A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Dr. Olumuyiwa Sylvester Adu, popularly known as Cubana, in this interview by Sam Nwaoko, speaks on the party in Ondo State, his political ambition to represent Ondo Central in the Senate, among other issues.
What informed your decision to contest to represent Ondo Central district in the Senate?
I want to represent the people of Ondo Central because of my burning desire to serve my people. I want to use the opportunity to thus contribute my quota to the development of my native Ondo Central, the people, and humanity in general. The entire communities in Ondo Central need to be heard and seen the more, and I believe with my representation, the communities would be positively impacted.
Secondly, I want to serve my people because there is a more urgent need to bring federal presence to Ondo Central senatorial district, and there is also the need to woo investors to the area, both foreign and local, with the natural resources in our senatorial district and Ondo State at large.
Among other things, we have also observed the need to sponsor meaningful and people-oriented bills that would have direct bearing on our people. Supporting reasonable bills sponsored by others in the Senate is also one of the ways through which our people would derive maximum benefits from my being in the National Assembly.
In addition, there must be strategies through which we can support unemployed youths, and those who are qualified would be supported to secure appointments. Those who are traders in our various markets as well as artisans, students, and farmers would also benefit from our constituency projects’ allowance, and we hope to also use the same allowance to complement the efforts of Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa in the area of infrastructural provision for our people.
Then one other area is to ensure that we are constantly visiting our people in my senatorial district through which there would be dialogue that would help us recognise their areas of needs. These are just some of the things we intend to look into, in addition to the primary role of lawmaking, which is the core duty of the senator in the National Assembly.
How would you describe Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa with regards to his various activities so far as the governor of Ondo State?
Governor Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa has been acknowledged to be a workaholic governor who has already turned Ondo State towards the direction of progress. Apart from his persona and his transparency in his day-to-day administration of the state, people have seen him to be highly intelligent and very friendly with everyone. He has set various goals for his administration, and we can all see that he has settled into the duty of achieving these goals.
No one can question his desire to see a strong and virile All Progressives Congress (APC) in which all of us would be happy and achieve targets. On his achievements so far in Ondo State, Governor Ayedatiwa has completed most of the projects of his predecessor and leader, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (Aketi). Aside from that, he has also embarked on many other projects, most of which he has succeeded in completing.
Ayedatiwa deserves kudos in the area of infrastructural provision, healthcare delivery, agriculture, education, social services, workers’ welfare, and security, among others. Since we know him not to take unilateral decisions, but always carry his people along in whatever actions he takes, I will say that he is going to solidify APC in Ondo State. Generally, his administration has been so peaceful and acceptable to the people of Ondo State.
What is your impression of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?
Just like Governor Ayedatiwa, President Bola Tinubu too is also performing. President of the World Trade Organization and former finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy in Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, commended President Tinubu by saying that the economy of Nigeria is now stable. For example, the targeted internally generated revenue for this year 2025 has already been met in August this year.
The fuel subsidy that he removed has started yielding positive results in the country. Its dividends are now being used for the development of infrastructure and the improvement of agriculture as well as the provision of student loans in institutions across Nigeria.
Kudos should also be given to President Tinubu for the increment in the states’ and local governments’ monthly allocations, which has made the dividend of democracy trickle down to every home in Nigeria. He has also done well in attracting foreign investment to Nigeria so as to further boost our economy.
So, generally, I will say that the future is brighter, and we must trust and support Tinubu to sustain the tempo.