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OYO PDP Chieftain, HAZEEM GBOLARUNMI
The name Hon. Hazeem Gbolarumi is a big one in Oyo PDP. He is a founding member. He has been a member from inception, and he rose through the ranks to become the Deputy Governor of Oyo State a few years back.
Right now, Oyo PDP is divided. There is the Wike Group. There is also the Seyi Makinde group. Gbolarumi belongs to the Wike Group. And he has joined others in calling for reconciliation. He feels the other faction should join hands with his own group, which he calls the winning team.
Last Wednesday, City People spent some time with him at his Ibadan home and he revealed a lot about the situation of things with the party.
Below are excerpts of the interview.
You have been the leader of your faction of Oyo PDP for quite a while now.
How easy has it been leading and mobilising your people?
The way I look at it, I’m a grassrooter. I don’t know how to play national politics like others. But when it comes to grassroot politics, it is so much easy for me.
Of course Politics the way we play it might be different. But as far as I’m concerned, I know how to control my people. I have my structure in place and I’ve been maintaining the structure for years.
And they are my people, my people love me. I love them too.
Let me take you back a bit. At what point did you join politics?
I just have passion for politics anyway. Maybe it was Baba Awolowo ideology that prompted me to join politics.
I contested. Then, I was a Youth leader.
That era went. And the era of SDP/NRC came. I think there were some other political parties, which were eventually proscribed.
I followed. And along the line, we had SDP/NRC, I contested with Lam Adesina, where I eventually became, the State Secretary, Oyo State Secretary of SDP.
It’s unbelievable. Uncle Lam just came out at the field, that I am withdrawing for Gbolarunmi.
He said he has no reason to contest such a position, because of the love Governor Lam had for me.
So, I eventually won, as the Secretary of State. They then, a proscribed SDP. Later, Osun was eventually carved away from Oyo State.
I still became the Secretary of the party. Along the line, maybe before then, yes, before then, I became the Secretary of Ibadan Municipal Government.
During this Zero Party era, I was the last Secretary of the Municipal Government, before it was split into 5 local governments. Since then, I’ve been in the forefront of political parties.
When you became Deputy Governor, how was it?
It was unbelievable anyway, because I wasn’t even informed.
Nobody told me before hand. I only believe I can do it. So, I think some of the leaders just met. And said this is a guy who has been committed to what we have been doing.
And he is loyal. I was then with Chief Adedibu.
Some people might be saying may be, it was Baba’s decision. No it wasn’t. It was a collective idea but led by Chief Adedibu. And the people know that, oh, this is Adedibu’s boy.
So, I was just called to be the Deputy Governor. I said, Wow.
What is happening? Nobody told me. So, I’m being prepared, just like that.
I wasn’t fully informed. I was not even, nobody told me.
When we came in a few minutes ago, I was telling my colleagues that sitting here reminds me of Baba in those days. How he would meet with people, how he would go to the courtyard and all that…
How easy has it been also sustaining such a routine of meeting people almost every day?
It is not difficult. I find it very easy. I live a life of grassroot. I find it very easy.
The reason is I’m used to it. The only period I’ve missed them was when I was at the Law School in Lagos.
Because at that time, that period was very tedious. So, I just said look oo. I will do this. Because I’ve decided to become a lawyer.
So, I don’t regret. I just have to do it. For that good one year, I didn’t even come home, believe because I’ve been fully informed that the Law School is not a thing that you can joke with it. So, you just have to face its squarely . When I was in the university, it was still easier because I come home every day.
So, I see my people. We talk. We discuss.
We play as so on and so forth. Because I so much enjoy it.
I enjoy it.
Do you think it’s still possible for the PDP members who have left to come together?
Definitely. We have been coming together because you know. It is a matter of time.
You know it’s a bit difficult to have a wound and for it to heal in time.
You cannot say you have a wound, so, you are expecting to get it healed immediately.
So, it takes time. Because you have to apply rub. Sometimes you have to apply injection, medication and some other thing, before you can be okay. So, thank God. Everything will be okay. I’m sure of that. Very, very sure. You can now see.
People have been coming in. See outside there members of Accord Party, have been coming to join us.
Because you can see some of these people here, they are all members of Accord. They were all members of PDP before.
Some of these PDP members went to Accord. Some went to ADC.
Some people even went to APC, because of the problem they are having within the party. But now, I think it’s time.
They are all coming back.
