Chief Christopher Obiuwevwi (aka Ominimini) is a Commissioner on the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and National Chairman, Urhobo Political Movement. In this interview with Francis Onoiribholo in Ughelli, Obiuwevwi speaks on issues concerning Delta State and national politics. Excerpt.
What do you think made it possible for PDP to retain Delta State in all the last general elections?
Delta State belongs to the PDP because a good building depends on a good foundation and Chief James Onanefe Ibori laid a good foundation as Governor of Delta State between 1999 and 2007 and this was built upon by the outgoing Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; and frankly speaking, apart from the infrastructural, educational, health and other developments in Delta State in the past 16 years, there have also been peace and order in the state during this period and by the grace of God we pray that this will continue unhindered during Governor Okowa’s period and this is why the elections were very peaceful and it would have been difficult for another party to come up over night to win election in the state.
Are you saying it will be difficult for another party to win Delta State even in future elections?
As I said earlier, Ibori laid a solid foundation and frankly speaking, Uduaghan is finishing very strong and the good work of Uduaghan has counted positively for the PDP in Delta State and I also believe the in-coming administration of (Ifeanyi) Okowa will also perform brilliantly well and unless something unexpected happens in between it will be difficult for another party to win Delta State.
Although I am not a magician but I know Okowa will never let PDP down in Delta State.
What is your prediction for the in-coming administration of Okowa?
Okowa has earned the good heart of Delta State many years ago. The election Okowa won in the gubernatorial election has been won many years ago, precisely in the year 2000 when he was Commissioner for Water Resources and Commissioner for Health. He was such a nice man who put the interest of the people first. There is nobody that cried to Okowa when he was commissioner in Delta State who he did not listen to. The problem most leaders have is that they are not accessible but Okowa was and is still accessible and he has a listening ear and that has endeared him to the people and that is why Okowa who was contesting gubernatorial election as an Ika man has the largest support base from Delta Central, the Urhobo area because he is loved by everybody.
If you look at the political machinery of Okowa, the Urhobos were more in his kitchen cabinet as a gubernatorial candidate. That is to tell you he cuts across entire Delta. His popularity cuts across ethnic nationality. So Okowa today is a real Deltan because he is a detribalised Deltan. God has given him to Delta State, especially at atime as this.
Therefore, there was no sentiment in Okowa’s election as Governor of Delta State and that the people made the right choice?
In fact, vividly as I speak to you if elections were to be repeated today in Delta State, Okowa will still win, if it is to be repeated tomorrow Okowa will win. Let me tell you, in Akwa-Ibom, you have the Anang, the Ibibio, the Oron and Akpabio is not an Ibibio man; he is anAnang, Anang is a minority but the Ibibio if you ask them to vote tomorrow if Akpabio were to context another governorship election today they will still vote for him.
Now, for Okowa, the Urhobos see him as an Urhobo man because if you go to him as an Urhobo man to seek for help he helps you, so also the Isoko, the Ijaws, so he has spread his goodwill all over the state, even to the Itsekiris. So, Okowa has his spread of followership in the entire Delta State. Unlike the other candidates whose followerships are restricted to one section of Delta and this precisely gave Okowa victory in this election.
So what advice will you give to him as soon as he is sworn in?
The advice I will give to him, those qualities that made him win election he should hold on to them and he should not deviate.
How do you see your party and state being in opposition from May 29 at the national level?
No, let me tell you, all politics are local, there is nowhere in Nigeria called national. Jonathan was the President, he was developing the local areas, there is no place that is national, and national is a name that exists in principle. It is the development that is in my state that matters, it is the development that is in Imo State that matters, it is the development that is in Lagos state that matters, it is the development that is in Kano that matters, it is the development that is in Jos that matters. So these developments come out to the people whereever they are, so the issue of being in opposition at the national level does not arise because all those at the national level are from local level and all their actions will be geared towards the rural areas.
You mean with the level of our present political awareness, there is not going to be vindictiveness?
Well, first of all, politics is local. Adams Oshiomhole is going to complete his eight years’ tenure under a minority party now, Tinubu was a minority completed his eight years, the Lagos Governor Fashola is completing his eight years administration under minority, they developed Lagos, Oshiomhole developed Edo State, so also Okowa will develop Delta. So, politics is not done like that. What happens is that it is the man in power who will be able to bring development. What Fashola did in Lagos, is it only APC people that were using them or ACN. So what Oshiomhole did in Edo, was it only ACN that was using them? So also what Okowa will do here it is not only PDP that will benefit. PDP has achieved a very big landmark in Delta and Uduaghan is finishing strong.
Is this your view not contradicting those people defecting to APC soon after the Presidential election results were announced?
In fact, let me tell you, PDP did not lose anything, rather we gained and what did we gain, we gained name. If PDP were to be other party they would not have accepted defeat let alone handing over. Have you seen where an incumbent, a sitting President congratulating his opponent when the results have not been finally collated? Jonathan did not use the instrument of his office in this last election. He said his coming back is not worth the blood of even one Nigerian.
So such a man deserves commendation and that is a PDP man, that commendation is deserved by the party PDP.
The post Ibori Laid Good Foundation In Delta, Says Ominimini appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.