’My third term bid’

By Festus Ahon

OLOROGUN Taleb Tebite is the member representing Ughelli South Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly. He is a native of Okpare-Olomu in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
In this interview, Tebite speaks on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration and his development initiatives. Excerpts:

Olorogun Taleb Tebite

How has Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan touched the life of the poor in Delta?
Before now, poverty played a major role in the life of the people in Delta State. And as you are aware, it is caused by many factors which include corruption, greed, indiscipline and lack of patriotism by inept political leaders. The policies, programmes and projects articulated by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan  are targeted at poverty reduction.

The many macro and micro projects by the governor direct bearing on the lives of the people in health, security and in particular poverty reduction, job and wealth creation. They provide ample evidence which stimulates a catalyst for agricultural revolution being a fundamental pre-condition for economic development. Candidly, poverty reduction is a major key to development.

The operational coverage is fair, universal, transparent and equitable. The distribution and utilization of available resources are equitable. There is no discrimination or apathy on the part of government officials and the citizenry. Youth restiveness, joblessness and issues associated with insecurity have correspondingly declined.

Governor Uduaghan apparently knows how to get things properly done, is versed in modern management practices, well groomed and is an emotionally intelligent individual. Delta, in terms of poverty reduction, policy and visible projects on poverty reduction, represents good governance in Nigeria. Other states should emulate Delta. This policy must be sustained and the regular execution of vital projects must be consistently reinforced.

The good news is that good governance in a democracy is dynamic, pro-active, allows free participation, and advocates freedom of choice and the right to seek power by all qualified people. Indeed, the general development of Delta and Nigeria and the real progress of Nigerians will be quickly achieved from the well-being of Nigerian people as a result of good policies, serious poverty reduction, improved levels of health, opportunities for employment by earning a fair reward (wages) for labour, access to qualitative education and adequate security for lives and property.

The actualization of the inspirational programmes and projects in Delta  in poverty reduction by the governor for poverty alleviation has made his achievements attestable, real, tangible, visible and ubiquitous.

There is this saying that there water everywhere in Delta but none to drink.  What is your view on this?
That is not true because over 400 water projects are fully functional in virtually all the communities in the state. The state government has spent a huge amount of money on the maintenance of several water schemes across the state.

A lawmaker supposed to oversight the executive arm.  Why is it that you are always commending Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who happens to be the head of the executive arm?
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is not only the head of the executive arm but the number one citizen of this state in terms of administration, so he deserves all the support. And as a representative of my people I have their mandate to praise the governor when he is doing well so that we can get more. So I will continue to praise him for doing what is right for the state and Ughelli South local government.

If he is not a performer I stand to be challenged.  A man that has done all that and still doing, you are asking me why I am singing his praise? I can go to any length to sing his praises. There is nothing wrong for me to sing praises of Governor Uduaghan’s developmental strides in Delta.

I do not want to join issues with people who are anti-developmental. This governor means well for his people, and I have said it repeatedly that by the time he completes his tenure by ending well and strong, people will come to appreciate this man ‘Emmanuel’, as the name implies, ‘God is with us’, and the people of Ughelli South Local Government Area that I represent will forever remain grateful to the administration.

Don’t forget, he gave us the deputy governor, commissioners, SSA and several other appointments too numerous to mention. So, I am singing his praises based on the performances on ground, which you can see everywhere in the state.

There is this insinuation that you have succumbed to run for third term in order to satisfy the clamour of majority of your constituents who urged you to run?
It became obvious to me that majority of my constituents wanted me to run for a third term, especially after they held a meeting in the council area where a vote of confidence was passed on me for delivering democracy dividends. So it gives me joy when people say ‘Olorogun Taleb Tebite, we want you again’. What else do you want me to say rather than to thank God for my modest way of living?

I stand for my people and if these same people are saying that they want me, what else than to say yes to their clarion call for me to run for third term. I seek development and progress for my people because we are in a democratic era. And for you to enjoy democracy, you must have to do things for your people. And that is why I say yes! Despite the fact that they said I have performed well, I feel there is need to do more. I want to do more and I need the support of government to do more for my people.

Thank God I have  Deputy Governor Amos Agbe Utuama from my local government area, I appreciate him for all he has been doing for us. I also want to thank Governor Uduaghan, the State PDP chairman, Barr. Peter Nwaboshi and our father, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, for making the party one and stronger. And I want to say that whoever Governor Uduaghan will support for governor come 2015 is where I will pitch my political tent.

People talk about zoning.  Has there been zoning of appointive and elective positions in your local government area?
There had never been any time in my local government area when the issue of zoning was discussed. I have been in the House for two terms now, I have never heard of it. There could be agitations but not to the knowledge of members and leaders of the local government area.

Even during the days of the Mokpos, Omonemus and Ewheridos of blessed memory, he (the late Ewherido) contested the local government chairmanship with Dr. A. P Fovie, a great man of high repute. They fought gallantly for it and, at the end, Fovie defeated Ewherido, and the late Senator Pius Ewherido went to the drawing board and contested strongly with the late Matthew Alibor, and Ewherido defeated Alibor from the Ughievwen axis.   In my own election, Hon. Jacob Tone contested against me and even took me to court. Is Hon. Tone not an Ughievwen man?

Eme Mukoro on his part contested against me during the general elections and even went to the state House of Assembly but he was removed after a legal tussle that ended at the Supreme Court, making my second term to be short by some years. Majority of those agitating for zoning now were among those who contested against me during my first and second terms.

So there has never been anything like zoning in my local government area. We have always contested for elective positions in my council area and at the end the best person usually wins. So come 2015, the best candidate will win, and I am the best candidate because God and the good people of Ughelli South Local Government Area are always there for me at all times. Remember, legislative matters are not meant for new comers, experience counts a lot.

What is your message to the people of Ughelli South Local Government Area as we approach the 2015 elections?
I told them during my campaigns that they should expect good things. The governor, deputy governor and the state House of Assembly supported me to bring dividends of democracy to my constituents. Remember that dividends of democracy have no end, they should wait for more and better things will surly come to them. There would never have been me without the good people of Ughelli South Local Government Area.

How do you describe Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s strides in the area of transportation?
The governor has performed excellently well in the transportation sector. I say so because in line with the three-point agenda of his administration, the state’s Urban Taxi Scheme with 170 taxis was launched. We have another 405 18-seater buses for the state urban transportation programme, and the  provision of nine 38-seater Nissan civilian buses for students in tertiary institutions in the state.

The governor procured 15 Toyota Hiace buses for the Delta State Shuttle Bus Scheme for primary and secondary school children. 50 Marcopolo buses, five Mass Transit buses and 100 Hiace buses for the Mass Transit Scheme were also bought. 1000 tricycle units to phase out commercial motorcycles were also procured. In order to ensure to put a stop to inconveniences caused by rain and sun, the governor constructed bus shelters, trailer parks and lay-bys to decongest roads and ensure free flow of traffic within city limits.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has received a lot of awards through his strides in the health sector.  Can you explain the magic wand behind it and why he is paying much attention to the sector?
First, you should know that Governor Uduaghan is a medical doctor who wants us to be the best state in terms of health at all times. The governor has tenaciously executed major programmes prominent among which are the Free Maternal Health Programme of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which was launched on November 20, 2007 at the Central Hospital, Ughelli in Ughelli North Local Government Area.

The goal is to reduce maternal mortality by 50%. It has been a tremendous source of relief both medically and financially to Deltans. Following the rapidly increasing number of patients benefitting from this programme, several health personnel have been recruited to strengthen the work-force. Other health programmes initiated by the Uduaghan led administration include the rural health scheme established in 2005 and geared towards providing free medical services for rural dwellers who cannot afford to attend hospitals.

The free under five health care programme is another laudable health care programme initiated by Uduaghan on May 27, 2010 at the Central Hospital, Sapele. Other programmes include state AIDS and STI control programme, prevention of blindness programme, cancer control and among others. The governor also developed the health sector by embarking on capital projects involving construction, rehabilitation/renovation and equipping and re-equipping of the hospitals and health centres in the state as well as the health training institutions. Some of these projects are still on-going.