There is no doubt, in recent times, the 2023 election is remarkable for having a large turnout of youth engagement.
The Nigerian 2023 general elections into various offices in all the 36 states including the presidency are being contested by 18 political parties and politicians from different backgrounds.
Ogunwatch speaks to Ismaeel Oladare Ogunsola, who is a member of AAC party and a candidate of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Ismael mentioned that amongst many of his revolutionary plans was to place politicians and civil servants on an equal scale of wage. Find out how he plans to achieve that in this session.
How has your experience been so far?
It has been an experience so far, albeit stressful and draining.
I mean the joy of listening to my people, orhers in the community as taught by Marcus Garvey, I consciously don’t dwell on the challenges as it’s a learning process for me to organize better for greater victory in our struggle for motherland.
As a member of AAC, a party which prides to be different from the status quo party, how do you view your chances of winning your constituency?
Mathematically, it’s a 70 percent chance,
To put it in a better perspective is to say that, the odds are stacked against us as we do not have the financial muscle of other parties and since they have made election transactional over the years, changing the status quo means changing this narrative, hence we have double work to do but we are resolute, this resilience will bring us victory at the polls.
In the past days discussion on l vote buying has arisen, do you have comments on that?
Vote buying is not a new phenomenon. That is part of what I meant when I talked about transactional politics earlier.
We (AAC) are working hard to change that narrative via mass education and the conscientization of the people.
Who is to blame for vote buying?
The ruling class, they design this. Via weaponization of poverty and literacy .
As a matter of fact any problems, shortcomings and bad bad things wey dey happen for this country and by extension, motherland, we must always blame the ruling elite.
Don’t you think you need a spouse if you emerge?
Spouse?
What does that have to do with my performance in the office?
That is a personal decision if I want or not….it doesn’t affect my office nor my performance therein.
What would be your first move in office?
I already made my first move by securing a land we proposed using for the institute we planned to build.
The second move will be to lobby some of my colleagues to support my first bill which is one of the revolutionary ideas we are bringing. It is unpopular.
What is the overview of your first bill?
A bill to put government officials and workers on the same living wage in Oyo state.
It is part of our several bills to grow IGR by 1000 per cent and it will also expose govt officials who are truly for the people.
Do you think this will not result in backlash from politicians?
Most of our bills will face not just backlash but resistance from the ruling class, but with the people behind us, we can make it happen.
So how do you plan to rally the people behind you, such that you will be empowered to puss these bills through?
We are already conscientizing them so they understand how these ideas are unorthodox and pro-people.
Make a comment on the new Naira issue.
We have posited months ago that the Naira redesign is not development motivated, and just as always, time has proven us right again.
As a former banker myself, I do know for a fact that
1: The deposit money banks do not have enough of the new notes has claimed by the CBN governor.
2: The larger percent of the cash that the banks have, is for the bank owners’ use, who are mostly the politicians, hence the argument that the policy will prevent vote buying is invalid.
Lastly, you all will recall that we (AAC) have been advocating for the sack of the CBN governor Godwin Emefiele since January 2022, for being partisan and using the apex bank as a political tool, now that the Nigerian people have confirmed yet again that we are always right, it is time they all go out there and vote for our party in the coming elections so we can correct all these anomalies once and for all.
