Senator Babajide omoworare was a two-term member of the nigerian Senate. He’s a former Chief within the Lagos State Home of meeting. the
former lawmaker, an indigene of ile-ife in osun State is among the over 12 political icons bidding for the ticket of the all progressives Congress forward
of the august 8, 2026 governorship election within the state. omoworare, a lawyer, just lately spoke to journalists on why he desires to manipulate osun, his
relationship with Senator iyiola omisore who can be contesting, amongst different sundry points. TIMOTHY AGBOR was there, he brings
excerpts:
Why are you operating for Osun
governorship?
I’m an epitome of humility and re
sponsibility, I believe I’ve what it takes to
be the governor; I believe I’ve the educa
tion, the expertise, publicity, information
and pedigree. It’s not this appellation that
would make me governor, I do know, however I
didn’t begin yesterday. Politics isn’t a mattress
filled with roses that I simply go to put on it or
sleep; I do know and I say it on a regular basis that
it’s God Almighty that makes a governor
and president. All people will contest,
just one particular person will seat on that exalted
seat.
For me, this factor isn’t a matter of
life and demise. I wish to serve, I wish to
change the narrative of Osun state from
a bureaucratic state; I’m simply utilizing a syn
onym, as a result of it’s known as a civil service
state, however I’ll name it a bureaucratic state
of artisans and professionals and different
white-collar jobbers. We are able to change the
narrative, we don’t have to attend for our
kids or youthful ones to alter it,
we will change it now. We all know what it
takes and we have now what it takes and by
the grace of God, if given the chance,
if the social gathering says I’m the one. Part 84
of the Structure may be very clear, we will
use consensus, direct primaries, oblique
primaries, no matter it’s used; if it’s some
physique else, I’m not leaving the social gathering, I’m
a primary technology South-West Afenifere.
Do you’ve the political expertise to
govern Osun?
I say it on a regular basis, my grandfather
was afenifere,my maternal grandfather
was governor of western area; he was
Afenifere, Motion Group; my father was
a councilor and he was a faculty principal,
he was a part-time councilor, he was full
time faculty principal; I’ve a somewhat lengthy
pedigree and historical past of progressivism in
South-West; I used to be a member of Individuals
Entrance within the College of Ife, now OAU
and I used to be elected in 1999 in Lagos Home
of Meeting underneath AD. I used to be elected in
2003 and likewise a majority chief in Lagos
and in 2007, I got here residence to run for Sen
ate. I’ve contested in AD, ADC, APC
and I’ve this imaginative and prescient and mission to
change the narrative of Osun State.
Authorities enterprise is somewhat the
most severe, and it’s a joint work and ev
erybody is certified to supply themselves to
do it however authorities enterprise is essentially the most
severe enterprise anyone can consider and
I do know that if you happen to put in place stability in
this state, if we modify the funds circle
of the state, if we be sure that mission that
are ongoing as deliberate, we are going to end our
mission in time at value with none delay.
We’ll guarantee that there’s due course of
in public recruitment earlier than the funds is
even achieved; we are going to undergo the physi
cal and strategic {financial} planning which
is often between 1-3 years For the previous 15 years, China has been
operating a 5 12 months ruling plan however for them
to do this, they’ve been planing or not it’s
fore the 5 years. They’ve simply launched
the fifteenth one, making 75 years now. Gov
ernment is just not a joke and it isn’t rocket
science. Elect a clown and anticipate a circus.
This governorship workplace isn’t meant for
clowns. I’ve plans for Osun State. I’ve
seemed on the artwork, inventive leisure,
tourism and agriculture and schooling
and infrastructure.
In any growing and developed
nation, there may be an industrial belt. In Ido
Osun, we have now an airport that’s industrial
belt however we should perceive this idea
and perceive that we’re right here to serve
and on the finish of the day, folks get divi
dend of democracy. If an investor is com
ing to Osun State and the primary place they
go to is the mechanic workshop, he gained’t
go to once more. So, the inter state roads getting
to the capital and state should be good. The
intra state roads should be good too. Going
by Ada to Iree, the roads are unhealthy, I
simply did 11 roads in Ife, inside roads, ex
The intra metropolis roads, township roads are
not good. Rural areas too shouldn’t be
excluded. When you can’t carry items residence,
overlook it, agricultural improvement would
lag behind.
I’ve had the chance of going
to some locations and you’ll drive for 2-3
hours and it’s simply farmland and that’s
what we want within the state and I’m right here
to debate with you and search your sup
actly a 12 months in the past on my birthday; it was
launched. It wasn’t my cash, it was gov
ernment’s however I influenced it, I facilitated
it. I’m not authorities however I facilitated it.
omoworare
port to inform you that I wish to be governor
and to inform you why I wish to be governor.
I pray to God Almighty that I emerge, if
God wills it. I maintain utilizing Atiku (Abuba
kar) for example. Atiku isn’t president
however he has been vice (President) and I’m
not God, solely God grants one’s want of
changing into President or Governor. I hope
and pray to be governor of Osun State.
We’ll do nicely and work to alter the
narrative of Osun State, we are going to end the
airport. That airport was a meteoro
logical heart throughout the 2nd World Warfare
1939-1945; that was the place they airlifted
Nigerians that fought for her majesty
authorities; we are going to end it. Over 4
governments have gone by this air
port, we must always end it as soon as and for all
and never debating.
There may be nothing we will do, capital
have been prolonged, there may be nothing we
can do, it’s the hard-earned cash of the
state, it should be accomplished and put to make use of.
A coaching faculty may be put there too,
Ministry of Aviation and much extra and
the place will perform. We’ve an in depth
plan to run the federal government occupation
ally, that’s the reality of the matter. We’re
technocrats in my social gathering APC. I can iden
tify one thousand and one folks which are
technocrats, attorneys, lecturers, accoun
tants and even journalists; all they want
is somebody that has the political will and
plans that will be applied and
that has capability and competence and
can multi-task. I’ve confidence that
I can do it in my social gathering; we have now a variety of
folks that may serve; some are contest
ing, some usually are not.
Don’t different social gathering have certified contestants?
I believe I’m referring to my social gathering be
trigger I’ve not been a member of any
different social gathering. So, I don’t know if they’ve
the competence however I doubt they do however
I do know my very own social gathering. Most particularly, I
know I’ve the competence. I can run a
good authorities in Osun and I’m of the
view that regardless of the human thoughts can
comprehend, it’s attainable; all we have now
to do is return to the drafting board
and library and don’t overlook that there’s a
nexus between authorities, enterprise and
academia. We’ll develop analysis hub;
it’s completely different from industrial hub; considered one of
the largest ones is in North Carolina and
we are going to get folks to assist us. In Agri
tradition, we might be enormous and we are going to get
assist. If starvation is out of 1’s drawback,
the remaining are menial.
If we will beat meals inflation, I believe it
would beat basic inflation in our state.
I’ve a blue print for this state; I don’t
have the leisure of time to enter particulars
now; I’ve had a coverage paper for a really
very long time. As an academia, we have now to check
whether or not it might work or not and maintain
on researching however past that, we want
political capability and multi-tasking.
When you lose on the primaries, will you
settle for defeat snf assist the winner?
I gained’t lose by the grace of God. I gained’t
lose. It takes greater than that however irrespec
tive of what occurs; if another person
emerges in my social gathering, I’ve mentioned it repeat
edly that I can’t go away the APC. I’ll
assist whoever that emerges.
Why did you solely serve two phrases within the
Senate, had been you defeated?
No. I didn’t lose something. I’ve spent
two phrases in authorities as a senator however
the social gathering needed Famurewa to be the
subsequent senator and the social gathering knowledgeable me
that Ajibola Famurewa had been chosen.
There was no primaries in anyway and
I known as him and mentioned “congratulations, let’s begin working now.” I’ve gained 5
elections. Don’t be deceived, if you happen to see
my CV, it’s very broad. I ran for election
twice in Lagos and I gained. The second time
in Osun, I didn’t hassle to run in any respect. For
another causes, he gained the second
time.
Individuals say you aren’t identified within the
grassroots, how do you react to this?
I used to be born right here in Osun State, notwith
standing any rumours and propaganda
and falsehood, these ones are a part of the
instruments politicians use. Persons are saying
are you grassroot, are you not grassroot?
I’ve gained 5 elections, don’t be de
ceived if you happen to see my CV, you will notice that
I attended this place, I attended that place
and I studied regulation.
My father was principal, Ebenezer Ije
da, Oriade Native Authorities. I used to be born
on the basic hospital in ilesa, I lived in Ife,
my adolescence. I stayed at Ojuogbe
available in the market, that’s the place my father’s
home is, that’s the place I vote. I did prima
ry faculties in Ife, Sijuwade Nursery and
Major Faculty, Secondary Faculty in Ife,
Saint James Secondary Faculty Oke-Atan
and College in Ife. There are only a few
folks that may undergo major, sec ondary, college of their city; no less than,
they may go and do secondary faculty
elsewhere.
The primary time I left ife was to Regulation
Faculty. I used to be known as to bar 35 years in the past,
however, I’m grassroot.
There are completely different departments in poli
tics, there are mental politics, grass
root politics and you might be expert in elevating
funds. So, I’m saying it for the umpteenth
time, if anybody emerges in my social gathering, I’ll
not go to a different social gathering, my wig and robe
are there, I’ll go to courtroom. I’ve a second
handle with each sense of humility.
Do you’ve the {financial} muscle to
contest and win election?
{Financial} muscle has been in govern
ment for some time, I do know it’s a variety of mon
ey to win election and it has been pegged
by Electoral Act and I went to be taught cam
paign elections and tribunals. I learnt it
each at school and in follow, there may be
no one on this world, not in America,
not Cole Palmer, not Trump, Elon Musk
that may single-handedly fund his elec
tion. There’s nobody that has deep pocket
and has funded his or her election, it’s not
achieved. I’ve been round for a while
and I do know there may be no one. When folks are drawing an analogy between you and
elephant as if you are able to do all of it, politics is
whether or not you prefer it or not, politicking is
an artwork.
There are methods you win election and
it’s teamwork, one man can by no means win.
In Osun State at the moment, we have now 3,644
models, there’s a unit two doorways away from
my father’s home the place my household com
pound is – Akodi. I can’t monitor that
unit, there isn’t a politician that may monitor
any unit, there isn’t a politician that may get
sufficient funds, it’s your capability to har
ness the power of your social gathering members
and to recognise their weaknesses and
you make sure that there may be auxiliary.You and Omisore are kinsmen. Each of
you might be Catholics, from Ile-Ife, former
senators. Would you be prepared to
sacrifice your ambition for Omisore as
your elder brother?
In Yorubaland, if you get to a stage,
you permit one thing on your junior
brother. You mentioned I ought to go away one thing
for my senior brother (Omisore), it’s the
senior brother that may go away one thing
for the junior brother. They name it “ajeku”
(leftover meals) however I name it “ajeye” (meals
that one eats and dwell); my brother ought to
do “ajeye” for me. He ought to name me and
say ‘Jide Omoworare, you are able to do it… And
I do know your capability…
“He (Omisore) is aware of my capability.
I used to be my brother’s lawyer at a degree in
time; I was his lawyer within the early
90s, his company lawyer. We don’t battle.
I’m telling you. I am going to his home. He has
congratulated me for my birthday at the moment.
We don’t battle. Politics is just not about battle
ing, politics is about concepts. It’s you (jour
nalist) that may do your article and ask my
brother (Omisore) that I’m in my prime,
the gestation interval that I’ve as a politi
cian is longer. We’ve seen it occur that
if an individual needed to be king, he would
say let my son be. It’s not oral historical past, we
noticed it, we live witnesses. Let my se
nior brother (Omisore) even be Baba Oba
(King’s father).