House of Representatives candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, Lagos, Pastor Mrs. Dayo Akin-Taylor Ekong, has alleged that many of the governors defected to the ruling party to avoid going to prison. In an interview with VINCENT KALU, she spoke on other issues.

What are your expectations of the 2027 elections?

I’m hoping that it will be a credible and violence-free election. I’m really concerned about that because of what happened during the 2023 election. We’re hoping that politics should not be such that it wastes people’s lives, and steal people’s mandate. If you do well to the people or you have led the people in such a way that you are seen as leaders, not as oppressors, people will come out to vote for you. Everyone should be able to come out to vote for who they prefer. To vote for the people that they think can lead them rightly.

In Nigeria, things are just upside down right now, and the likes of me have come out to change the trajectory because I believe in a people-based government, where everybody matters. So, I’m hoping that it will be a fair, free election so that the electorate would go out there and speak; their votes should speak for who they really want. So, these are the things we are looking at.

For once, in this country, Nigerians are seeing the need for change. We are ready for a good government. We are ready for people who can lead the citizens in such a way that will be acceptable by all.

We are living in fear right now because of the gross insecurity in this country; the country is in a state that people actually live in fear. It’s not only about the north anymore; it’s down here in the south. We want a situation where children can go out from their homes to school and they are safe. We want a safer country. We want a country where the masses would feel belonged.

So, all these are the things that I have put into consideration, and I want to actually bring about change, starting from my constituency, Eti-Osa, which is very important in Lagos, because it’s the commercial centre of the state. Almost everything is here – the banks, the commercial offices, refinery, etc.

So, we are hoping that there would be a better election, which will be credible, free and fair this time around.

You were the chairman of the Labour Party in Lagos State in 2023 when the party defeated the ruling APC in the presidential election. What was the magic behind that?

The magic, to be honest with you, is the people. To me, the people were desirous of change at all costs, irrespective of where they came from, without any tribal sentiments.

And when you also have a leader that knows what he’s doing, a leader of integrity, and a leader that can lead rightly. Under my leadership, we tried our best to make sure that things were put in the proper perspective. The people who were desirous of change were encouraged to do the right thing. You saw what happened at the coalition centres, where a lot of our votes were stolen.

I fought as a leader, with all my team in place, because we monitored everything. We did not just sit back and waited for Manna to drop from heaven. Everything you saw during the 2023 election was a collective responsibility by the whole of Lagosians.

Do you see it happening again in 2027?

Definitely! It will not be different, because the people are more anxious now than they were in 2023. A lot of things are wrong and are going wrong on a daily basis in this country. I’m a grassroots person; I feel the pulse of the people, and from my own investigation and talking to them; everybody is tired. Nigerians deserve better. No matter what people are saying, this is not life. You know, in the 70s, and even late 80s, when I was growing up in Obalende, my family, the late Chief Akin Taylor, an indigenous engineer in this country, was supporting Nigerians, and in Lagos, he did a lot. I remember those days in Obalende, you could go to sleep with your doors open and nothing would happen to you. Go and try it now. Even when people claim that it’s a safe area, you see that it’s not the same. Even when you are walking on the road, you are walking on eggshells, because you don’t know what will happen in the next minutes; you don’t know how secured you are, you don’t know whether kidnappers are behind you or in front of you. It’s terrible. Added to this insecurity, is an excruciating hunger in the land. A lot of people are suffering right now.

In Eti-Osa, where I am the flag-bearer of the NDC for the House of Representatives election, during the rainy season, so many times, people have to abandon their meetings and cancel their engagements because of flooding.

Because of the kind of money being made in Eti-Osa, people shouldn’t be experiencing what they are going through right now. And what are the things that needed to do, which I’m sure would be properly done are: The drainage system is very, very key, because when all the channels for the water flow and every other thing are blocked, what you get is what you see; and everywhere being flooded.

The ruling party has 31 state governors, almost 90 per cent of members of the National Assembly, as well as the state assemblies. Do you think that any party has that muscle to uproot APC in 2027?

One thing I can tell you for sure is that the party they are afraid of right now is the NDC, which is the main opposition in this country; the main opposition party to turn and change the trajectory right now.

Why do you think they have 90 per cent of governors? It is because a lot of them are afraid of being sent to prison. A lot of them allegedly have skeletons in their wardrobes. A lot of them have not done the right thing. A lot of them have allegedly embezzled the people’s funds.

And they think the way out is to attach themselves to the ruling party. I want to see how long that will last. One thing I want to tell you for sure is that Nigerians are wiser.

The youths are not resting on their oars to make sure that the right things are done. You saw when Very Dark Man came out. The truth of the matter is that children are being kidnapped on a daily basis.

Their priority should be to ensure that the aspect of security for the human life is kept in such a way that people will not be afraid to send their children to school, neither should people be afraid of leaving their homes for work and back. But are their priorities in the proper perspective? That is a question for you and me to answer. If you are able to do things right, I see no reason why people shouldn’t be confident, irrespective of the party. But one thing I want to tell you is that it is not going to be about party this time around.

A lot of people are going to vote based on the person that is coming out; based on that person’s antecedent and capability and capacity. You will see what will happen.

Money will fail them this time around. They have the money; we don’t have the money to fight anybody. But one thing I’m sure of, just like 2023, we didn’t have money, but we had a good will of the people that were demanding for change, and they made sure that at all costs, that change, especially in Lagos State happened, and it will happen again by His grace.

What are you going to do differently at the National Assembly?

As a parliamentarian, representing the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, I will initiate and make the right laws and do everything that will enhance the constituency; that will help the community. That is a priority. Being a people-based person, the need of my constituency is going to be paramount.

Eti-Osa has been neglected. Yes, we have all the commercial offices here. But what are they really putting into developing the place? What are they putting into it? How are they helping? It will blow your mind that, in Eti-Osa, you don’t even have good clinic that people can just go? Two days ago, I sent somebody to the local government clinics. I was shocked. Number one, they didn’t even have drugs in the clinic. So, if you have an emergency; where somebody is dying and you take the person there, he or she would die there. The lady I sent there was asked to go and buy paracetamol and Lexotan. When we were growing up, you could go to the health centre and you’d be well taken care of.

I think we have to look into that. We have to look into the aspect of infrastructure. And one main thing for me is the educational facility for our children and youth. A lot has to be done in terms of that. Another thing is maternal health care – mother and child.

When I was the chairman of the Labour Party in Lagos, we’ve had issues where a lot of mother and children died as a result of poor health facilities. This is very sad. We have a lot of youth, who are wasting their lives. Instead of helping them to grow so that they will be responsible citizens that can contribute meaningfully to the development of Lagos State as a whole, but none of these things is done. People leave school and have nothing to do.

The other day, somebody was telling me he left school a few years ago, with a first class and is still looking for a job. He’s a child of a nobody. But one thing these people who are in power have forgotten is the fact that a lot of them were from humble backgrounds. And you had expected that people from humble backgrounds will be more passionate about the masses, but it’s so unfortunate that the story is not so. We are going to change the whole thing.

There’s something I want to say at this point. It’s wrong to just bring in contractors from nowhere; who have no attachment, no obligation, no appreciation to any constituency, to execute projects. There is community development. I was talking to some people and I told them once I am there, everybody will be involved because you that they know in the community will also be responsible for the development of that community. It’s not going to be business as usual. For anybody to be given any opportunity to serve the community, it is a responsibility. I’m coming to serve. I’m not coming for accolades or become ‘Honourable.’ All those things mean nothing to me.

The International Monetary Fund has revealed that about N8.8 trillion was spent outside the budget. What is your view on this?

The truth of the matter is that the National Assembly as it is today, is compromised. A lot of them have their hands soiled and cannot come out to say no when they are supposed to say so; and say yes when they are supposed to say so.

It’s sad. It’s just that some of them are there for their stomach infrastructure. People think they can live forever, but at the end of the day, it is six feet below the ground that will end everybody. People have no fear of God. If you are going there, I’m not saying the place should not benefit you. We need a leader that is more sympathetic. That is the truth. I’m telling you when you have leaders that have fear of God, and more sympathetic to the people, things will get better.

What do you expect the president to do over the alleged fictitious Presidential Economic Advisory Council?

The president knows the right thing to do. That’s the truth, but it’s sad, if he is blind to do the right thing. They all should be brought to book, but unfortunately, if you look at some of these things, they are being sponsored by the government. We are in a situation where the rule of law should really prevail, and not that people should be in the pockets of government. If we have judges, lawyers, police, etc, and everyone is responsible enough, and dedicated to discharge their duties without fear of favour, Nigeria would be a better country. These people should be brought to book. We cannot continue to cover all these ills and evils that have plagued our society. Enough is enough. (The Sun)

Update news