Akeredolu has done sufficiently well to be reelected. – Ife Oyedele.
– Steve Ovirih.
On the eve of the Ondo State Guber Poll, thepolity.net had the audience of Eng. Ife Oyedele, Executive Director, NDPHC at his county home, Okitipupa in Ondo South Senatorial District. In the exclusive interview that ensued, Engr. Oyedele spoke of the efforts of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to restore electricity supply to the district. He concluded that Gov. Akeredolu deserves a second term based on his commendable performance.
Excerpts:
TP.n – Can you give clarification on the signing of MOU between some Stakeholders from Ondo South and Omotoso Power Plant?
Engr Ife Oyedele – There is a provision for eligible customers in the electricity power sector reform act; this implies that if your demand is higher than 2.5 Megawatts, you can make an official request for power generation. That is, the generating company can provide you electricity supply without going through the Distribution companies (Discos). That at best is the layman’s clarification of the development. So, if for instance, you are building a factory or The Sea Port now, we at Omotoso can supply them electricity directly on request without the inputs of the Discos. We have the means of taking power to the place. They are eligible to direct supply from the generating power turbine on request from Omotoso power plant. We have carved Ilaje area for instance and declared them ‘eligible customers’ . The Private Company is saying, I have customers that can benefit 2.5 Megawatts which is within my power reform capacity to offer. The PPA signed with the Private Liability Limited Company at Omotoso is part of the directive of government to ensure that power gets ultimately to the consumers because the purpose of all the efforts of government is to ensure that the consumers have power supply in their homes.
The electricity power sector reform makes provision for eligible customers. Thus if you have a house, a business concern, an organization, a building, an estate that has a load demand of 2 Megawatts and above, you have the right to be declared as an eligible customer , therefore you will be eligible to get supply from the generating company without going through the Discos . That was what happened and that was what informed the gathering together of the stakeholders of this area;
the Royal fathers have joined hand with the company at Omotoso to enjoy the status of eligible customers and they want to buy power from the Omotoso electricity generating company. We must not forget also that the plants are also lying idle . We have 4 units of 125 Megawatts and at best, at most, at all times , we are only able to utilize just one turbine , one of the units on the grid. So, the other three units are lying idle . If we can sell power directly to customers , we can put the 3 other units into place and utility because making them to lie idle can equally damage them. If a Mercedes Benz car is unused for just six months , it will cost you a lot of money to put it into good use as some parts would have been exposed to some damage.
TP.n – How soon can these areas begin to enjoy electricity now, with this development?
Engr. Ife Oyedele – As long as they are ready to pay ; as long as the supply company has Gas to fire their turbines nothing stops them from enjoying the facility as soon as possible.
TP.n – Will metering be a limitation?
Engr. Ife Oyedele – Fortunately, the customer handling it has over ten thousand meters in this area. So, they have also brought in their meters . They bought in bulk from us and sell directly to the end users. So , obviously there won’t be metering limitations.
TP.n – Ondo Guber poll is here. What do you have to tell the electorate?
Engr. Ife Oyedele – Thank you Steve. The electorate should shine their eyes! Before you came, I was chatting with some group and I told them the Ondo poll is between APC and APC. I said that with all sense of modesty and responsibility. You see, the other parties shot themselves in the foot by picking candidates that will not fly and I hope the electorate will reject them wholesomely. For instance, it’s unfair to disrupt the rotation understanding we have in Ondo State by electing another candidate from the Central senatorial district again. On the other hand, it will be unfair to return an incompetent hand to steer the affairs of the state. So, the choice is really between Aketi and Aketi. It’s obvious. I say this with all sense of respect to Mr. Eyitayo Jegede of PDP , he may be a very good counsel but the truth of the matter is that there is no empirical evidence to prove that he is going to be a better Governor than Akeredolu , considering their background. Unfortunately too, he comes from the zone , that for the sake of peace , should not produce a Governor for now. Ondo State is known for her peace status and we have had this understanding , though unwritten, for a long time. Ondo State is a very heterogeneous state: you have the Apois, Ijaws, Ilajes, Ikales, Odigbos, who don’t claim Ondo or Ikale, the Ondo Ekimoguns, the Idanre, Ile Oluji, the Akures, the Akokos, the Owos , the Oses who don’t even claim Owo identity and the Ifons who share socio linguistic boundaries with Edo. So ours is a heterogeneous state which abide religiously with the unwritten code of a rotation formula; it will be unfair to disrupt this on the alter of political expediency. Unless, of course , we can prove that this person is so better than every other person. There isn’t such empirical proof. There is no point talking about the other candidate or candidates. We are a very proud people in Ondo State and we can boast of a high rate of Human capital resources at any level and we must continue to maintain that.
TP.n – My final take sir; what’s your assessment of Gov. Akeredolu’s Government?
Engr. Ife Oyedele – He has done sufficiently well to be reelected. I say that very circumspectly; he has done sufficiently well. And I am sure he has learnt enough to improve on his performance. Before I stepped down for him, I had a one on one discussion with him and I can say, I pray by the grace of God that God will give him the strength of character to do those things he has determined, review those things he has done which people don’t like, though he is a very frank person ; there are somethings which he will not review . I can tell you that if you are a man who is bold to say your mind at all times, I don’t think we will want you to change that. So Governor Akeredolu has faired well enough to demand a second term and to be reelected .
