Bamidele Onile is the candidate of Independent Democrats (ID) for the 2019 senatorial election in Kogi West. He hails from Isanlu Makutu in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi state.
He was the best graduating student of his set at United States Air Force School, Kessler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Studied Finance and Accounting Management from Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA.
His professional experience cuts through ICT, government, military and the financial sector having worked with the United States Air Force, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and fortune 500 companies in the United States of America such as Fleet Boston Financial (now Bank of America), Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer Inc, Acushnet International.
He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Beyit Nigeria Limited, Managing Partner & Co-founder of Workdone Nigeria, MD/CEO of Globalinks LLC, a tax and financial advisory company based in Boston, USA.
In an exclusive chat with Kogireports, Bamidele Onile shares his dreams for Kogi West constituents.
Choice of political party
Actually, I am a founding member of APC but in Nigeria today, it is not about of the party but personality. The N6million nomination form fee by the APC was a put off. I later gathered reliably from stakeholders of the party that the fee was imposed to push people away, which is not good for our democracy. I made it clear that I will rather take N6million to my constituency to fund life changing initiatives. My people are suffering! Some of them who are civil servants have their personal finances shattered due to non-payment of salaries. It is painful and shameful for our government if we really want to help our people and oppressing them at the same time. I decided to choose the Independent Democrats (ID) as a veritable political platform to contest the 2019 Kogi West senatorial election. Through this platform, I will represent my people of Kogi West in the red chamber and show how governance ought to be.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) have failed us. A lot of politicians will defect from PDP to APC and vice versa when it suits their interests. It is not about what they want to do but all about themselves. After reading through the manifestos of these parties, I decided to pitch my tent in a new party where I can be assured of running an election and representing my people based on what I stand for and what I believe in.
What drives your aspiration?
The passion for my people. The belief that government can serve and work for the people. Knowing that people are in government to serve their people. That is, leadership by stewardship. Using the government platform to bring development and prosperity to everybody in my constituency. The truth of the mater is, all that the average Nigerian youth, an average Kogi West youth is asking for is an opportunity to have access to the resources of their fatherland. I know where I am coming from, I know my journey, I know where God has taken me. I thank God for where I am today but I look back and asked how I got to this point. I am not rich but I am comfortable. I thank God I had the opportunity to reach my present status and I cannot just fold my arms when my people call me to come and serve.
Look at our education sector, it is in a bad shape. We keep saying the youths are the leaders of tomorrow but we are not empowering them to face the challenges of tomorrow. It is high time people of like minds come together and demand for good governance from our leaders. Until we do this, our people will never enjoy true dividends of democracy. But if we keeping deceiving ourselves with money politics, these regular politicians will dole out peanuts, win elections and fail to do anything meaningful for four years!
Yes, our people are poor. They give then five thousand, ten thousand Naira, buy their votes but end up squandering our resources for four years instead of investing in our people.
As a senator, it is expected you use the platform to bring development to his constituency from the centre. The National Assembly should be a place where laws are crafted to bring development to the people. This has been my focal point for years.
I have heard people say our votes does not count. If it does not count why do politicians spend so much money campaigning? We will reach out to our people. It is time to take our future in our own hands. Our votes counts, let’s vote for the right person that have competency and the will to bring the much desired development. Above all, it is about the interest of the people. Politicians will come and go but the people will remain.
Contesting 2019 senatorial election is an opportunity for me to serve. An opportunity to use my wealth of experience and exposure to attract development to my people.
Kogi state is divinely positioned for greatness. I am a data person and I have gathered all the necessary data. Kogi state is sitting of wealth and our people are suffering, it is not right. I know a lot can be achieved, a lot can be tapped from the resources God has give us. It will be utilized to create jobs, generate revenue for our government and bring development to our land.
A lot of our politicians are not tapping into what we have, they are not thinking outside the box. As the Senator representing Kogi West, I will be smart, creative and innovative to chart a new course for our district. This is my driving force.
Rate your chances
My chances are very bright. 2019 elections will be about core issues affecting our people. As a contestant from Yagba East local government, my candidature represents fairness and equity. However, I am contesting on the merit of what I stand for and what I will do for my people. I know how government works, I know what it takes to give people opportunity. It is about competence and vision. It is time to put sentiments aside, put parties aside and focus on the common goal.
If I fail to represent my people well, they should recall me. It is immoral for our people to be poor and hungry while their senator lives in luxury. It is wrong.
What do you intend to do differently.
I will use the Senate platform to attract investments to Kogi West. I will manage constituency allowances differently. I will constitute two committees in every local governments in Kogi West – development committee and project monitoring committee. The development committee, drawn from each of the wards, will relate regularly with the people and identify priority projects for intervention. These projects will be bidded for by my people to ensure the prosperity is kept within our people. I will not bring people from Abuja to execute these project and take the proceeds back to Abuja. We will empower competent contractors among our people. The project monitoring committee will ensure the projects are executed based on agreed terms.
Also, I will launch a special initiative on youth empowerment.
For students, we will assist with scholarships while others will be equipped through skills acquisition centres that will be established for that purpose. I will come home every weekend to meet with my people so as to know where the shoe pinches them. I will run offices in each of the seven local governments that will operate Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm. Each of these offices will have an ICT centre where youths can come to horn their skills, search for jobs and interact.
I will attract job creating ventures to Kogi West. For instance, I will work towards harness our agricultural potentials to create job opportunities and improved economy. Cashew has multi-billion export potential. We will tap into this.
Message to electorate in Kogi West
I know your plights. I have been there. These are tough times and tough times requires tough measures. I am one of you, I have worked your shoes, I know where the shoe pinches, I need you to stand with me to make life better for our people. My message is simple and clear, I will work tirelessly for the people of Kogi West, I will roll up my sleeves and get work done. I am ready to create opportunities for the young and old, men and women. If you are really tired of the situation in Kogi West, from poor education standards to unemployment to bad infrastructures, from bad representation to national embarrassment, I think I am the person to vote for. I have the experience, exposure and competency, the will, passion and tenacity to get the job done. My mandate will be a collective mandate, my doors wil be opened to ideas on how we can make Kogi West a better place for all of us, chart a new course so that our lost glory can be regained. Our people are always at the receiving end in the state, it is a new dawn for us, our future is in our hands.
