Says PDP”ll take over Edo State in 2016

Honourable Sergius Ogun, an oil and gas expert represents Esan North/South East Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. In this interview, he painted a gloomy picture of Edo State debt profile. He also says that the utterances of  Governor Adams Oshiomhole on the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration has become embarrassing to the people of the state adding that the PDP will take over Edo State government in 2016.

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

On the chances of the PDP winning the Edo State governorship election in 2016

The PDP will win the elections because that’s the wind of change, we have had APC in the state for eight years and the people of Edo State are tired. They want a change, and  the change is PDP.

Why do you say so?

The state is in debt, when this government came in after nine years of PDP government the state was owing N4 billion. As of the last count, the debt profile of the state that the government has acknowledged is over N260 billion.

Let me give credit to the Comrade Governor for increasing the internally generated revenue (IGR) but I will also be quick to add the tax money is not pocket money for the governor or any governor in this country, its the sweat of Edo state people. So why all the debt? why all the borrowing? The state has been mortgaged and now there is an election next year, Edo people should come out clearly and then sack the APC government.

Are you worried that your state governor appears to be too critical of the President Jonathan administration?

HON. Sergius Ogun

I am not because each time he opens his mouth he embarrasses himself, remember the Second Niger bridge he was saying one thing and PENCOM was saying another.

He is a governor, a governor should be respected. He is no longer a labour leader he is a governor of a state. You can’t just come out and be making statements that are not supported with facts.

On the quality of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees

There are no young people there and there are few women. For the people, most of the nominees are of the PDP. It is just few of them who have not served in PDP.

Besides, if you are going to bring these old men, which is okay because of their experience, why did it have to take five months? I’m saying five months because from the day you win election you choose your team. They have been around, if you are going to Russia to bring a rocket scientist to head somewhere or something in this country we would say it took you this long to investigate that there is a Nigerian in Russia who is about the best individual in that field. Is it Rotimi Amaechi that would take you five months to pick? Or three months to eventually send to the Senate or is it Chris Ngige or Raji Fashola? These people have been around, their experience might be good but why did it take long?

Strengthening institutions

This would have gone the very first week the National Assembly was inaugurated.

On the sincerity of President Buhari’s war against corruption

Somebody’s body language can scare Nigerians away from being corrupt but let me just add that there is corruption all over the world. That of Nigeria is being systemic and where is it coming from? It’s the institutions, every time I have the opportunity to say this I do not hesitate to say it,. We should strengthen our institutions, when you strengthen the institutions most things would be taken care of.

We blame civil servants, we call them evil servants, what is their take home pay? We should stop deceiving ourselves, you have a director in the ministry he is retiring in two years time, what is his annual pay? Why would they not be corrupt? Let us look at the enumeration of civil servants maybe we don’t need the number we have right now, the number of people working there.

If you can trim it down then make them IT compliant Nigeria would work. I am starting from the civil service because they are the engine room of any government.