The Oyo state Commissioner for Local government and Chieftaincy Matters and a senatorial aspirant under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bimbo Kolade, has said that it’s good for political office holders to be registered in the hearts of the people than to be registered on billboards.
Kolade said this on Tuesday in an exclusive interview with insideOYO.com in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The Fiditi-born graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife said “I’m somebody that really don’t like publicising what have done for people. I consider it, first of all, the grace that you have is not you, it is God that has given you the grace. But in politics, people will say this principle of whatever the right hand has done, you must not let the left know is not applicable.”
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“I always tell people that whatever one has done either for individual or community has been one’s contribution. Each time this comes to me what I normally say is that all politicians that have registered themselves not in the heart people but on the billboard will be easily forgotten.”
“The politicians of the past registered their good works in the heart of the people. People still hear about their good work. While those otherwise have gone”
When asked why does he wants to represent Oyo central senatorial district in the National Assembly. The former Commissioner for Agriculture remarked that his passion to continue contributing to the development in his area made him join the race again.
He said: “The passion to continue contributing my own little quota to the people of my area that’s what makes me decide to run again for the senatorial seat of Oyo central senatorial district.”
When asked about what he will be bringing new to people of his senatorial district considering the fact that the district has had quite a number of representations in the past.
He said “If you look at Oyo central senatorial district, it’s mainly semi-urban and rural. It has five local government in Ibadan, four in Oyo and two from Ogbomoso area. Having identified this, our main focus is helping the economy of the areas through their system, that is, their domain. Then, engaging in youth empowerment and human capital development. So that the people that are there can benefit. We have plans to see how we can encourage our youth to embrace Agriculture”
“We will also draw the attention of the Federal government to the potentials and endowments in our senatorial district. And God has given the opportunity to be able to showcase this while serving as commissioners.
“There are other existing potentials in our area that we need to bring the federal government intervention into that will bring succour to the constituents. Sometimes ago, the federal government talked about establishing a dry sea-port in Erumu, till now nobody is talking about it. Surprisingly not long ago, I read that 13 trailers carrying containers got missing travelling to Kaduna from Lagos. They were transporting those containers to Kaduna dry port that government has just established.
“Erumu is just about 2 or 3hours drive to Lagos considering the heavy-duty vehicles. So if the federal government can fix the dry container port in Erumu, the area will be developed and this will provide jobs for people of Oyo central senatorial district. So, if elected, we will make enough contact to push this project to see the completion of this project”
“Another thing we will be doing is the airport. Among one of the things that make Oyo state be regarded as Pacesetter is the airport. Today, it’s still the only airport that remains the same. Every other airports that was constructed to take care of regional arrangements has been upgraded to an international airport.”
“With this two projects alone, the economy of Oyo central senatorial district will change. We will also look at infrastructure and other areas as well. We won’t only call attention. We will push through till something we want happens.”
Bimbo Kolade, who hails from Afijio local government in the Oyo central senatorial district concluded by listing some of his salient achievements in the three ministries he has served and the one he occupies within the last 7 almost 8years.
“I thank God for the opportunity given to me to serve. I have served in four different ministries – Works; Agriculture; Lands, Housing and Survey; Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters. In the Ministry of Agriculture, I established the Oyo State Agriculture Information System which centres on data in the ministry. This has helped us as a state in numerous ways.
“Also, I did Oyo State Agriculture Investors Paper which enables people to get whatever they need to know about Oyo state agriculture. This has fetched the state investors. I also brought about the idea of establishing Silos in each senatorial district.”
“In Lands and housing, I developed a brochure on how can we bring in partners. Which has helped us in making judicious use of some government Quarters.”
“In the Ministry of Works, to the glory of God, before the 2015 election, we were able to complete the projects people thought we won’t complete. Apete bridge became one of the most challenging things for us that time. Also, majority of works that were sluggish towards completion were supervised and completed with the best standard”
“In Ministry of Local Government and chieftaincy matters, there is no administration in the history of Oyo state that has elevated and crowned more kings than this administration”
“Also, the creation of Local Council Development Area (LCDA) is also an achievement for me at the ministry. The conduct of primary election is another thing I need to mention”
