The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, Olajide Esan, has called for sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s political system, saying the current structure discourages competent citizens from seeking public office.
Esan made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the Osun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Guest Platform, where he outlined his vision for governance, economic development, and social welfare in Osun State.
According to him, the existing political system requires major adjustments because it has failed to produce the desired level of development.
He argued that the structure favours individuals who regard politics and governance as a business rather than public service.
“The system doesn’t allow people with ideas, but those who see politics and governance as a business to run for office. It is not sustainable, and this is one of the reasons why I decided to run for office,” Esan said.
The AAC candidate stated that his administration would promote participatory governance by giving residents greater involvement in decision-making processes.
He said governance should be people-centred and designed to reflect the aspirations of citizens across the state.
He also criticised the country’s political leadership since 1999, alleging that Nigeria has continued to recycle political leaders while nepotism has become increasingly entrenched.
“Leadership should be based on service and not imposition. Nigeria has too many politicians but not leaders,” he said.
Esan argued that poverty and ignorance had been used to manipulate citizens, adding that his administration would encourage stronger interfaith relationships to promote unity and discourage divisions among communities.
On social welfare, the governorship hopeful pledged to devote his entire salary to the welfare of senior citizens if elected.
He also proposed the creation of a comprehensive Osun residents’ database to improve planning and service delivery across the state.
The AAC candidate unveiled a proposal for an Osun Child Trust Fund, explaining that every child born in the state would have a dedicated investment account until the age of 18 to support higher education or provide start-up capital for a business.
Speaking on traditional institutions, Esan said a defined percentage of local government revenue should be allocated to traditional rulers to strengthen their roles in community development while ensuring they remain outside partisan politics.
On agriculture, he advocated an agro-based economy and stressed the need for policies that protect local agricultural practices. He expressed concern over the adoption of genetically modified organisms, saying Africa should carefully assess such technologies before their widespread implementation.
Addressing the mining sector, Esan alleged that the benefits of illegal mining were being enjoyed by a few individuals instead of the people.
He said tackling illegal mining forms part of the AAC manifesto, adding, “Leaders are the ones benefitting from the proceeds of illegal mining. Curtailing illegal mining is part of our manifesto because the proceeds of mining are meant for the people of Osun State.”