Aare (Hon.) Tolu Bankole is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) as the National Leader for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the ruling party. He is the incumbent Chairman of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. In this interview with BODE OLAGOKE, he speaks on how his leadership is bridging the gaps for the PWD members of the party, why Senator Solomon Olalekan, popularly known as YAYI, will emerge next Governor in Ogun state and the dynamics that favour President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 general elections, among other issues. Except 

You are the National Leader for Persons with Disability in the APC nationwide, I like to know your relationship with these set of people and how much have you been able to make case for them since your emergence?

Thank you for asking, as APC National Leader of Persons with Disabilities, my relationship with the PWD community over the last 5 years has been one of direct engagement, advocacy, and walking with them. We have held meetings across clusters in the FCT and states, distributed relief materials, cash support nationwide periodically and at the APC National Secretariat, and kept the conversation going so that PWDs know they have a voice inside the party. The goal has been simple: make sure no PWD feels forgotten in APC, and that inclusion moves from paper to practice.

On policy and welfare, I’ve pushed for concrete relief. We’ve called for a national policy on free education from primary to tertiary and free healthcare for PWDs, because the cost of medicine and assistive devices is placing an unfair burden on families. I also canvassed at least a 75% tuition cut for PWDs, citing FULAFIA’s model as a standard Nigeria should adopt nationwide. At the grassroots, I’ve appealed to the 774 LG chairmen to appoint supervisors on PWD matters so inclusion starts from the local level. We have equally, supported PWDs in sports such as para soccer, basketball among others.

Women are advocating for special seats in the National Assembly, do you also see possibility of having special seats for the people you are representing?

Politically, the focus has been representation, not tokenism. I’ve consistently urged that we move beyond “symbolic gestures” to measurable inclusion. That includes ceding specific legislative seats at state and federal levels to qualified PWD members, backing the 10% federal appointments for PWDs as provided in the 2018 Discrimination Against PWDs Act, and commending the 50% reduction in nomination fees for PWD aspirants while pushing that it must translate to actual seats. We have millions of qualified PWD politicians in APC who are ready to serve.

I have also worked to align party advocacy with government action. I hail President  Bola Tinubu’s administration for championing social protection, employment opportunities, and accessible infrastructure for PWDs, and for signing the AU Charter on the rights of PWDs which gives legal backing to equity demands. I must commend the immense commitment and tangible support of the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu to PWDs through her cash and material support. The National Chairman’s office has backed these efforts so more PWDs see the benefit of being APC members.

Today, we have the appointment of PWDs into strategic positions such as Minister, board chairmen of parastatals, SSA to the President, PWD Commission and several interventions by Mr President and other APC governors and in Nigeria.

The truth is, we’re still under represented in elective and appointive positions nationally, and that’s why the push continues. My commitment remains: to keep amplifying PWD leadership, to demand structural changes in APC and government, and to ensure that disability inclusion is treated as a matter of justice and dignity, not charity. 

In Ogun state where you hails from your governorship candidate emerged by consensus, how united is the party now after that arrangement?

The first thing I must correct is this: our candidate did not emerge by consensus. The right word is that Senator Solomon Olamikan, also known as Yayi, received the popular endorsement of the majority of chieftains and members of the APC in Ogun State. 

He was endorsed by the incumbent Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Minister from Ogun State, all the Senators, members of the House of Representatives, and most of the key stakeholders in the state. Their support was clear, open, and overwhelming.

However, where a single aspirant insists that he or she is not in support, the Electoral Act provides that a direct primary should be conducted. That was exactly what happened in Ogun State.

As a member of the party’s NWC, I was on the queue to cast my vote for him. So to be clear, he did not emerge by consensus. He won a free, fair, and transparent direct primary election.

We are united in Ogun state, and we are ready to show again why APC is Ogun, and Ogun state is APC.

PDP has produced Chief Ladi Adebutu who we learnt is pulling much support across the state, what’s your fear and what are the chances of APC come 2027 governorship election in Ogun?

There is no fear of any candidate or any party in Ogun state. Let me say it clearly again: Ogun state is APC, and APC is Ogun state. I don’t want to talk about individuals. Let’s talk about our candidate. Senator Solomon Olamikan, Yayi, is bigger than the combined weight of more than 30 candidates in other political parties. He is not just a candidate, he is a movement in Ogun state.

He stands head and shoulders above every other contender today in terms of capacity, track record, empowerment, and direct interventions: in roads, electricity, water, and so many other areas. Name it, and he has touched it.

I’m not one to talk too much. I work more. But I can say this with confidence: no team, no collaboration, no combination of candidates can defeat Senator Yayi in Ogun state. I know all the actors closely, and I choose to focus on what matters – our candidate and our people.

We have everything we need to win, and we will win.  We have the track record of achievements by the incumbent. We have the full party structure. And most importantly, we have the support of the good people of Ogun state.

We are not anxious. We are waiting — waiting for the election, and waiting for the inauguration of Senator Solomon Olamikan as the next Governor of Ogun state. For us, it is a done deal.

The NWC where you are a member is currently battling with more than 700 petitions arising from the primaries nationwide, don’t you think the situation might lead to implosion soon?

That figure is not correct. 

I am aware that some people have approached the courts to express their displeasure, and that is perfectly acceptable in a democracy. But beyond that, the party is actively reaching out to ensure that every complaint is heard and properly addressed.

At the end of the day, in every contest there can only be one winner. Common sense will prevail, and there will be no implosion.

We remain one party, one family, and we will move forward together.

You are one of the NWC members reconciliating stakeholders in Anambra state, this is a state where all the bigwigs are billionaires, do you see your panel making any headway?

We are making headway already. Most of the key actors attended the first meeting in the FCT, and there was a clear agreement to pursue reconciliation. That’s progress.

Politics, at its heart, is about talking to people, talking for people, and talking with people.

Anambra is a peculiar case. On one side, you have APC stakeholders who are committed to the party. On the other side, you have a sitting governor from another political party who has openly declared his intention to work for Mr. President, who is of the APC. 

So it’s important to be clear: APC stakeholders in Anambra are not against the APC. What we are addressing are individual interests within the party. 

Our goal remains the same — to unite, to reconcile, and to ensure APC stands strong in Anambra.

So, how much have you achieved so far because some strong stakeholders like Chief Ngige, Hon. Ekwenife didn’t attend the first meeting your committee called? 

The good thing is, they are all talking to one another about their differences. And that in itself is a big advantage.

In politics, after every election, reconciliation must come first. It’s strategic. You have to bring those who won and those who lost to sit around the same table, listen to each other, and move forward together.

At the end of the day, APC will come out stronger and better as a more united and formidable political party in Anambra state.

Come 2027 general elections, two major presidential candidates: President Tinubu and Peter Obi might be contesting from the South while only former VP Atiku contesting from a more populated North, what are the strategies your party might be employing to escape defeat?

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win at least 65% of the vote in 2027. 

The dynamics have changed since 2023. More Nigerians today understand and appreciate the transformative macro-economic progress under his leadership. From the infrastructural revolution happening across the country, to the rescue mission in our education sector, to the popular NELFUND that is giving hope to millions of students, and the fact that the food crisis is now largely behind us — the results are speaking for themselves.

President Tinubu will win the South West. He will pull a massive vote in the South East. He will win the South. And in the North, APC will defeat every other candidate on the ballot, including those from the region.

When campaigns begin, you will see where the heart of the average Nigerian truly lies. I’m not worried, and I’m not bothered.

In 2027, it will be about records. Mr. President’s verifiable achievements versus the noise from the opposition.

We learnt that in the North today, so many of your candidates for governorship and National Assembly are using picture of ADC presidential candidate to campaign, what’s your party doing to change the narrative? 

That is just a rumour. In the past few months I have crisscrossed most of the states in the North, and I have not seen anything of the sort. 

In fact, what I have seen is different. Musicians in the North are openly eulogizing him, and from what I hear on the streets, the same sentiments are on the lips of the people.

The mood is clear, and it doesn’t match the story being spread.

So if the election is held today nationwide what are the chances of APC?

APC will win squarely. 

We will win convincingly; between 65 to 70 percent of all offices nationwide.