… says she won’t give up on Nigeria, Tinubu, over non-confirmation for ministerial appointment

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Executive Director (Business Development) at Nigeria Export – Import (NEXIM) Bank, Stella Okotete, has vowed not to give up on Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu despite the setback that trailed her ministerial nomination.

The former Women Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC,who said she has already put the development behind her, declared that she is in government to serve Nigeria and not for acquisition of title or wealth.

Okotete,speaking with reporters in Abuja, said she has since put the past behind her and at the moment serving the country to the best of her ability in NEXIM Bank.

She said: “For me, that has passed. So speaking about it will look as if I’m still healing. I have completely passed that stage. But I will tell you that a whole lot of us are in government or in politics for different reasons. And if you remember when I started, I said, I’m not in government for the title. I’m also not in government for wealth making. I’m in government to serve. And so I’m still in NEXIM Bank serving Nigerians.

“Irrespective of what happened to me, in terms of me not being confirmed by the Senate. It doesn’t mean that I’ll give up on Nigeria or give up on the President.

” I’m still a member, and the president has told me times without number that I’m a member of his team. I think that’s more comforting than anything else. And I have unrestricted access to Mr. President. I have his ears, and I’m also able to achieve his diversification programme, using NEXIM Bank as a driver to diversify the economy, grow the non-oil export space, so we can increase our foreign earnings and also create jobs for Nigerians.

“And so, I just think when the time comes, I’m still young. I’m just going to be 41 in April, and so yes, I know that whatever platform that is available in the future, I’ll definitely be given a chance. “

Speaking on politics in her native Delta State, Okotete expressed confidence that the APC will dethrone the PDP in the 2027 governorship election in the state.

She believes the party’s strong leadership, coupled with robust grassroots support, will propel it to victory in 2027.

This is as she said those who couldn’t give President Bola Tinubu 25 percent vote in the state at the last general election can never be a threat to current college of leaders in the state’s APC.

Okotete insisted that the APC in Delta State can never be under the control of one man who failed to deliver the state to her party in 2023.

This synergy, she insisted, will enable the APC to pull off an upset and claim the governorship seat.

“The APC in my state (Delta) is made up of a college of leaders. When I say college of leaders today, we have the senator representing Delta North who moved ship from the PDP and now a member of the APC. That tells you how united and attractive the APC is in Delta. We have three senators. The three senators are working together with the Honorable Minister of Aviation and other critical party stakeholders. From former speakers of the Delta State House of Assembly to former legislators, the Halims Agodas, the Igbuyas, the Ocheis, they are all working together. The pioneer leader of the party, O’tega Emerhor is working with the Minister (of Aviation) and the senators. And I think that’s what a party really needs.

“It is not a one-man party. It’s a party made of colleges of leaders from the various senatorial districts, local government, wards and units coming together to ensure that the party is well positioned for 2027. And so, I don’t see an opposition to the APC”, she added.

According to her, the APC in Delta State is united and ready for victory, with only one or two individuals unwilling to join the ‘college of leaders’.

She noted that those who failed to deliver significant votes in the previous election, winning only four local governments and failing to secure 25 per cent of the vote for President Bola Tinubu, are no longer a threat.

Her words: We also have very active party members that can win any elections, even if you call the elections out in 2025, we’ll have the APC clearing more seats than we cleared in 2023.

“And if I could go back to your question, someone who won only four local governments for a gubernatorial election shouldn’t be the one wanting to lead a party. Because the truth about it is that you’ve shown your strength, and your strength has been measured by four local governments. So why don’t you just build fences and work with other leaders from the other local governments where you didn’t do well, so that they can support you or support the party to be able to deliver victory for whoever our candidate will be in 2027? I think that should be the thinking right now for any right thinking politician.

“But whereby you were only able to win four local governments, and you couldn’t even give the President the minimum 25 per cent votes, I don’t think you are a threat to anyone anymore”.