_*The son of the late strongman of Isapa politics and a political icon in Ekiti-Kwara, Mallam Abolarin Jimoh, who is now representing the Ekiti Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel, tells newsmen that his sojourn in politics was mainly influenced by his late father, who brought him into politics. He also talked about politics, governance and chances of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Kwara’ State, among other issues;*_
_Read excerpts of the interview he had with newsmen in Ilorin below;_
*Q: Tell us about yourself.*
Abolarin: I was born 45-years ago into the family of the most prominent and respected politician in Isapa community in the late 70s up to the early 2000s, late Mallam Abolarin Jimoh and Mrs. Abolarin Florence of Odo-Itan compound, Isapa, in Ekiti Local Government Area.
I started my early education at St. Paul’s LGEA Primary School, Isapa. And I also had my secondary education at Community High School, Isapa.
I had my higher education at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa and Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, where I studied Accounting.
I ventured into private business of buying cocoa produce from farmers. I was into cocoa produce merchandise in Ondo State.
I was into the business of cocoa merchandising until year 2000, when my late dad, Mallam Jimoh Abolarin asked me to come down to my hometown, and he introduced me into politics. The rest is history today.
*Q: How did you adjust from being a cocoa merchant to becoming a politician?*
Abolarin; Actually, at that point, I didn’t totally abandoned my cocoa merchandising work, I was shuttling between Kwara’ State and Ondo state. Don’t forget that as at then, aside the cocoa merchandise, I was also operating a commercial business centre at the heart of Akure, the Ondo state capital.
So, I was left with the option of supervising my staff at the cocoa merchandise store and the business centre. it was not so easy.
There was no how I would have left a thriving business for the obscurity of politics.
Even in Kwara’ state. I established businesses here in Ilorin.
*Q: …but we heard that you were brought from Idanre farm into politics by your former boss.*
Abolarin: It is not true.
With all due respect to my former boss. My boss wouldn’t say he brought me from a farm.
What farm?
There was never a time I engaged in any farming activity. I was a moderately successful cocoa merchant in Ondo State. Infact, I had as much as 5-workers under my payroll as at then in my cocoa merchandise business. I had 3-produce buyers, who would go to farmers to purchase the cocoa beans, a store keeper and a secretary. I was selling directly to foreign companies then.
With all glory to God, I was doing well with my cocoa merchandising as a young man in Ondo state then.
So, my former boss, whom I have so much respect for, could not have claimed that he brought me from a farm. I believed he must have been quoted out of context.
And I have to reiterate it here, my late father brought me from Ondo state into politics in Kwara state.
Infact, the man whom you alleged to have brought me from the farm to politics, remained a political son to my father as at then and until my dad’s death in 2006.
In all sincerity, I leveraged on my father’s political tentacles, to become established as a politician.
My father was one of the topmost leaders of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN in Ekiti-Kwara then in the late 70s to early 80s.
He was so popular in the political terrain in Ekiti Local Government then. I remembered a particular incident in 1983, when the late former governor of the old Kwara’ State, Adamu Attah was having issues with the late Olusola Saraki, both of the National Party’s of Nigeria, NPN. My dad was the leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN in Isapa then.
NPN team from Adamu Attah visited my dad with a gift of a Volkswagen car, to coerce him to support the candidacy of Adamu Attah of the NPN, for the governorship. But my dad with his untainted integrity and respect for party’s ideology, politely rejected the ‘Greek gift’ and mobilised for what became the electoral victory of Chief C.O Adebayo of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN then in Isapa ward.
Also of worth, when the present political dispensation started in 1999, my dad was one of the leaders of the PDP in Ekiti Local Government then, though he was getting aged.
It was in 2000 that he invited me home, to join him in politics, since age was no longer on his side.
He motivated me and introduced me to his political followers then, the likes of Chief S.S. Ajibola and others.
Let me also made it known that my late dad had to put in the ernomity of his political influence he wielded in Isapa Ward, to influence the political acceptability of Senator Ajibola by the people of Isapa ward as his replacement in political leadership of the ward.
The ernomity of the political influence my dad wielded then were beyond Isapa ward, but across Ekiti Local Government Area as a whole.
He thereafter, transfered his political leadership mantle to Chief S.S. Ajibola in 2002 and personally handed me over to him before his death.
I became so much involved in politics since then. Infact, I was one of the leading members of the PDP team, which worked assiduously for the victory of Senator Simeon Ajibola, under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Kwara’ South Senatorial District electoral contest with Senator Suleiman Ajadi of the All People’s Party, APP in 2002/2003 General Elections, which went into election tribunals, and the ticket eventually won by Senator Ajibola by 2004, in a landmark judgment by the Election Appeal Tribunal, in Abuja.
In 2003, when the People’s Democratic Party, PDP took over the mantle of leadership in Kwara’ State and the party won the Ekiti Local Government’s council elections in 2004, the party in Isapa ward gave the position of Supervisory Councillor to honour my dad for his meritorious community and political leadership service. The position was bequeathed unto me, and that was the begining of my journey into political offices.
I was thereafter appointed by Senator Simeon Ajibola as his Personal Assistant between 2007 to 2015. A role I relentlessly played with all vigour, uncompromising commitment, sincerity and unalloyed loyalty.
Let me also mention this, that my dad was such a principled party man that in 1999 council election when my elder brother came out to contest for Isapa Ward councillorship under the All People’s Party, APP, and my father been the leader of the People’s Democratic party, PDP in Isapa, rejected his own son and mobilised for the candidate of the PDP who eventually won the seat. Such was his political ideology and principled mindset on politics.
Such was the political sagacity of my late dad. I am sure he would be proud of me today because I have not deviated from his line of political integrity and sincerity of purpose. May God forgive his sins and grant him eternal rest. He was such a wonderful, uncommon and selfless man..
*Q: Did you get the support and encouragement from your mother and siblings too?*
Abolarin: Of course, my mum is such a wonderful woman. My entire family actually supported me and I am sure I never disappointed them.
*Q: How did you feel when you were nominated as the candidate for the All Progressive Congress, APC in Ekiti Constituency?*
Abolarin: Firstly, I owed every appreciation to the leaders and members of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Ekiti Local Government for the confidence reposed in me with the ticket.
Let me tell you that Ekiti Local Government was one of the very few constituencies where consensus candidacy emerged.
I want to specially thanked all the leaders who were involved in the process, most especially, those who directly intervened to ensure my emergence. Kindly permit me to mention some of their names; Late Emmanuel Oni from Eruku Ward, Engr. Olusegun Molagun from Koro Ward, Chief Sunday Olosunde, from Obbo Ile ward, Chief Ezekiel Ige, also from Obbo-Ile ward, Chief J.B.Ayeni from Opin Ward, Chief Adeyemi Gbenle from Oke-Opin/Etan ward, Prince Sunday Fagbemi and Chief Gbadeyan, both from Obbo-Aiyegunle ward, among others.
I owed everything to these leaders I mentioned here. They were all strongly instrumental to the Assembly seat which I occupy today.
At the selection meeting of the party caucus then, leaders across the local government who all participated in the consensus arrangement all spoke glowingly about the political leadership which my father (of blessed memory) provided and which they benefitted from individually.
Chief Olosunde Sunday from Obbo-Ile ward, bluntly told me that my father was principally responsible for his electoral victory and emergence as the Ekiti Local Government Council Chairman in 1997, hence it was pay-back time. What political support, my dad did for him and others was the sole reason why they conceded the ticket to me.
When we took our report to the enlarged caucus of the party in the Local Government, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, Baba Oni, Chief Ayeni said the same thing, of good political friendship they have benefited from my father. So basically, I enjoyed a mass acceptability among the leaders. That accounted for the hitch free emergence and nomination I had as the candidate of the party in Ekiti Constituency.
So, I can simply say that I am a beneficiary of my father’s political legacy.
And today, I am so elated that I haven’t disappointed the confidence they had reposed him me. And that legacy of sincerity and integrity by my late father, is same line of politics I have maintained till date.
I am also very excited because all I was looking for was an opportunity to showcase the talent inherent in me and to also convince the older generation that the youths have come of age and that we can deliver if given the chance. Even as a legislator, my humble achievements in infrastructures and human capital development are still there for everybody to see across the 10-wards of my constituency.
*Q: With the internal wrangling in your party in the state, what do you think 2023 portends. Are you not afraid of losing out of a second term?*
Abolarin: Truly speaking, I am not thinking of a second term now.
I have barely served for two years. The political future of anyone at all, is all in God’s hands👏.
However, I believed so much in the enormous achievements of my governor across the state in terms of infrastructural and human capital development.
I can simply tell you that with what Governor AbdulRasaq AbdulRahman has achieved so far and many other developmental strives which are ongoing in the health, education sectors and social empowerment, our party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, would win the 2023 general elections here in Kwara’ State.
His Excellency, governor AbdulRasaq AbdulRahman will defeat any electoral opponents in 2023 General Elections. His unparalleled infrastructural achievements, among other things, will speak volume at the poll.
Above all, I am of the opinion that second term should be considered on the strength of one’s performance during the first term. For the present administration in the state, I am of the opinion that our achievements will speak for us when the time comes.
*Q: Tell us about your challenges as a lawmaker.*
Abolarin: It is quite challenging. But I am sure that I am making waves in my own little way and getting the job done on behalf of the people that sent me to represent them.
*Q: What were your initial challenges when you got to the Assembly?*
You know I found myself in a familiar terrain when I got here in June, 2019 as I once had legislative experience while serving as Personal Assistant to Senator Simeon Ajibola at the National Assembly.
And I had experience in the executive arm of government too as Supervisory Councillor.
Of course, I have been able to blend very well. It’s such a good one as I have experience in both the executive and legislative arms of government.
*Q: Which committees of the House are you a member?*
I am the chairman of the House Committee on Works and Transport and also a member of three other committees, namely; Finance and Appropriation, Committee on Social Welfare, Youth Development and Women Affair, House Committed on Health and Environment
*Q: How many bills and motions do you have to your credit now?*
Abolarin: About two motions so far and more are still awaiting approval.
*Q: How do you cope with the demands from your constituents?*
It is quite challenging but God has been helping me. However, whatsoever I am in the Assembly today, was made possible by the people of my constituency. So I owe everything to them.
