A former Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has revealed why he wants to contest for the governorship seat in Oyo state in 2019.
Adelabu revealed that his recent resignation from the nation’s apex bank as a personal sacrifice for Oyo state.
Adelabu, who was in charge of operations till his recent disengagement, is one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State for the forthcoming election.
He had served at different times as deputy governor in charge of Financial System Stability (FSS) and Corporate Services (CS) before his last position as the deputy governor in charge of operations.
Adebayo, 48, is the grandson of the late Ibadan prominent politician and Nigeria’s one time Minister of Natural Resources and Social Services, and later the opposition leader in the Western Regional Assembly, Chief Adegoke Adelabu, otherwise known as “Penkelemesi”.
Speaking at a public function to mark this year’s June 12 anniversary celebration, the Informant reports that Adelabu explained that his entrant into active politics was not for personal or selfish purpose, but to offer quality service that will enhance the living standard of the masses in the pacesetters state, which he tagged “live and let live”.
“No sacrifice is too much. I have just dumped my job as the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, not because I am old; not because I am tired; not because I cannot continue, the few years I spent, the president commended me for it. But no sacrifice is too much for one’s state”.
“Whether you ride G Wagon, Range Rover, Benz or Lexus, you live in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Jericho or iyaganku, we don’t care, so far we can afford the basics, give us the basics – security, good education, affordable housing , basic healthcare, and food. That’s the primary function of government. There’s no country in this world that provides more than that and that is what the masses want, after that you can enjoy your luxury.”
“But If you don’t provide these basic things that has to do with sustenance of life, provision of decent living for the people, you will never rest. They will continue to attack, they will continue to abuse you, they will continue to embarrass you” he added.
Chief Adelabu, who noted that many technocrats in politics have been redundant, apathetic and ignorant of democracy and politics around, also said being an active player in politics would drive his ideology of live and let live.
“We should all be active players in this new dispensation of democracy. We should no longer leave our fate in the hands of the wicked. We should take our lives into our hands, we should be the architects of our own fortune. So, it is either you are an active aspirant or politician or you are an active party member, or a responsible electorate and exercise your franchise”.
