For Dame Lucy Ajayi, life goes on in politics, whether in or out of office as the CEO/Executive Director of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex (LITFC), hence she was an active participant in the campaign to elect former governor Tanko Al-Makura the chairman of All Progressives Congress, now she is an arrow head for DCN Idiake’s bid to become an honourable member of house of representatives, Charles Okogene of Newdawn had this chat with her.
After your credible tenure at LITFC as the CEO,there seems to be no dull moment for you as you participated well in Al-Makura’s bid to become APC’s chairman but failed. What really went wrong at the last minute?
Lucy Ajayi
Good morning my brother. You will recall I have always told you that I am a politician for life. We don’t retire.
Nothing went wrong. The party decided on consensus candidate and he was not the one.
What is your experience like at LITFC and your achievements?
My experience at LITFC was great and memorable. It was my first appointment and I made so many wonderful friends among the stakeholders and still maintain the friendship. They are great people. As for my achievements, I tried my best. It’s left for others to say.
As an insider, and in your opinion, are women appreciated in Nigeria’s politics, if not why?
I feel they are appreciated but we need more.
You have been in this game of politics long enough that some of us feel that it is time for you to present yourself for election instead of helping others to achieve their ambition, what is holding you back?
My brother, I can’t present myself for an elective position. I am not ripe enough o. It takes more than being long in politics to go for election.
Why is it that in politics especially here in Nigeria, , women are their own enemies hence they seldom vote for themselves. Why?
I don’t think that women are their enemies. I feel party loyalty and supremacy play a major role in that. I am an APC member, I can’t be seen voting for a woman in PDP. It will be termed anti party activity.
As a woman, tell us what you have been denied in politics just because you are an opposite sex and not that you are not qualify for the post?
To be candid, I don’t think I have been denied any position in politics considering my short journey into politics alongside my achievements. I was a member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) merger committee, that was one of the legacy parties that became a part of All Progressives Congress (APC). To me that was big for me. I joined politics in 2009 and I attained such a position in short a time of four years. I am really grateful to God and President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the opportunities to serve.
You are now in the forefront campaigning for DCN Patrick Idiake for Federal House of Representatives, IGUEBEN, ESAN CENTRAl; what do you think is his chances of pinking the party’s ticket?
For DCN Patrick Idiake, it’s a done deal by God’s grace with what I saw in his declaration tour. Men, women, youth rose in his support and offered prayers for him and curses for betrayals. That was unprecedented, you know. That’s the level of support he has garnered. I wish him success in the elections.
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