Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa represents Delta North Senatorial District at the Senate. In this concluding part of the interview with Special Correspondent Sunday Apah, the Ika-born politician speaks on the controversial issue of zoning of the 2015 Delta State governorship seat, endorsement of candidate for the number one political seat in the state, among others. Excerpts:
Some political observers see the emergence of APC as a threat to the dominance of PDP in Delta State. What is your reaction to this?
I don’t see the emergence of APC as a threat. To me it would only help deepen democracy in our nation, but PDP is a very strong party with a very strong base. It is a united family. Yes, we have our hiccups but we can see that everything is slightly settled. Moreover, Mr. President and the party’s National chairman is doing a lot in this direction. A lot of people are also crossing over from the APC and coming back to PDP from various states in the north. And I believe that the PDP is becoming a more cohesive family at the moment.
Again, competition is good for democracy because it could lead to positive development where there are checks and balances. Also I believe that when we are in dominance, that does not mean we are operating a one party system. When you are in a one party system, you do not know when you do wrong; APC will continue to be an alternate voice while the PDP will continue to be the dominant party.
With just two years in the Senate you have sponsored over 11 bills and coordinated two empowerment programmes. How have you managed these?
Actually, at the moment we have sponsored 12 bills. Of these, one has passed three readings and four of the bills are already in the third reading stage, waiting for the clause-to-clause consideration. We are still hoping that we will be able to get a date for the reading of the remaining bills at the second reading. We were able to achieve these due to lots of hard work but I also thank God for my working experience in the state. As I said earlier, I have worked with the people as secretary to the local government council, chairman of local government, commissioner, and secretary to the state government. So experience counts. Even as a first timer I have been able to work with those people successfully. There are a lot of things that came into my mind when I reported at the Senate, I started making consultation with friends, with other countries and we are able to come out with some of the bills. It was purely out of hard work and I give God the glory.
Can you talk about your empowerment schemes?
As for the empowerment, I have always had the passion to touch lives. A lot of families are getting very poor. They have worked very hard politically. And any thing that could be done as a representative of the people to help create jobs and put food on their tables, if it is worthwhile is worth doing. Even as a commissioner I have done a lot to help people within my reach. This is my second empowerment programme; it is more expansive than the first I did in October 2012. We did the best we could. It actually gave us the opportunity to partner with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in the office of the presidency.
Can you expatiate on this and your assessment of this office in the area of MDGs?
They are doing quite a good work in that office. Through their partnership, I was able to get a lot of items to support my people including 100 tricycles (keke Napep) that came from that office among other things. I also added money to support women in various groups. So, it is a passion worth doing because people cannot vote for you then when they are in pains, and you can’t turn your back on them. That is not the right thing to do. I have always been driven by the passion to help the less privileged. If you are representing people, you should represent them in totality and be part of their pains and try to wipe away their tears.
How would you assess the performance of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan so far?
The governor is doing very well; he has done seven years. He has done quite well because Delta is a difficult state to run. He has recorded a lot in the area of peace and security. I think that Delta is much more peaceful than it used to be in the past. In terms of development, the Asaba Airport you see is one of the evidences of his achievement among others. A lot of monies have gone into it. And it will help to improve commerce and attract industries. A lot is still going on. The Osubi Airport is also been expanded which will also help to improve both commerce and industry in the area. A lot of roads are being constructed across the state. And we are aware of the governor’s intention to run the road from Ughelli to Asaba; this is to ensure easy transportation of goods from Warri Port to Onitsha and attract traders to berth at the port rather than in Lagos. It is a very pro-active approach. The Warri Industrial Business Park is already started. It is our hope that it would be continued even as the project may not be completed within a year. But I will complete it by the grace of God when I come into power. I am aware that a lot is being done in the education sector particularly in the development of infrastructure. In the health sector we have the rural health care, free under 5 health care service and free maternal health care service. These are no mean feats. A lot is being done. But we are obviously challenged by funds. It is hoped that the administration that takes over from (Uduaghan) will consolidate on this gains and also improve on whatever achievements he has made.
Any last comment for Deltans?
I must thank Deltans. They have been very resilient and I urge them to look ahead with greater hope. They must support the peace process in the state so that we have a state where the various ethnic groups can see themselves as one. And in so doing we will be able to develop a Delta State of our choice.
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‘Why I want to govern Delta’
Considering that you are a medical practitioner, what would you say attracted you to politics?
Well politics is about service. Even being a medical doctor is about offering service to the people. Actually I did get pressure from groups of youths from various communities in my local government area. That actually put a lot pressure on me to come in as a youth then into political scene in my local government. Initially I did not want to join because I did not like local politics. On further conviction when they repeated their visit and I saw that they were serious, I found myself going into it and today I am in politics. Actually, my entry into politics was as a result of the pressure that I got from that group of youths. I am grateful to them because I found myself offering much wider service than I would have hope to, even as a medical doctor. Today a lot of people across the state are happy with my being in politics.
What has been your experience so far in politics?
It is an exciting experience. Politics is not all rosy but it is an exciting experience; there is the challenge because I found myself contributing to the development of our state, to the development of my immediate local government and to the development of human beings across the state. To that extent, I have a reasonable level of satisfaction. But also you have all kind of challenges. It is not always very rosy in politics, some time you have challenges. And I did have one at the end of 1990. It was like a welcome back home season when I did win the primaries to run the local government council but the leadership then did not want me to run the election for the council chairmanship. By the grace of God, they put up somebody else. But as God would have it after I have served as the secretary of the council in a few months, a new council was created and I did run election in 1991 and I became the first executive chairman of Ika North East Local Government Council. And I went on to do the best I could. I have also had some hiccups along the lines politically but by of the grace of God and I found myself serving in various positions in government apart from being an elected council chairman. I also served as commissioner in various ministries in Delta State; commissioner for Agriculture 1999 to 2001, commissioner for Water Resources 2001 to 2003 and 2003 to 2006. And with that level of exposure to the state I have been able to contribute my quota to the development of the state. I have enough reason to say thank you God for making me available to serve my people in various positions. I have also been secretary to the state government after election in 2007. And today I am a senator still offering service to the people. And in all, it is through the grace of God that I have risen through these positions. Some people have been in the political scene only for a short while but consistently God has moved me from one place to the other. So I thank and give Him praise.
Why do you want to contest for the Delta State governorship seat in 2015?
Actually I have been consulting with our people and I think I am quite convinced that I have the required capacity and competence to run the affairs of government, giving the levels of exposure I have gotten at the council level as an elected chairman, commissioner in several ministries and secretary to the state government, which exposed me to a lot of people and to the issues in Delta; the issues of administration, issues of development and issues of peace and security in Delta State. That is quite a lot of exposure. Today, I am in the Senate in the legislative arm of government and being exposed naturally to the happening at the national level. So I believe that these levels of experience God has taken me through will be of benefit to our people. And I haven been with the people, working with them through all these years particularly in the current dispensation, since 1999 I understand our communities, I understand our ethnic nationalities and I believe that I will be able to run with the people realising that government is a team. We should be able to run a government that will truly partner with the people of Delta State in such a manner that we are able to deliver, based on justice, fairness and equity. And counting on the experience I have and also knowing many other persons through my various exposure over the years that can be of real assistance in bringing their opinions to develop the state. I believe that partnering with these sections of people and Deltans we will able to develop Delta State and build and consolidate on the achievements of the current administration even of the first administration from 1999 to 2007. And we will be able to introduce real ideas that can help develop our state much faster. Acceptability among the people in Delta State and among the ethnic groups in Delta State is something that will play in my favour. And I believe to a very large extent that I am an electable candidate because you may be competent but unknown to the people. That makes it difficult for you. I am somebody that also believes in teamwork. I don’t believe in segregation among people. I believe in doing things the right way. And I think to that extent I will be able to bring all Deltans to the table to think alike as brothers and sisters and to work with one mind, to develop our state and to create the necessary environment that will help to create employment, develop the state and ensure that education and health sectors are properly developed to an acceptable standard. I believe we will be able to truly industrialise the state and consolidate on what the current administration of Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan is doing at the moment.
What is your comment on the controversies trailing the issue of zoning of governorship seat in Peoples Democratic Party in 2015?
The party itself has not come out to speak about the issue of zoning. It is individuals talking about it. I did read in the papers that there was a talk and there was a response. But the party itself has not sat down to take a decision on it but I know that some are saying that we are one family and that we have three senatorial zones of which Delta Central has been there and Delta South is also there and that Delta North should also have the opportunity to govern the state. But for me as a person, I actually believe that I am competent enough to stand in the primary election with anybody in any part of Delta State. And if we are to be judged by our credentials, judged by our past performances and to be judge by what programmes and vision we have for the people, If we are to be judged by the level of acceptability amongst the people of Delta State, I don’t think in a free and fair situation where I should not be able to emerge as the candidate. We need to be conscious of not allowing the issue to divide us.
To be continued tomorrow
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What then should be our focus?
We must be looking at a Delta State in which we are united. We must start to talk about things that strengthen us, rather than things that divide us. But I know at the appropriate time it is possible that the party may come in and sit down to talk.
I always believe that whenever we sit down and talk on the table formally, we can always reach an agreement, talk with the party, talk with traditional rulers, and talk with opinion leaders. It is one state and we will always agree on what is right to be done. I am presenting myself based on the fact that I feel by God’s grace, I am competent enough with the right capacity and qualify enough to run the election. I think that in all fairness of purpose that I will be the candidate to beat as we move into the election by the grace of God. It is God that gives power to men.
There is the popular belief that a particular candidate has been endorsed by the powers that be both at the state and national levels. How do you react to this?
I am not aware of that. If you look around, rumours continue to go on about who has been endorsed. People wake up in the morning and tell you this person has endorsed me. But I know from the little experience I have in politics if it can be considered at all, I know that nobody is going to endorse any candidate at this time of the year when we still have six months away from the primaries of the party and we are clear 10 months away from the February 2015 elections. I don’t think anybody can be endorsed but you know all kind of rumours going round and people tell lies a lot in politics. If you watch the field so many aspirants are saying that they have been endorsed. So I am wondering if the powers that be endorsed one, two, three and possibly four aspirants so when you look at what they are saying, you will find out that the people who are saying those things are actually trying to play politics. Unfortunately they are playing politics in a dirty manner. I believe it is time for the aspirants to sell themselves to the electorate, to sell themselves to the party men who will make the choice at the end of the day in the party primaries. I think that people should look forward and be able to tell the people what they have in stock and why they think they are electable rather than looking for who is going to endorse them and who is not going to endorse them. I don’t think that this is the way to go. The fact that somebody is talking about endorsement shows that that person is incompetent. It means that there is some level of inadequacy in such a candidate. And such candidates, in my opinion, are not qualified to present themselves to the people
Some political analysts believe that it is against the principle of equity to have the state capital at the north and for the north to produce the party chairman, minister, governor of Central Bank, and governor of Delta State. How do you react to this?
In the first instance, when a state is created, there will always be a capital. It may have come naturally; it may have come by accident. I know that at the initial time there was bitterness, there was some level of bitterness at that time but I think that Deltans have gone beyond that. The fact that we are talking about a capital in a senatorial district does not mean persons from that senatorial district are not Deltans. And it also does not stop them from being competent enough to hold offices. And to that extent, I think there should not be any reason to shut them out from competing for the post of governor. In the real sense of it, if you want to extend this now, its means that for every local government where you have the headquarters it means that no person from that particular place will be eligible to contest for the chairmanship of the council. Let’s take for example, Ughellli North Local Government Council, does it mean an indigene of Ughelli Kingdom cannot contest for the chairmanship seat of Ughelli North Local Government Council? So we will be creating some problems that would not allow for fair competition. I truly don’t think that, that is the way to go. We should be looking for competent persons who would build the state as one bloc, one family and look into how to develop the state, how to actually tackle the issue of unemployment generally in the state, how to develop human beings in the state, provide the social services that we need. That is where our minds should go. It is not necessary that we should begin to look at those things that divide us. Politically I look at people who have to re-echo this issue as people who use it for personal gains because they find themselves inadequate and they are trying to bring back old issues to divide us. I believe that we should look at things that will put us together as a state. And the issue of where the capital is located is not what matters. What matters is whether the person that is going into the office is competent enough to govern the state and if he can see the state as one family. So many people have the view that the state is one family. It is no longer time for us to begin to identify any aspirant as Anioma person, Urhobo person or Itsekiri person or Ijaw person or Isoko person. It is now time for us to talk Delta. And that is the only way we can advance in this state. I believe in one Delta State. I believe we will be able to advance together as one. I believe that we will be able to sit down together on one table and agree on basis of justice, peace and equity. And that we will be able to think together and advance the state much further. So we should be talking about that.
‘Unemployment is govt’s toughest headache’
How do you react to the belief that it is against the principle of equity for (Delta) North to produce the party chairman, minister, governor of Central Bank and governor of Delta State?
The issue of Central Bank governor is not an electable position that brings direct development to Delta North or even to Delta State. The governor is like any other appointee. It has no relationship with political positions. As far as I am concerned, it is purely an economic position. And anybody who is talking about it does not even understand what the office of Central Bank governor is about; they are probably confused because of the attachment of the name “governor”. The person is in charge of monetary policies as it affects Nigeria and it is just by stroke of luck that the person is a Deltan and that the person is from Delta North. Otherwise, I don’t see any advantage that the person brings to Delta as a state. Being competent enough he will be able to advance economic issues as they affect the country, Nigeria. So it is our hope that we face real issues, we should look at things the way they are supposed to be without sentiment and do what is right as a state.
Also, the Minister they are talking about I want to believe is Okonjo. Well, she is not a minister from Delta State. She just happens to be born to a Deltan but married outside. She was appointed minister from Abia State, not from Delta State. So she represents Abia State.
Comment on the recent change of leadership in the state House of Assembly as it effects the race to Government House, Asaba in 2015?
I don’t see how the change of leadership in the Delta State House of Assembly affects the Delta State governorship election in 2015. I don’t have the details as to how and why the Delta State House of Assembly affects a change of leadership. In fact I am informed that the speaker resigned. He has his personal reason he must have resigned, because he was not impeached. I am not in Delta State House of Assembly. But I know his action does not have any direct impact on the gubernatorial race. Victor Ochei, the immediate past Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, is in the gubernatorial race; he has his friends, those who work for him. And I still hope that they will continue to work for him. I don’t believe that they were working for him because he was the speaker of Delta State House of Assembly. What goes on in the state House of Assembly is quite different from what goes on in the Peoples Democratic Party.
Can you identify and proffer solutions to the problems confronting Delta State?
The basic problem confronting Nigeria is the very high unemployment rate. And Delta State is part of Nigeria, so we can’t exclude it in that challenge. We should start looking at government that will create jobs, start looking at ways to put food on the tables of families. Therefore there must be poverty reduction. These are issues that need to be looked upon. We have oil but a large percentage of our people are farmers. Some are into crop farming or plantation farming, aqua culture or poultry farming. With these you can see there is the need for us to start talking about job creation because it is not possible for government to provide much jobs beyond what it is doing at the moment. There is a limit to the number of persons you can employ in government, that is why we have challenge all over the country.
So there must be a way to develop the agro business sector and agro industrial sector in such a way that will yield multiplier effect. Government needs to look into this area.
How do you translate this to Delta State?
The government of Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has continued to talk about Delta Beyond Oil. It is real: it is something that must be looked into. It must be advanced. We need to look into agriculture and other industrial sectors, and create the enabling environment for industries to strive. If you want the industries to strive, you must be able to identify the challenges facing the sector. For instance, we have poor power generation. Using generating sets regularly is a major problem.
I thank God that the Warri Industrial Business Park is taking a big leap. Work has started there, this is not easy. The governor should be commended. We are actually going to look at industrial park that will encourage agro business and also agro industries in the state. We will also going to look into parks in other part of the state. I believe that we need to develop park that will attract persons to come and they would say Delta State is the right place to go.
What is to be done in taking the state to the next level?
In going forward, we need to ensure that there is peace and security; we need to ensure further urban renewal. Much is being done today, but we have to ensure urban renewal so that people can be attracted to Delta State as the first point of call. And in doing all these you also need to look into the educational sector, you need to be sure that you are providing the right health care services. Coming in to salvage industries, you have to ensure that you are able to get the right person and right human resources. That means we have to rework our curriculum starting from the base, from the primary to secondary school and university levels. So that we can employ the right personnel, whether from the universities, polytechnics or colleges of education.
What other factor need we intervene?
Generally, there are a lot of factors. The governor is doing a lot and his efforts have to be consolidated. In the health sector, there are many things that have to be done particularly in the area of universal health coverage. It is very important; it is something that we cannot wash away. Not until every Deltan is able to receive free services from the hospitals can we be said to have gotten it right in the health sector. We have gotten the necessary infrastructure. I thank God for the governor who is currently running free maternal health care services at the secondary level and also free under 5 health care service. But we need to build on that and advance to total universal health coverage for Deltans through a well structured health insurance policy.
To be continued tomorrow
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