By Abdulwahab Abdulah

Hon. Abubakar Momoh is a member of the House of Representatives representing Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo State. The former councilor, local government chairman, member of the Edo State House of Assembly is now aspiring to represent the Edo North in the Senate. In this interview, he explains the reason behind his defection from the All Progressive Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his relationship with Governor Oshiomhole amongst other issues.

Excerpts:
How true is the allegation that you defected to PDP because Governor Adams Oshiomhole was not disposed to the idea of a fellow Etsako man like him emerging the representative of Edo North in the Senate?
I am compelled to clarify some things due to the lies and falsehood by the governor’s cronies to mislead  the public. The position I am today in the House   of Representatives is by the special   grace   of God. In 2011, I overwhelming won the party primaries but they wanted to deny me. I, however,   fought back and, on the last day, the name of the  person the powers-that-be brought was substituted.

At a point, the governor called those who were supporting my aspiration and   intimidated them. He asked them why they should support an Etsako person to become a senator. However, what they told  him was that the Secretary to the State Government, who he appointed, has told the whole world that he has been adopted by his people. This is a man whose kinsman was the last senator who represented Edo North before the incumbent one.

The other person from Akoko-Edo has also said that he has been adopted by his people. What we have is an agreement because there has never been any written document. We started from Etsako in 1999. From there, it went to   Owan in 2007 and from Owan to   Akoko-Edo in 2011.

So, if it is by rotation, it is the turn of   Etsako. Unfortunately, those who had it in 2007 are now clamouring for it now. The governor, who said no Etsako man should aspire to go to the Senate because he is Etsako, is now asking somebody from his ward to vie for the House of Representatives seat. Today, there is nobody in APC who is aspiring for any position again; everybody is waiting for the governor’s approval.

So, what were the real reasons you crossed over to the PDP?
I was elected on the platform of the ACN. When the ACN merged with other political parties to form the APC, we thought the merger would provide a conducive and reasonable platform for one to define his political future. No sooner than the party was formed that we discovered that some unholy and undemocratic practices have characterized the activities of the APC.

Starting from the registration exercise, majority of our members were de-registered. My complaints to see that these issues were addressed fell on deaf ears. The first point was that our people were deregistered from the party. When it was time for ward congress, those who won were not those who were announced.
Ward 10 of Etsako East Local Government was a clear example. Instead of announcing the person who got 394 votes, they said the candidate with 374 votes was elected in that ward.

In Ward 6, where the former chairman of the local government hails from, they said he scored zero; that he could not even vote for himself. These practices are undemocratic and they were supported by the authorities of the APC in Edo State.

That has been the cause of the party’s problem in Edo State. Another was that the party leaders in the state did not address any of these complaints.   Consequently, all the aggrieved members met and felt that they could  not continue to remain in the party. So, they had to leave for the PDP and majority of the people who left were all foundation members of the PDP. So, it was not as if they were going to a new environment. We felt that since PDP has been reformed, it is better we use it as a platform to continue the struggle.

Now that you have moved to the PDP, is your ambition still intact?
I was in the other party, I was the aspirant to beat as others were just masquerading as aspirants. Since I left that party, they have been silent about their aspiration; they are all waiting for an individual to anoint them. Soon, it will be clear to some of them that there is nothing to contest for in the APC. Yes, I’m still aspiring. If I get the ticket, I’m waiting for the person in the APC, who will face me.

By then, we will tell the electorate what and what we have been able to do for them. My happiness is that all the people who claimed that they are aspiring for the Senate in APC are people who have held one position or the other before and some of them are still holding positions. We will showcase our achievements. I will challenge whoever is their candidate to a debate to tell the world what we have been able to do for the people. It is not a matter of relying on one man, who thinks that the people would not vote for you without him.

How have you been able to rise to the present position from councilor through to the House of Representatives?
That is because I have always served as a messenger of my people. I always put the interest of the people who elected me above any other interests. I’m not like some other politics, who turn their back at their people once they are elected. That is the secret.

What has been your contributions in the House of Representatives?
The past three years have been fulfilling and rewarding to my people. There is no ward in the 32 wards in my constituency that has not got one, two or three projects. Today, I have about 55 verifiable projects that have been executed in the various wards of my constituency.

The projects range from water, solar street lights, provision of transformers, health centres, construction of classroom blocks and furniture and community halls. All these projects are verifiable and cover the entire constituency.