Segun Oluboyede, a native of Are- Ekiti in Irepodun local government area of Ekiti, is the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Belgium chapter. In this interview with Jamiu Yisa, he speaks on the chances of his party in the forthcoming general elections

What brough you home from Belgium?

I have been a politician as far back as 1978. That was during the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN days. I started as a staunch member of the UPN. I was a secondary school teacher then in Ado-Ekiti. After the UPN era, I joined the Social Democratic Party, SDP. I was active politically during the late Sanni Abacha’s regime when we were having five political parties which were then referred to as the five fingers of a leprous hand (because all of them were working towards installing Abacha as a civilian president). There was also a time we had zero party. There was no political party at all. Election then was based on personality. During this period, I was disqualified from contesting because they labelled me as a NADECO member.

After the exit of Abacha, Abubakar Abdulsalam came. That was the beginning of another political process in Nigeria. I pitched my tenth with the Alliance for Democracy, AD, and my party won the Ekiti State governorship election under Niyi Adebayo. Fayose defeated Adebayo in 2003 in another election and that was when I left Nigeria for Belgium.

•Segun Oluboyede

What was responsible for the formation of the Belgium chapter of the APC?

It was formed because people of like minds always come together. Even though we were not in Nigeria, we never lost touch with what was happening at home. Therefore, we decided that we should come together and we forwarded our application to the APC headquarter in Abuja and we were registered. That was last year.

Was it formed because you have political ambitious?

No. Once a politician is always a politician. It is in my blood. I won’t feel fulfilled if I don’t practice politics. Even though I have been in Belgium for so many years, it was my being a politician that got me my papers. I went there and applied for political asylum. I was interviewed and I told them I’m a member of AD and so on. That was how I was able to get my papers. Now that I can move freely anywhere in the world, I felt like why can’t I come home and participate in the affairs of my country? That was what brought me back to Nigeria.

In the United States of America, People in the diasporal were allowed to vote unlike in Nigeria. How would you react to this?

In fact we have been complaining about it for quite a long time now. We are looking forward to a day when Nigerians in any part of the world will be able to vote during elections. That will be my greatest joy.

What efforts have you put in place to ensure that it comes to fruition?

We have made representation to the federal government and we have even sent somebody to the National Assembly in respect of it but we are yet to receive any feedback. At a time, President Goodluck Jonathan talked about it, that Nigerians in the diasporal would be allowed to vote, unfortunately, nothing has been done about it.

This is an election period, are you not afraid that money bags could hijack the APC Belgium from you?

No. Every member of the chapter is comfortable therefore, there is no question of anybody hijacking it or not. We regards ourselves as being equal. So on what basis would anybody want to hijack it?

What is your take on President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid?

What has he got to offer again? He has been there for the past six years. Has there been any positive change? Factories are closing down, transportation system is in shambles and security is nothing to write home about. So what has he got to offer Nigerians? Nothing!

I have been around since June last year and I have had the opportunity of moving round the country. If you know what the people are saying! They are fed up. This time, change is inevitable. Come February 14, the people of Nigeria will be singing a new song.

But Jonathan pledged to make amends if re-elected. Thus, his admirers think he should give him another chance…

Once bitten twice shy. What are his pedigrees? He was the governor of Bayelsa State, what did he do when he was in power there? So Nigerians are no fools, they are tired of the situation. Can the people go through another four years of this? No. People are not ready.

What is the your basic assessment of President Jonathan’s administration?

He has failed woefully. Can you point to any of his achievements? Just tell me one thing that he did.

The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway…

Have they finished it? The road that is still under construction and we don’t even know if they have paid the contractor.

They said they have recorded tremendous achievement in the area of agriculture?

All those things are on the pages of newspapers. Farming is supposed to be done all through the year. Not during rainy or dry seasons. There is a machine called Tredo machine. It is good for irrigation and it doesn’t need any expertise at all. All you need do is to dig the ground, put the pump inside it and it will be operated manually. It doesn’t need electricity to work. Adeshina said there is tremendous improvement in Agriculture but I disagree.

Is there anything special that your party is bringing to the table?

Just wait and see. We have a blueprint where all our programmes are highlighted.

How is the APC going to achieve all that it promised to do?

It is by putting the right people in the right positions. APC is a conglomeration of people with creative ideas. It is a collection of good materials from other political parties. Just give us a year and you will see the difference.

But your party now consists of some PDP members which it has earlier labelled failure?

The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo once said that there will be a time when people from the North, South, West and the East, people of like minds, would come together and forge a new direction for this country. And this is the time.

From your own point of view, what pattern do you think the coming general elections would take?

APC will sweep PDP out of power. APC is the drug to cure the headache of this country. APC is the cure for the problems Jonathan and his cohorts have put us in Nigeria. APC is here to rescue the nation.