SENATORIAL SEAT: WHY I AM CONTESTING AGAINST IBIKUNLE AMOSUN, TITI OSENI-GOMEZ

The Nursed turned politician who is contesting alongside with the incumbent Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and former Ogun State Speaker of House of Assembly, Titi Oseni-Gomez in the  Ogun Central Senatorial District said she was optimistic of winning the election

Penpushing further reports that, the candidate who is presently studying at the Grand Canyon University Arizona, USA for her MSN said, ‘I have always had passion for everything Nigerian, even while I lived abroad, in America, to be precise’.

‘It may interest you to know that I moved back home in 2013 after being away for 15 years. All these while, I have always had good intentions for my people. I must tell you that each time I visit Nigeria; I behold sights that draw tears from my eyes. I literally cry. One thing is always obvious on the faces of the people once you stepped out of the airport; unhappiness, despondency including a feeling of hopelessness, helplessness and fear of the unknown’.

‘The reason is not far-fetched. It is hinged on the dicey situation of the country. I see a lot of people toiling endlessly to make an imaginary living to no avail. All these things combined make me react, and some termed me an activist.

‘I became more vocal after President Muhammadu Buhari alluded to Nigerian youths as “lazy”. I had considered myself and other Nigerians in the Diaspora, knowing we not lazy but some of the most educated people in the world. It was then one of my friends called me and said “we need you in Nigeria. You need to come”.

‘This call took me by surprise, but I made up my mind to heed it thinking someone was considering for Special Adviser position or something in that neighbourhood. She shocked my marrows when she proposed that I run for the Senate seat. It didn’t make any sense to me, and so my first response was ‘no’ because Nigerian politics is quite different from what is practiced in America’.

The woman politician said, after deep thought, she decided to give it a shot knowing that this is another way she can further extend help to her people and she has always been helping people as a registered nurse for over  15 years.

‘I am running to represent Ogun Central, comprising six local governments – Owode, Egba, Ifo, Ewekoro, Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South and Odeda local governments. I am contesting under the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN).That was the first thing that got to me when I was asked to represent Ogun Central under GPN. I thought about it and said to myself that it cannot be done’.

‘But coming to consider the realities on ground, you will understand that the man we are talking was once a Senator and presently a governor. On both occasions, we know what happened. I keep telling my people that if you want a different result, you have to try a different thing. He’s been tested and tried and he has done the best he can, but we really need to move forward. We need to do something new to get a better result’.

‘I have outlined constant town hall meetings where I will personally meet with my people and feel their vibration. We need to have town hall meetings so that the people can constantly communicate with the person representing them’.

‘We will empower our youths. This is a must. Also, our women must be taken care of. I have been involved in service to humanity and this is what I have been doing for most of my adult life – helping people. I believe everything we own will be gone when we are gone, so why hold on to them’.

‘Again, I believe Nigeria’s greatest assets, are the youths, not even crude oil. Most of them do not know what to do and so they experiment with all kinds of drugs all in a bid to take their minds off their problems. My plan is to get vocational schools for them, where they can learn to be independent through making soaps, clothes, engage in carpentry works as well as computer training’.

‘We are going to set up a lot of programmes like that across the six local governments. We will thereafter, get professionals. At graduation, we will to equip them with those things they to need to function. I will do all within my powers to get the children off the streets. I believe that we can still work with some of the schools we have presently to ensure that the children learn in a comfortable environment furnished with computers, with no leaking ceilings’.

‘Moreover, we can actually build libraries for communities to access with unlimited internet and books to read. I love hardworking women, especially the ones in the market, and I am going to see that they are well empowered. I don’t believe any woman should sit at home, waiting for and on their husbands. We create adult education centres so that the elderly can read, understand and write’.