My Resignation From Ajimobi's Government Is Personal – Hon. Michael Okunlade

Speaking with DARE ADEKANMBI on why he called it quit with Ajimobi, meet Honourable Michael Okunlade who was a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly during Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala administration before he joined the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and got appointed as a Senior Special Assistant on Legislative Matters to incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Excerpts:

UNTIL last week Monday when you resigned your appointment, you were a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ajimobi on Legislative Matters. How would you describe your experience?

I thank God that I was given the privilege to serve the state and contribute my little quota to the development of the state and above all, I give God the glory for everything He has done so far. The experience is worthwhile. It opened me to a lot of things and afforded me the opportunity to understand the intrigues of politics better. And if one thing, I should give kudos to the current administration that gave one the chance to understand political intrigues more. Governor Ajimobi has made me to understand where I am coming from, my person and where I should belong. I thank him for the opportunity. So, I have been really broadened in terms of the political scope of the state and in terms of politics. But if I have my way again, I will do it differently.

 

You will do it differently if you had another chance sounds like a tone of regret of some action and inaction. What did you regret doing or not doing?

No regret at all. You see, when you are doing something with an open mind, with a high level of enthusiasm and you are made to understand certain things...I will say it is an advantage and not a regret. By the grace of God, I am still young. The worse will have been if I am older than this and will not have been able to correct certain things.

 

Were you given a free hand to operate?

Free hand to operate? That is an issue for another time. But, I said I give God the glory.

 

Did you resign because of an ambition in 2015 election which will begin to hot up from this New Year?

Politics is all about intrigues and as I said earlier, my relationship with Governor Ajimobi has really opened me to a lot of things. I need to build on that to help stabilise myself even in the future. With time, I will be able to articulate some of those things. But, I still thank Governor Ajimobi. I am a politician and so, I have an ambition in 2015. Every politician should be ambitious. I started my career from the grass roots and since then I have been in the game. So, it will be an understatement if I say I don't have any ambition.

 

Why did you resign from Ajimobi's government?

Well, I will say I resign for personal reason.

 

Could you let us into the reason?

When I say personal reason, it means it is personal to me. So, you don't need to dig into it. Just let us leave it at that.

 

Is it that the governor did not like your face again and you felt you should call it quit before he fires you?

If it is about whether he likes or does not like my face, does he have to like my face before we work together? He is our governor and to the glory of God is our number one person today. If he did not like my face, he would have fired me before I decided to resign.

 

The Seventh Assembly has proved bookmakers wrong. They were expecting a House of commotion because the three dominant parties in the state are represented in the Assembly and...

 

My brother, listen. This is politics. When we were there, you knew the robustness that existed and you knew what happened then. So, it is not over until it is all over.

 

Do you see any difference in the government of Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala that you were a part and what exists in the state now in terms of achievements?

If you look at some places, even in Ibadan, where you think that in 20 years there would not be roads, the past administration did the roads. The vastness of the projects executed by the last administration was very wonderful. Go to all areas in Ibadan and you will still see the projects. The only difference is that the present administration has been concentrating projects to specific areas and these projects can be seen quickly by people coming into the state. This does not really have far-reaching effects to the grass roots. Without mincing words, without fear or favour, the Alao-Akala administration was a grass roots government.

 

Your nostalgia for the Alao-Akala administration shows you still have a lot of respect for the former governor...

He was my governor, my leader. There is nothing I can do that I will deny the fact that we worked together. If I deny that, I will look stupid. His administration belonged to himself, myself and others. If I say I am not part of that administration, then I was a fool. And when the occasion arises like this, we should be able to tell the world what that administration stood for.