Adegbola Dominic, a medical doctor by profession, came into office in September 2018 as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State chapter. In this one-on-one interview with News Express Editor at Large SUNNY OKIM, Adegbola discloses why his party is bent on seizing power from the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the fast approaching 2019 elections, and the strategies put in place by his party to achieve that goal.

News Express: How has it been since you took over the mantle of leadership of your party in Lagos State three months ago?

Adegbola Dominic: I’ve had to manage some crises. The former state chairman of the party was imprisoned, a local government chairman was shot dead; several cases like that. I’ve been able to put strategies in place that would aid our grassroots candidates to come out victorious in the forthcoming general elections.

The general elections are not far away. Do you think PDP in Lagos State is ready for the elections?

Yes, we are ready. We have engaged in mass mobilisation. The people at the grassroots support our party. We are ready as well; right from the state, local government and down to wards, you can say we have the goodwill of the masses. The people are tired of the oppression from the APC.

So you are confident that if the elections are held today, your party is sure to win?

Certainly.

Why is your party gunning for the soul of Lagos State? What are those things the ruling party is not doing right?

Everything they do is wrong. Look at the traffic situation in the state; it’s terrible. All the roads are bad. Infrastructure is nothing to write home about. Everyday, people are getting poorer and poorer. You have kids hawking on the streets because of the harsh conditions.

And what specific plans does PDP have to correct these wrongs if voted into power?

In the area of school, public schools are nothing. Nobody wants to send the children to public schools anymore. But we are going to make public schools very efficient. The teachers there would be highly qualified and trained. We’ll make education enticing and conducive for teachers and students. On healthcare, many people have died due to poor power supply in Lagos.

Not to talk of transportation. We will make more buses available on Lagos roads. On embezzlement, no PDP politician will be involved in this. The people have no gain in public fund embezzlement. These thieves get the money and sponsor their children to school abroad. It is the masses that suffer all these. You can imagine a situation whereby an individual who calls himself party leader is getting three billion naira from the state’s treasury every month, not to talk of several other sources of corrupt enrichment, and that is just by one individual. Lagosians can’t take that any longer. The masses are suffering while a few persons are feeding fat with public funds.

Your party’s governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, will be contesting for the third time. What makes you think he will win this time?

Just like I said, the people themselves now want a change. The power of the people in democracy is 10 times that of any other factor concerned with societal democracy. The people’s will is very, very effective. And the people have been saying that they do not want APC anymore. They say they want fresh air. So it’s the people that are actually asking for a change. The people are tired of the antics of the present government of APC.

There are so many support groups rallying support for your party and its candidates, both at the national and state levels. How do you intend to harness and involve them, particularly in Lagos State, in getting your party into power?

That is an internal matter. However, most of the members are volunteers and they are really supportive. We are on the same page.

You are a practising medical doctor, how do you balance that with politicking?

I have doctors working for me. That gives me the time to be a politician.

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