My relationship with Tinubu has not gotten worse or better- Jimi Agbaje

Do you remember the slogan: Jay-Kay OK? That was the slogan that sold Jimi Agbaje, a Pharmacist cum politician who sought election to govern Lagos State in 2007on the platform of the Democratic Peoples Alliance, (DPA). The founder of Jaykay Pharmacy Ltd, spoke with Opeyemi Adesina. Excerpts:

 Why have you suddenly gone underground politically?

It wouldn't be correct to say I have gone underground and let me just say that if you said, well during the campaign, yes I was quite prominent, that was to be expected. I think when campaigns or elections are near, there is always so much noise, I mean those who are running for office. So, you don't want to add your voice during that stage and is better to allow those who want to sell themselves to the public, you give them space and after elections then you can come back to begin to talk about national, regional, states and local government's issues. So, for me if you say during the run-up to the elections, yes, I was quite and that was deliberate. Let me assure the citizens or public that I'm still so much around.

You were rumoured at a point before the 2011 governorship election that you would be a replacement to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, what was the exact story?

Well, it was just a rumour and all those that cared to ask me at that time, I kept emphasizing that it was a rumour. There was nothing and I'm speaking very clearly that no such arrangements was ever in place and it was just a rumour.

Sir, were you ever contacted to come back to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and be governorship candidate of ACN?

I was never contacted to be the governorship candidate of ACN and as to whether I was contacted to be a member of Action Congress of Nigeria, I think that is an on-going thing. Every party would want to attract membership. I mean every party will say look, why not come and join my party but there is nothing special to this invitation even when you have friends in one party or the other. But as to be the governorship candidate, let me say categorically “No.”

What is your present relationship with the leader of ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu?

Normal, people tend to believe there is something wrong in the relationship. That you did not agree on issues does not affect the relationship, let me say that in 2007 when I left the party, it was based on my principle and it has nothing to do with personal relationship with Asiwaju. Our relationship, even then and till now remains very cordial and so people are just insinuating, let me assure you that there is no problem at all.

What is your own assessment of the governorship candidate of the ACN so far?

I think Lagosians spoke very clearly at the last elections, in terms of performance, in terms of acceptance on how he has performed in office, I think I align myself in that position.

But people tend to believe that the governor is not performing as expected like the first term in office?

Well, I can’t speak for him but it's interesting that only a few days ago, in the last one week, he conducted quite an extensive interview in one of the dailies, where he explained himself very clearly. I think one can say that to some extent, he was able to explain his position. Again, there's always the danger of managing expectations in governance. If you have performed at a certain level, the standard of assessment changes and I keep saying the challenge of a state like Lagos that is on the move. In fact, you are no longer judged by the standard of even fellow governors, you are judged by more global standards. People have started using a different yardstick to look at governance in Lagos. Like I said again, he explained himself very clearly that one; he’s coming in with a different team, the team he inherited in his first term, he had a throw over from the Asiwaju regime, so the experience. But you have to reinvigorate the team and so he’s coming in with a newer team this term and it’s going to take them a bit of time to settle down, to understand how it works. Even then projects are going, they may not be making the noise the way they made it before. I want to believe building roads or rehabilitating roads is no longer news to Lagosians. That is the standard that we have now set. So, Lagosians now are probably judging the present administration on a totally different standard. When he came in, it was exciting to see roads being built, it was exciting to see street lights coming up but now, the standard has changed, people have now taken that for granted, and maybe that’s why we now see the situation of what is going on. But like I said, I think he explained himself and it made sense.

Is there any plan to revive the Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) on the platform of which you contested in 2007?

By the time we got to 2011, key members of the DPA had moved on, at least come together to form the Mega Party and at that stage, I took a step back from that arrangement. So, I am not sure where or what stage it is, so I have not been involved in the Mega Party which I believed that the DPA was very much involved in; at that stage, I had pulled back.

Is there any plan of contesting for any position in 2015?

I remain very much in politics and once you remain in politics, then all options remain open. I have not retired from politics, so to that extent, I am looking at my options and I will pick my option at the appropriate time.

Are you saying that you and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu still maintain good relationship despite the seeming gap between you and the ACN?

My relationship with Asiwaju has never changed and you can quote me on that; before 2007 and after, the relationship has not changed and has remained the same. It’s not like it has gotten worse or closer, so people shouldn’t insinuate that there is something cooking between us that only the two of us know; that is not true but the relationship remains the same, cordial, mutual respect. So, I’m not going to deny that and there’s no agreement under as people rumoured.

Don’t you think the controversy on the issue of toll gate and other things are making people to lose interest in this present administration?

Well, I think the toll gate fees issue was mismanaged. Again, we are learning lessons in governance as in how to manage the people, I think if anything, the flaw in the toll gate issue was probably that there is a measure of taking the community affected a bit for granted. There had been negotiations and discussions; similar to what you had with the labour on the fuel subsidy that you have been discussing for a long time, that you have been discussing for a long time doesn’t mean that the people have accepted your position. And I think that’s the message that came out with regard to the toll gate issue.