By Denrele Animasaun

“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself… Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” Nelson Mandela

Election day has been postponed we are told as there are concerns of insecurity and safety of voters. That is the official story and whether we believe it or not, they are sticking to this official line.  So now when Election Day approaches, Nigerian lives matter!  Pull the other one, I say, Nigerians will have their say whatever time it is.  The subterfuge is transparent and to some they had seen it coming. So though it came as a surprise to many, it seems that some had expected that the government was going to but spanners in to the works.

The decision to postpone it was widely viewed as the Independent National Electoral  Commission (INEC) yielding to pressure by the PDP, which the opposition said feared it could lose. Nigeria’s electoral commission said it postponed the February 14 elections to March 28, after security chiefs told INEC that it could not guarantee security owing to operations to combat Boko Haram. Buhari said; “It is important to note that although INEC acted within its constitutional powers, it is clear that it has been boxed into a situation where it has had to bow to pressure,” and “What they (security forces) cannot do in 6 years, they cannot do in 6 weeks.”.

Yes, I agree, it will take a miracle and it is a little too late to show concern after thousands have been killed and million displaced. This is so disingenuous of them to use their mitigating ineptitude to postpone the election. There has been international concerns too, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington “was deeply disappointed by the postponement and criticized “political interference” in the election process and that America was “deeply disappointed” by the decision, it is critical that the government do not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process. The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates.”

And Philip Hammond, Britain’s foreign secretary echoed similar; “The security situation should not be used as a reason to deny the Nigerian people from exercising their democratic rights. It is vital that the elections are kept on track and held as soon as possible.”  Yes, I do agree with them but, it is not what anyone of these people say that matters, it is more important how Nigerians feel.

Some may say, that this postponement is an act of desperation and, with the excuse they felt INEC came up with it just really a bit frustrating. Nothing is ever what it is in Nigeria and I do believe that we have a way of sabotaging what does not favour us, this time is no different.
Yes, it is disappointing that it is what it is February 14 is no longer the case. The postponement may not be in everybody’s favour but, it does not mean the country should descend to chaos and disintegration.  No, let the votes do the talking.  Muhammadu Buhari is right to ask for calm and cautioned the aggrieved masses against any violence following the election postponement and that “any act of violence can only complicate the security challenges in the country and provide further justification to those who would want to exploit every situation to frustrate the democratic process,” that the postponement; “was engineered by the ruling People’s Democratic Party”.

And Buhari went on to say that the presidential and state level elections on March 28 and April 11″ must now be sacrosanct and that the party would not tolerate any further interference in the vote”. The campaigning between the APC and PDP has fired up people up and down the country (well, except, South East). This election has been billed and anticipated to be one of the tightly contested since 1999. No one can deny that change has to come to Nigeria now more than ever.

Ajimobi, son of the soil

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ? Barack Obama

Let me start by saying, this is not a party political. For those that think it is, then it is your prerogative. I do have a vested interest in Oyo State as I spent my formative years there. It was then a sleepy place, not as manic as Lagos and it had a charm that is lacking in some other states. My  mother comes from Oyo State, Ibadan to be exact and although, I keep telling her  that she is  married to an Egba man  for over fifty years, so that makes her an honorary Egba woman. She disagrees. So she is a daughter of Ibadan through and through.  When I was younger, I so look forward to spending our holidays with my grandmother in Ibadan. So the state holds very fond memories.

Sentimentality aside, it is important to embrace when something works in Nigeria and when people are making strides to make a positive change for the better. So for that reason, what happens in Oyo State has always been of interest to me. What the Governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi has done has been remarkable. The transformation and leadership should be applauded. He cleared the pension arrears and paid 142 per cent increase pension arrears. He increased that employment of teachers and 20,000 youths under the Youth Empowerment Scheme of Oyo State (YES-O).

He has set a trend that should continue like cleaning the environment, beautification of roads and green spaces, introducing Thursdays for environmental sanitation in the state, providing waste bins for refuse disposal and  placed at planned locations in the state capital in Ibadan,  the urban renewal project, highways ,roads, building of a modern market area and the Agodi Gardens.

He is smart and savvy, his campaign is sleek and he does not patronise the people. Oyo people are known to speak their mind anyway, so if they don’t like you, you will be the first to know. He has transformed a once sleepy state into a safe and prosperous place that now attracts investors and a place where people want to live and work in. Crime and kidnapping has gone down, he has invested in the security of the place, kitting out the police and emergency teams with up to date equipment and vehicles to do their jobs effectively.

Oyo State people are a proud lot and they are also not afraid to tell it as it is. They do not suffer fools gladly and he knows it. He knows that Stomach infrastructure is basic and but a necessary  start, that the key to success is investing in people and business, paying civil servants get a living wage, good health care, good schools and higher learning. His administration now offers free transportation for workers and students.

Although, he inherited numerous mismanagement when he assumed office and he was able to clear the mess and start afresh putting the stamp of his type of leadership. And didn’t he do well? The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Civil servants, rotation of chairmanship of council of Obas, and a calming effect on the dissent in the ranks, he attempted and tried to bring fractious parties together.
People have commented that they feel safer under his administration and that is why the governor is nicknamed Mr Peace.
Governor Ajimobi said it was during his administration that citizens now sleep with the “two eyes closed” because of the pervading peace and security.
The governor of Oyo state, Abiola Ajimobi has been busy, very busy and the people of Oyo state have been out in force to show their support and determination that he deserves a second term. There is a feel good feeling in Oyo State that has been lacking for decades and it seems that the state has indeed got their mojo back.

Governor Ajimobi definitely deserves a second term and the trend setter state deserves a further run of stability and renewal. I have been told that Oyo state is a state where no governor has ever served two terms consecutively. It is about time the people of Oyo State changed that. Seriously, it is a no brainer; Ajimobi has transformed the state, improved the standard of living of majority of the people, united fractions and brought pride to the state with innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.