others have blamed the ravaging recession as well as other sundry reasons as why life at the local government level is very low.

It has even become a cliché that subventions and allocations to the LGAs are only for payment of salaries only. However, rather than join the bandwagon of executive complainants who defend their abject non performance in the Local Government system in Nigeria, Honorable Olaleye, Executive Chairman Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), one of the 57 in Lagos is singing a new and different song and changing the paradigm. Hon. Olaleye seems to be in a great race to deliver his own

dividends of democracy to his people than giving excuses and anything else thereby breaking a record in Nigeria’s history.In this interview with Grassroots Publishers, he bares his mind on the plan he has towards the upliftment of his people of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos state, and other issues.

Excerpts:

Hon. can we meet you sir?

I am Hon.(Alhaji) Shamsudeen Abiodun Olaleye, the Executive Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State. I attended Lagos State College of Science and Technology.

You seem to be in a great haste to deliver your campaign promises to your people since you were sworn  in?

Yes,since On July 25th 2017, I mounted the saddle as the Executive Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) for a second term in office. My re-election came on the back of a landslide victory in the local government election. That the generality of the council area voted overwhelmingly for me meant they have put their trust in me to deliver dividends of democracy to them,just like what I did in my first term in office between 2011 and 2014. Hence, my re-election came with lots of responsibilities and expectations. I noticed that there are many things to be put on ground in order to empower the citizens of the council in general, more especially in the areas of education, the health sub sector, youth empowerment, poverty alleviation and revamping the agricultural system among others. More so, I want to make sure that everybody is being carried along in all the policies and programmes of this administration irrespective of tribe, religious or political affiliations. My three years absence from the council left obvious gaps in infrastructural development in the council area as the roads and other infrastructures were in bad conditions even as the morale of the workforce was in its lowest ebb.

This could not have been blamed entirely on the former administrations whose ad-hoc status had placed restriction on its ability to perform because the administration was faced with financial and administrative encumbrances occasioned by budgetary limitations as the former administration lacked the constitutional capacity to operate a budget for a whole financial year.Since I came in as an elected government their is the need to hit the ground running with the drafting of the 2018 financial budget of the council that will bring sustainable development across the seven political wards of the council area beyond the current fiscal year. The budget was carefully drawn up with inputs from the various communities in the council area to bring even development in all spheres of human life. Infact my administration has taken time to propose capital projects that would extend to the preceding years to achieve sustainable development.I am in a haste to deliver on my manifesto. I had told the electorate during my campaign that I would do this and that. It was a promise clearly stated and circulated. I know that a promise is a debt which I must pay. I also believe that I must begin to fulfill my promise as soon as possible without delay because time is of great essence. I am not one to give excuses for not keeping promises. So you are correct if you say I am in haste.

Hon. Sir, Judging from all that you have said sir, it is very obvious that your local council has done remarkably well in the area of education. How do you think the government at large can work with speed to return the past glory of our government schools?

The challenges we face in the educational sector were not created at the lower level of government. These were problems from the top. Education has been commercialised. Those who handled our educational sector had vested interest. In order words, they did not encourage the public schools rather they encouraged private schools which they had interests in. Some notable politicians and government officials in this country has schools ranging from primary, secondary, and tertiary schools. So, how do you expect them to make policies that will not favour their private schools? They will rather make those policies to suit them to the detriment of the public schools. You see, the people have lost interest, confidence in the public schools but funny enough that is where you will find most qualified teachers who have all it take to impact knowledge. If you visit public schools, you will see the qualifications of the teachers conspicuously displayed for the public. Those private schools, they can employ anybody to teach any subject; whether qualified or not. In private schools, you will see a Mathematician teaching English language because they don’t care. They tend to forget the future of the children and focus more on their pocket. So, it is high time government at the higher level begin to prioritize education, have good budgetary allocation and make policies that will benefit improvement of educational standard in this country because education they say is power.

what is your view about good governance because you talked about legacy project and what’s your advice to government officials on doing projects that will stand the taste of time?

Good governance is relative because people’s needs come with peculiarity. I cannot go to some areas of the local government to sink boreholes when there are no demand or link for boreholes. An area where flooding is the problem, you don’t do drainage work; you don’t rehabilitate their drainage. You do something that has more bearing with the demands of the people. You can say you are working but you are working superfluously and that project bet me has no impact on the people. So, for every performance of the government, we should be able to make sure the impact is felt on the people. Lets take borehole as an example. Everybody know why we need portable water and we see that a particular area through their opinion needs that assistance from the local government, we will go ahead and provide it their because it very necessary there. So, the government should be oblivious of that fact that we must carry the people along in whatsoever project we want to carryout in their areas. In situations where you are not able to do something, you also let the people know, bring the facts and figures on the table for the people to see also. I have an area in Ago/Okota. During my campaigns, I told them that I will not promise you I will construct your roads because it is beyond the capacity of the local government due to the swampy nature of the area and finance involved. For instance, if I have N1billion naira, I won’t construct more than two roads in that area but  given the same amount of money, I can construct as many as 15 roads in the upland areas of the local government. In this situation, we involved the people, held meetings to incorporate and collaborate with them which has yielded fruit and we hope to continue as it will go a long way to improving the rate of development in the local government. This can be seen at Fatai Irawo Street in Ajao estate  where the people tendered their intention to collaborate with the local government in constructing their road.We incorporated them even though they were not on our priority list; we provided the technical support and our Engineer, they brought the money and within two months the project was completed and today the people are enjoying their businesses there. In all, the people must be central in the activities of the government.

I was opportune to interview some persons in Ago/Okota area, and they told me that there are no single good roads in the area, and no good drainage systems. I know that one of your re-election campaign promises was to provide good roads for the people. Sir, can you let us know the challenges you are facing in putting those roads in order?

Let me quickly correct that notion because this is political era and people tend to twist facts. I said it earlier in this interview that I made bold to tell people when I was campaigning that no government (and I was speaking from point of knowledge) can beat its chest and say I will construct roads in Okota. It means that the person doesn’t know the local government. The local government that I presided for 3 years, local government that I have an idea of the inflow of the revenue, the local government that I can on my own without the supports of the works department come up with the bill of quantity to construct a road. I cannot promise you I will construct a road which I know vividly well I won’t be able to do rather what I campaigned which is still on the pipeline is Okota Stakeholders Summit. You look at Okota and conclude roads are in shambles. The truth is 95% of the buildings in Okota are defective because they have been built below the sea level. There was no proper reclamation before they built houses. People should climb stairs to get into their houses but rather people dug holes to build their houses. So, the level of most roads at Okota are higher while the houses are lying much lower. The truth is that there is an environmental hazard in Okota area and just have to manage what we have on ground. At one time in the past when some Okota residents protested, the Commissioner for Environment told them that if government should take the right and appropriate steps, all the houses in Okota will be demolished for proper reclamation but we know that Okota is a swampy terrain. Unlike what you said that there are no good roads in Okota, there are roads done by government in that area like Alli Dada road, the road before Alli Dada was done by the government, Gramace road, Nwachukwu Drive to Olusesi street which is under construction is being done by the government, Ago Palace road which is one of the best roads in Lagos state and comparatively in Nigeria because you have over 3km road done with interlocks, with good drainage and street lights. It was actually started by former Gov. Fashola and Gov. Ambode completed it. But when you look at these roads, they become negligible but it is not charitable to say there are no single roads when we can count 4 to 5 good roads in Okota. If we must move forward in Ago/Okota, it is through peoples’ collaboration with the government because we have over 600 streets in that area alone. The federal allocation this council gets and the internally generated revenue too can never be enough to attend to these roads and other places under this local council. So if the residents, whom most of them are financially stable collaborate with the local government, I think we can record more success in that area.

Honourable Sir, can you tell us some of your achievements so far ?

In continuation of my holistic approach to educational development in Isolo council area, my administration concentrated on providing the 14 public primary schools with a new look that would enable them compete favorably with their private school counterparts.My administration invested in infrastructure; materials, conducive learning environment and the motivation will not only help bridge the gap between public and private public schools but also help public primary schools to regain their lost glory. To achieve this, my administration started by offering helping hands to parents by providing a total of 1400 pieces of customized school bags and exercise books and writing materials to the pupils in Isolo LCDA.In order to ease movement of school children from their various homes to the School Village at Okota and also minimized the daily associated risk of the journey, my administration has also purchased two 100-seater school buses to convey the students to and from their homes free of charge.We have also completed the renovation of Akinbaiye Primary School, Isolo whose roofing had been blown off thereby forcing the one-storey building to be abandoned for close to five years. The rehabilitation works which also include construction of new toilets, dredging of borehole, painting and complete rehabilitation of the Home Economics Centre is currently on-going at the school premises. The renovation work on the ancient primary school is expected to be completed soon even as other schools have been listed for rehabilitation next year. My administration educational intervention is not limited to primary schools alone ,we also assisted in preparing senior secondary students for their West African School Certificate Examinations. Currently, a total of 500 to 1000 SS1 to SS3 students are attends extra-mural classes at Estate Primary School, Ile- Iwe Metta. The coaching class which is being organized by my administration is expected to provide ample opportunity for students to cover WAEC syllabuses ahead of time before writing their final examinations. Even as the students propped up themselves with adequate preparations for the final examinations, I have also taken keen interest in the development of their English vocabulary with the prospect of becoming a One-Day Governor by successfully organizing the annual Spelling Bee competition among pubic primary and secondary schools in Isolo LCDA. The 18th edition of the competition which was held 4th of June 2018 saw Master Ikem Favour of Estate Primary School, Ile-Iwe Metta came first in the primary school category while in the secondary school category, Esiekpei Onome of Central Senior High School Okota beat others to the first prize. The duo who showed great potentials  represented Isolo LCDA at the state finals of the competition. Though tertiary education is not within the purview of local government administration, the commitment to offer a helping hand to parents many of who are already overburdened in their quest at giving their children tertiary education as prompted the my administration has continue with the bursary award scheme for indigene and indigent students of Isolo LCDA schooling in higher institutions across the country. During my first tenure in office, a total of 250 students benefited from the scheme. In the year under review, about 110 students have so far benefited in the first batch of the scheme held early this year.

My next one year in office would witness more interventions as the council hopes to lay the foundation for the first ever public primary school at Ago/Okota  axis.The site of the proposed school has been secured while final approval of the school is being sought from SUBEB. We need to give life back to the people; democracy is important in governance. We need to see how we can use the available resources for everybody; create opportunities for all and care, especially for those who are truly in need. The gap between the rich and the poor should be bridged.

In terms of Environment, My first year in office quite challenging in the area of environmental health. Like other local governments, the initial withdrawal of LAWMA services and Private Waste Operators (PWO) from our major roads and neighborhoods’ had brought in its wake a major gap which new waste managers, Vision scape is still struggling to bridge. The attendant indiscriminate dumping of refuse along the major roads had become a sad commentary on the mega status of Lagos. Isolo LCDA has had

its fair share of this major challenge as the council is trying its best to stay on top of the situation by promptly attending to refuse flashpoints within the council area. The council has continued to spend millions of naira to hire compactors and trucks to evacuate refuse bins almost on a daily basis even at

weekends. Unfortunately, the council’s intervention in this regard has failed to bring an end to heaps of refuse that litter the road because it takes days before the compactors and trucks return to base from the dumpsite in Epe. However, the council administration has gone into partnership with some PWOs to arrest the ugly situation. This arrangement was brought to bear in some locations in Ago/Okota axis, Isolo, Ilasamaja, Ajao Estate, Airport Road, Hassan Bus Stop, Cele Bus Stop and many others.

Also, the council has also set up a committee whose membership is drawn from the seven political wards of the council area to checkmate indiscriminate dumping of bins at unauthorized sites, improper bagging of refuse  and unwholesome conduct of cart-pushers. The Environment Department of the council has also intensified its sensitization campaign to various markets and communities to re-echo the state government campaign for healthy living and cleaner Lagos initiative of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. My administration took a proactive measure to curtail problem of flooding within the council area by going the whole hog to de-silt and cart-away drains and drainages in some flood-prone areas. These include Mushin Road, Oludegun, Mustapha, Karimu, Jaiyeola Ajatta, Adenekan/Apena, Ademulegun, Chivita Avenue, Ogundele Way, Goloba and Nwobodo Eze. This pro-activeness has ensured Isolo won’t record any incident of flooding this year. Sometime last year I was bestowed with an Award of Excellence by ‘Environmental Lagos’, a social media platform championing healthy living and cleaner environment in Lagos. In my last one year in office, my administration has successfully kept faith with its promise of extending helping hands to the widows, senior citizens and the physically-challenged within Isolo council area in fulfillment of one of his campaign promises. Though the token of N10, 000 and food items may not be enough to turn their live around but it represents the council’s modest way of connecting with the deprived members of Isolo LCDA. The first batch of the endowment programme was held in August 2017 with 100 people benefiting while another 100 people benefited from the second batch of the programme held on 21st of April 2018 to bring the total number of beneficiaries to 200. More people are expected to benefit from the series before the last quarter of the year. It would be recalled that a total of 350 people benefited from similar endowment programme between 2011 and 2014 during my first term in office my passion for helping the widows did not go unnoticed as I won many accolades and awards such as ‘Best Local Government in the promoting the cause of Widows’ by INRI Foundation. my administration has also taken proactive steps in empowering the womenfolk with acquisition skills that would set them on the path of economic self-reliant through a three-day skill acquisition programme organized by the council in conjunction with Girlhub Africa, a volunteering network that exposes young women to volunteering opportunities that offers meaningful experiences. The event which held between Wednesday 30th May and Saturday 2nd June 2018 allowed more than 50 participants selected from across the seven political wards of Isolo LCDA to get involve in job creation, networking and humanitarian services and acquiring skills in make-up, bead-making, hair-dressing, photography, tie &dye and gele. The skill acquisition programme came in the wake of a two-day seminar sponsored by the council for 15 management staffs and political appointees of Isolo LCDA. The seminar organized by Ogba-based Wodia Training Institute exposed participants to fresh ideas in management training and skill development programme. The last 365 days has brought about a positive engagement between the council and the various communities under Isolo LCDA. As the most viable direct link with the communities and neighborhoods, My engagements with Community Development Associations (CDAs) during his electoral campaigns has ensured he maintains a cordial relationship with critical stakeholders in various communities of the council area. Through direct engagement, he was able to keep abreast of the expectations of these communities, keeping record of their developmental challenges and mapping out ways of surmounting them.

Just few days after my assumption of office, I made promise to residents of Akinbode and other adjoining streets of providing pipe-borne water for their domestic needs. I fulfill my promised during electioneering campaign by providing a borehole to provide water for residents. The borehole was complimented with water reservoir and a standby power generator. Residents of Ayanlu and neighboring streets also enjoyed similar gesture of a borehole water project from the council with the compliment of water reservoir and a power generator.

Similarly, a three-day impactful engagement with stakeholders of Oke-Ogbere community in Okota ward has facilitated the provision of a 500KVA transformer for residents of Freedom Estate to solve power distribution problem in the area. The engagement further yielded more democratic dividend as the I was able to facilitate a tripartite meeting with the contractor handling Oke-Ogbere link bridge, critical stakeholders as well as the council which provided opportunity to exert an MOU from the contractor to undertake a reconstruction of Community Road which directly link the bridge that connects Oke-Ogbere with Isheri in Igando/Ikotun LCDA.

Aside this, the council has ensured the various CDAs and the CDC remain a critical player in its developmental agenda even as no effort was spared at mobilizing the CDC for global and state programmes such as World Food Day and World Community Day which was marked in the premises of this council on 7th December 2017 with funfair even as most of the CDAs were fully represented. The council has also continued to mobilize the CDC, CDAs, politicians, artisans, market men and women and traditional rulers for state programmes such as Town Hall meetings of Gov. Ambode, 2017 Id-el Kabir celebration, Christmas celebration, Lagos Musical Festival, Engagement with the Governor on the newly introduced Land Use Charge, Pre-summit Engagement on Security, Safety Agencies, LGs and Stakeholders etc.  it did not come as a surprise that five out the 276 CDAs that benefitted from the state government’s N500million endowment to CDAs in Lagos are from Isolo LCDA. The CDAs are Hope CDA (Ajao Estate), Atokotashe (Okota), Greenfield CDA (Okota), Lateef Adegboyega CDA (Okota) and Ago/Okota CDA. It is hoped the recognition and endowment from the state government would galvanized other CDAs to be more active in their community development efforts.

Again, during the period under review, My council kept faith with its commitment at promoting staff welfare by paying bonuses to staff during festive periods such as Sallah and Christmas festivals, a gesture which the last two successive administration had failed to do. Added to this worthy gesture was the distribution of 250 bags of 50kg of Lake Rice by the Olaleye administration. As if that was not enough, the gesture was also extended to political appointees and politicians.

As an elected administration with full executive authority, my administration immediately swung into action by first attending to the poor condition of roads being a common public infrastructural denominator. As a first major step, nine road networks were attended to within the first three months in office to ensure a smooth and safe passage for motorists and also reduce the perennial traffic on Mushin Road. This was carefully done by consciously creating a bye-pass to link Oke-Afa via Kogberegbe Street. To achieve this, nine roads were rehabilitated. They include Mureni, Shonibare, Akande Odebiyi, Holy Saviours, Akindehinde, Aderinto, Oremeji, James Oni and Kogberegbe.

Similar rehabilitation exercises were also carried out at Oludegun Junction, Mushin Road and Abimbola Junction where the council had to embark on the construction of a new iron rail across the drain to connect Abimbola Way with Mushin Road. Though, the council’s interventions on the major roads have been palliative, a total rehabilitation of these roads can only be effectively carried out by the state government. However, the council has engaged the Lagos Public Works Bureau in this regard and soon enough the rehabilitation of Osolo Way would commence. Indeed, My Administration has remarkably taken roads infrastructure to a new height in Isolo with the total rehabilitation of Goloba Street. The road which was constructed in 1990 is wearing a new look with full complement of drainage and streetlights powered by a stand-by generator. This is the first time a council administration would provide streetlight in a road project in the history of the council area.

It was also a cheery affair in Ajao Estate where the my administration also undertook the construction of Baale Shekoni Street fitted with streetlights and drainages. The construction of this road which is slated to be commissioned by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode during his proposed tour to Isolo LCDA provides a bye-pass access to and from Canoe Bridge which would ultimately help to reduce traffic congestion within the Chivita area of Ajao Estate.In the same vein, full rehabilitation works have also began on Olokun Street in Ishagatedo/Ire-Akari ward. The 200 metres road project would involve construction of

culverts, drainages and solar-powered streetlights as well as asphalting to link Ire-Akari Estate Road via Aderinto and Ilori Streets. Fabiyi Street in Ilasamaja ward is next on the project list of Hon. Olaleye who remained committed to his promise of embarking on at least two road projects in each political ward.My infrastructural agenda did not end with road construction, I equally embarked on given administrative infrastructure within the secretariat complex a new facelift.

The last three years of past administrations had prompted a total neglect of infrastructural facilities within the secretariat complex with many of the offices left in deplorable conditions occasioned by leaking roofs, poor sanitary environment, lack of furniture and other basic amenities. Hence, the rehabilitation work was kick-started with the total renovation of the Administrative Block A comprising of the Vice Chairman’s office, SLG’s office, Marriage Registry, offices of Supervisory Councilors and other political appointees. Major works carried out on the wing include re-roofing, re-ceiling, provision of office furniture, plumbing and re-painting.

Similar rehabilitation exercises were also carried out at Administrative Block B and C which comprise of the CM’s office, personnel, Departmental and Unit offices as well as Finance and Account offices. In a democracy setting , the executive arm must carry the Legislative arm along, its quest to promote a cordial working relationship with the legislative arm of the council, my administrations had swung into action by renovating the Legislative Chamber as well as providing befitting furniture in the Councilors offices. This was followed with the purchase of seven Toyota Corolla official cars for the councilors and the Leader of the House. This remarkable gesture which came barely few months after the inauguration of the legislators therefore marked my administration as the second council administration in the state to buy cars for its legislators after Ibeju-Lekki.

My administration did not left health sector behind, being one of the cardinal objectives of this administration has ensured that all existing Primary Health Centres (PHCs) operate optimally across the council area with commendable service delivery in primary health care. The model PHC at Ilasamaja operates a 24-hour service with qualified doctors and nurses on hand to attend to emergency cases while others at Isolo, Ajao Estate, Oke-Ogbere, Ishagatedo and LSDPC Estate operate day services.It is instructive to note that my administration has also taken proactive measures in different areas of health care system especially on safe delivery of mother and child during pregnancy. Aside running ante-natal and post-natal clinics in all the PHCs, the council boss has concluded arrangement for the distribution of maternity packs to pregnant women to reduce the financial burden of getting such packs as well as facilitating their safe delivery. The maternity packs are slated to be distributed to pregnant women by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode during his forthcoming visit to the council area.

Furthermore, Isolo LCDA joined the rest of the world to commemorate the Breast-feeding Week from 1st to 8th August 2017 where nursing mothers were encouraged to place their babies exclusively on breast milk to improve their health as well as promoting the bond between mothers and their babies. During the period under review, the Maternal New Born & Child Week was also held across the seven political wards of Isolo LCDA in November 2017. This was followed by a Medical Outreach organized by

Rotary Club in conjunction with Isolo LCDA to further take health care delivery to the door steps of residents even as the council joined the rest of the world in observing Measles Campaign Week from 22nd to 29th of March 2018.The National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) was held between April 27^th and 30th March this year to protect babies from chronic diseases such as polio, sickle cell, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, and haemophilias influenza and tetanus. Moving forward, the present administration hopes to up the notch with a plan to demolish the present structure at Isolo PHC which is found to be obsolete and not in tandem with modern structure. Hence, plans are afoot for the building to give way to a new one-storey structure before the expiration of my administration. Also, plans are equally in the pipeline for the construction of a new PHC at Alagbeji ward. This would be a big relief to residents of this area who have had to make do with an health post. It would be recalled that government  had laid a foundation-stone for the construction of the new Alagbeji Primary Health Centre inside the LSDPC Estate during his first term in office but the project was stalled by concerns raised by administrators of the estate. Hence, my council is on the look-out for available space for theconstruction of the new PHC.

My administration will continues to provide opportunities for the teeming youths to take advantage of their potentials to build a solid future through empowerment programmes and initiatives that would usher them on the path of self-reliance and sustenance. In the absence of the much sought-after white collar jobs, I have empowered  the youths through skill acquisition in vocational jobs such as hair-dressing, fashion designing, bead-making, IT and computer literacy, photography, tie and dye, make-up artistry, shoe-making, soap-making, insecticide, disinfectant and hat-making.

My council has successfully thrown up more than 150 youths on the path of economic empowerment and self-reliance through its collaboration with non-governmental organizations like Girlhub Africa, OPAS Africa, Libration Empowerment and Action Empowerment etc. Only recently, the council went into partnership with OPAS Africa to undertake a three-week intensive computer training exercise for over 50 youths in the council. In my quest for a responsive and responsible government, I officially endorsed and recommended many youths for job placements in many of the companies operating within Isolo LCDA such as Emzor Pharmaceuticals, CHI Industries, CWAY etc.

However, the realization that an idle hand is the devil’s workshop has prompted the my  administration to gear efforts towards organizing a musical talent hunt show to unearth hidden talents across the council area. In the same vein, talks have reached an advanced stage with former Nigerian international football star, Peter Rufai to organize a football coaching clinic where budding talents would be identified and groomed for greater prospects. Even as I looked back at the last 365 days with profound memories of modest achievements, I am not resting on his oars, remarking that the road to excellence has no finishing line just as I intoned that the modest achievement recorded so far would serve as motivation to do more. “The race to excellence has no finishing line and because it is a long distance journey, we must be resilient and calculative enough to prioritize developmental needs of our people within the ambit of available funds.

Isolo LCDA has remained one of the most peaceful council areas in Lagos State with high prospects of being an industrial hub for companies and manufacturing firms. The proximity of the council area to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Apapa Seaport and the Apapa/Oshodi Expressway has provided a unique advantage for ease of doing business and commerce to flourish. It is the full realization of this unique advantage that my administration has continued to prioritize the safety of lives and properties in my cardinal objectives. In this regard, my administration is collaborating with all the security apparatus within the council area to bring crime and criminalities to the barest minimum if not totally eradicated. My administration has continued to hold the quarterly peace and security meetings with representatives of all security apparatus to review the security situations of the council area from time to time. At the last meeting of the committee, the council graciously approved a sum of N1million for the repair of patrol vehicles in all police divisions in Isolo LCDA. More importantly, the council has continued to mobilize and encourage intelligence gathering by the police to combat the menace of cult activities particularly in Ilasamaja area. As a responsible government, my administration organized a sensitization campaign for secondary school students against the menace of cultism.

Aside this, My administration has continually enjoin parents and guardians through the CDAs and other critical stakeholders to be watchful of the unscrupulous elements their wards hang out with and report such to the police for possible apprehension. Our council in conjunction with the police has banned operations of brothels, restaurants, bars and sale of alcohols beyond 10p.m.in Ilasamaja area of the council, warning that violators risk being arrested by the police.

What message do you have for the electorate in Isolo LCDA as the 2019 General election draws near?

I won’t restrict my message to the good people of Isolo LCDA alone. Electorates should equip themselves with the knowledge of issues such as type of election, those qualified to vote and be voted for, the number and nature of political parties as well as the strength and weaknesses of the contestants. You see, voters-education is a general duty which ought to receive the support of all. Electorates can be empowered to make rational decisions which can lead to the emergence of visionary leaders that can transform society. Nigerians should ensure they collect their permanent voters’ cards (PVC) so as to effectively perform their civic duty in the forthcoming general elections. The youths should desist from surrendering themselves for election thuggery.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he struggle of Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to mount the horse as the country’s President has been legendary and sustained. Since 2003, when he deputized for former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ), the ambition to lead Nigeria has refused to quench like a candle in the wind.

When the main opposition PDP conceded its 2019 presidential ticket to Atiku, it seems his closest permutation to Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of power. Observably, since the day Atiku was crowned PDP’s presidential flag-bearer his excitement has known no limitations. It’s being the happiest moment of his life,  beaming with smiles, anywhere he makes public appearance, as though he has been declared winner of Nigeria’s 2019 presidential ballot.

So,  Atiku intensified his perpetually acerbic attacks on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, disparaging every single effort of the APC led government. He promised Nigerians a redemption, which spurred fresh expectations of the magic his anticipated Presidency would offer the people.

At last the chance is here for Atiku to make an impact; but he has bungled it from the outset. Atiku stabbed himself on the back, November 18, 2018 with his vision in a launched policy document, variously christened “The Atiku Plan,” or “Let’s Get Nigeria Working Again.”  It failed to inspire the confidence some Nigerians initially had in a possible Atiku Presidency. Echoes are loud that Atiku’s policy document was flat or watery on critical areas Nigeria is yearning for further rescue from the Buhari Presidency.

They faulted Atiku as barren of any grasp of problems of Nigeria and fresh insights, by his embellishments of most of the policies and programmes of Buhari, which he had relentlessly and voraciously criticized.

To put it mildly,  the  PDP standard-bearer failed to impress and others felt it on his change of stand on some of the issues he campaigned vigorously before his party awarded him its  presidential ticket.

In some sections of the policy document, it dashed hopes and dampened spirits even in the camp of his most ardent supporters. Nigerians have been analyzing the “The Atiku Plan,” document from the perspective of various critical sectors of the economy.

Some Nigerians dissatisfied with the Buhari Presidency, point to the nuances of national insecurity; a tottering economy; hyper unemployment rate; a comatose industrial sector, reflected in abandoned national industries/companies; the clamour for restructuring and the least, but also, very important, power rotation among the six geo-political regions of the nation.

Disappointedly, Atiku’s vision in these sensitive sectors left a vacuum in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Many have concluded that the Atiku quest for the Presidency of Nigeria is anchored on the crest of a swindle of Nigeria.

They could not reconcile how a politician who has sought leadership of the country for years and vociferous in condemning existing structures and performance had nothing strikingly different in his policy document. From the policy document, its discernible Atiku does not either know what is restructuring of Nigeria as currently canvassed especially by  Southerners  or has developed cold feet towards the idea even before the opportunity to  occupy  Aso Rock.

Quite clearly, Atiku dreads the North, which is viciously opposed to the idea of restructuring of Nigeria now. And in order not to offend sensitive interests of the Northern oligarchs, Atiku glossed over the idea like a pupil reciting nursery rhymes. He harped on independence of local government councils and mixed council autonomy with restructuring of Nigeria.

Thereafter, he strayed into natural resources.

Hear him;  “Once power over minerals and mines is devolved to the concurrent list, states where deposits of mines and mineral resources are found will have control over those resources and only pay royalties to the center.”

This is sufficiently vague.  It does not offer any clue on how his version of restructuring would be executed; but relied on an unconvincing probability of the devolution of powers from the concurrent list.

Atiku parroted the issue of restructuring of Nigeria, everywhere in Southern Nigeria to earn their support for party nomination and the actual ballot in 2019. People of the Niger Delta are infinitely discouraged about Atiku’s candidature.

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He hinted in the policy document of providing incentives to investors to invest in Modular refineries in the North to source crude oil from Chad and Niger through pipelines under a Public Private Partnership. South-Southerners are already feeling a sense of alienation and abandonment under an Atiku Presidency.

The people are feeling the experimentation of the Buhari Presidency with Modular refineries’ in the South-South, where the oil wealth is domiciled as a better sense of judgment from a neutral and impartial leader. Nigerians are also averse to Atiku’s plan to  privatize state-owned enterprises “including all three government-owned refineries and the concession of Nigeria’s sea and airports to reputable, strategic, and technically sound buyers.”

It is a roundly rejected bitter pill to swallow by majority of Nigerians. The OBJ/Atiku Presidency (1999-2007) conceived the concept of privatization of national assets. And Atiku was the chairman, National Council on Privatization and Commercialization (NCPC).  It’s very clear to all Nigerians that the exercise was a rape of Nigeria, as the assets were undervalued and sold to cronies and undercover agents. Very few of them are functional at the moment and unemployment has exacerbated in Nigeria because  of the dearth of such industries and companies.

The inclusion of this policy in the “Let’s Get Nigeria Working Again,” document is a veiled message to Nigerians of the intention of Atiku and his cabal to re-launch the  final sale of Nigeria to themselves, if elected President in 2019.

It has stirred disquiet in many quarters. To demonstrate that Atiku is bereft of any fresh ideas for seeking to govern Nigeria, the policy document also endorsed removal of oil subsidy, like Buhari’s government.  But it discloses his target of establishing what he called, a “Special Purpose Fund”  for the funds to be domiciled and channeled to  “building infrastructure in education, health and the empowerment of women and youth. What’s is new,  Nigerians are asking?

It was the same OBJ/Atiku Presidency that scrapped PTF,  a similar concept, which would now be smuggled back under a new nomenclature? Therefore, what informed his quest for the Presidency exactly, if all he knows is  retaining and renaming old concepts?

Today, Atiku is concerned with expansion of modern railway lines, which are projects currently executed by the Buhari Presidency. The PDP 2019 Presidential candidate dropped the final bombshell by stating that  “To increase the nation’s refining capacity, we shall privatize all four-outstanding government owned refineries to competent off-takers with mandates to produce agreed levels of refined output.”

Nigeria is stressed on national insecurity many fronts. The Boko Haram terrorism; militancy in the Niger Delta; armed banditry and cattle rustling; kidnapping and violent separatists agitations and herders/farmers clashes.

Atiku boasted when Buhari emerged President that if he were the leader of Nigeria, Boko Haram would have ended in six months. But his policy document shied away from intimating on the details  of what would  have passed as a marvelous master plan.  Nigerians fault President Buhari for his insistence on grazing reserves for Fulani herders, instead of ranches, especially by most states in the Benue valley. Atiku does not see open grazing by herders; the clashes with farmers and mass deaths as a national security threat.

And so, his document is handily silent on it. Atiku’s failure to inspire the electorates with his long awaited policy document is his greatest nemesis for the quest to lead Nigeria in 2019. Worse still, while the North has just four more years to allow power transit to the Southern part of the country,  Southeast possibly, Atiku plans his policy document extending to between six and eight years; an early sign of a sit-tight leader.

Having bared his mind, millions of Nigerians have come to the inevitable conclusion that President Buhari has no real alternative in 2019. With his cunning misadventure, through self-revelation,  Atiku has made it an easy ride for Buhari’s success in the next general elections.

Okanga Agila Okanga wrote this piece from Agila, Benue State.