Alhaji Jani Ibrahim is the immediate past president of the Alumni Association of the National Institute, AANI, the body of former fellows of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS Kuru and also chairman of LUBCON, the Ilorin based company engaged in oil blending among other ventures. He is reputed to be the single largest employer of labour in Kwara State outside the government.

Ibrahim, a top contender for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in this interview responds to issues concerning his aspiration.

Excerpts:

Some are wondering why you would leave a comfortable0 business to venture into the murky waters of politics?

When I survey Kwara state, I see a state with abundant potentials that have not been fully utilized. People say the state is poor, but I see untapped potential. In Lubcon we have been able to accomplish extra-ordinary things with ordinary people; our products have accomplished international certification without a single expatriate staff. I believe that the same feat can be accomplished in Kwara State.

Taking the state from "good" to "great". I look at the hoards of unemployed youths, and the potentials lying waste; I look at poor rural dwellers surrounded by uncultivated land as far as the eyes can see, and I see untapped potentials for turning their lives and the economy of the state around. I have worked hard to build a successful business and I intend to deploy the wealth of experience that I have garnered in business to help shape the lives and fortunes of our youths and our children.

I have been trying to do that in my business through grants, scholarships, youth empowerment initiatives and direct support to young entrepreneurs as well as employment opportunities but that is not enough. I know I can do more because you can never be comfortable in the midst of poverty as it is today in Kwara. So to improve the living conditions of our people is enough motivation for me.

How would you assess the economy under PDP and what are the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan winning re-election in 2015?

The country is experiencing a 7% growth rate which is one of the highest in the world, foreign investors after careful assessment of the economic prospects of the country are coming into the country despite the negative image that some are wont to present of the country. The transformation Agenda and other programmes such as the power sector reforms are beginning to bear fruit, despite all the troubling security challenges that the country is faced with.

Nigerians just need to be a little bit patient to see the full results, as the benefits of these initiatives do not become apparent overnight. The recent rebasing of our GDP, the first ever, is a commendable exercise that has helped to shed light on the true structure of the economy and contribution of various sectors to the entire GDP. The President despite the security and myriad other challenges facing the country has continued to forge ahead; and we should give him our unwavering support and back him with our prayers; "you don't change a coach in the middle of a match".

What is your Party's position on the agitation of Kwara South where you come from, to retain power for another 4 years since Kwara Central had it for 12 years.

My party will conduct a delegate's election to decide who is the best person for the job. Yes you are right that our people from the South are insisting that equity demands that the zone be allowed another 4 years in power. Am not aware of any binding agreement to that effect in our party; but don't forget that we have eminently qualified candidates from all the zones.

We are consulting with our brothers and sisters from both the central and the North, if our zone wants to keep it for another 4 years, they have to work hard and convince the other zones. What remains important is for the best candidate that can deliver the state to emerge. The problems of the state poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment cannot be zoned. They are all over.

What is your dream for Kwara and how would your administration benefit the youths of Kwara if you finally decide to contest and win the Governorship.

I was raised from very humble beginnings and would like to see a Kwara State in which people that can aspire and attain to great heights no matter their background; a state where every child rises to the fullest of their potentials. A state where kwarans can participate in the political process without fear of retribution and where our votes will be counted.

Without going into too much details, our programmes revolve round the acronym of my name. JANI; J - job creation, A - agriculture development, N - natural resources exploitation and I - infrastructure development.

We will embrace transparency, and will be reaching out to Kwarans at home and abroad, as well as bilateral and multilateral development agencies to join hands with us in birthing the Kwara of our dream. Our intention is to make Kwara the beckon that other states look up to.

We do not want to be just good, we want to be great. We are not comparing ourselves with other states in the federation; we are benchmarking ourselves against countries around the world that have the same population as the state, and challenging ourselves to deliver the same economic results as they have.

My dream for Kwara is a State where the mindset of the youths will be altered through re-orientation, empowerment, engagement and entrepreneurial development. The challenges are there but the solutions are equally there.