Mr Hosanna Jalogho-Williams, an Itsekiri, is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State. In this interview, he bares his mind on the botched commissioning of the EPZ project in the state describing it as an affront on the Itsekiri people. He also comments on the emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the PDP governorship candidate among other issues. Excerpts:

By Dapo Akinrefon

As a chieftain of the PDP, how do you see the recently conducted governorship primary in Delta State?

The primaries have been a very unique one especially the governorship primary that became extremely complex at almost the end of it because it became glaring that some powers that be wanted specific candidates to win.

It became obscure at the direction victory was going because such powers that wanted specific candidates victorious were now absorbing and adopting the great counsel of Ahitoffel and, at the end, it was obvious that God brought confusion amongst the powers that be just like what happened in the Tower of Babel.

What are your expectations from Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who emerged the governorship candidate of your party?

My expectation from the victor, Senator Okowa, is for him to unite the state and inculcate the spirit of collective development. This development should be such that would embrace the continuation of the dreams of his predecessor which have been cut short by sycophants. The truth about some of these things is that, when someone is in power it is always difficult to apply self discernment.

It is when you exit or you are on the verge of exiting that you begin to see the lacuna constituted during the period of engagement. I sincerely urge Senator Okowa to see governance in that perspective and knowing well that this distinguished senator is a very thorough man, I am confident that he would exhibit and perform in totality the confidence reposed in him.

Would you say Okowa has what it takes to bring about change in Delta if elected governor of the state?

Delta as it were today requires the truth about issues that have to be corrected. Senator Okowa, being a very truthful man will be able to hit the nail on the head as is the true position of the state. Let us remember that he is a man of pragmatism, he places the cards on the table the way they are. It is true indeed that the reason for certain shortfalls in Delta state in terms of development is the fact that we mix up all facets of party members participation.

In my own view, party members’ participation should be divided into three categories viz: professional politicians: those who vie for electioneering positions; professionals in politics otherwise called technocrats: these are the people who advice the professional politicians and constitute the think-tank of the party; and then the field men: those who coordinate the affairs if the party to see that victory is achieved.

Now, the problem we often times encounter that resultantly brings us to non-achievement, failures and incompetence is that we allow a large proportion of mix-up in the three categories to ensue. In the circumstance, just like Chinua Achibe, the centre can no-longer hold. But I am confident that Senator Okowa, a very thorough man, who filters the filtrate before embarking on any overture would be able to trisect the application of these categories of party participation.

How do you see the recent cancellation of the EPZ project commissioning over reported threats from the Ijaw?

The recent cancellation of the EPZ project by the Ijaw is a total rape to the Itsekiri people. Just few years ago, the same Ijaw people rained fire and brimstone about their displeasure on the location of Warri-Southwest local government headquarter in same Ogidigben because, according to them, it was an Itsekiri village. All of a sudden, they have emerged again to claim ownership or stakeholdership in the EPZ project because they assume full monopoly to violence. I am stunned to see that a whole Commander-in-Chief of a multi-tribal country like Nigeria can be restrained from carrying out a national duty by a small orbit in a country of well over 180million people. It goes to remind us of the significance of people like former president Obasanjo who is strictly allergic to threats.

In your opinion, what would guarantee peaceful coexistence among the ethnic nationalities in Delta State?

What will guarantee peaceful coexistence in Delta is for the security agencies to take up their full responsibilities and a total disarmament of certain quarters be embarked upon. It is really strange that after the widely celebrated amnesty programme, some people are still seen with arms and ammunition threatening lawful authorities in the country. Secondly, the next dispensation should bring back moral instruction as a subject right from the primary education and education should be highly encouraged in order to occupy the human brain with events of development and cognition rather than violence and resentment.