Honourable Osi Okocha, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly, businessman, and philanthropist is a community leader. Currently based in the United Kingdom, he was in the House of Assembly in 2015, alongside serving Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, who later became speaker.

In this interview, Hon Okocha bares his mind on the recent defection of Governor Oborevwori to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC from the main opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP;  President BolaTinubu’s administration after two years; and Senator Ned Nwoko’s Anioma State Advocacy among other issues.

It has been a few years since you were actively involved with politics, from when you departed the House of Assembly not much has been heard from you. Have you taken a backseat or retired from politics?

For me, politics is a way of serving the people and ensuring fairness and equity in how our society works. What informed my involvement in politics was the need to offer myself, because I am sure that in everything I do, fairness, justice, and equity are my biggest concerns.

When the court in its wisdom made its conclusions, I decided to leave everything to God and continue with my life as a businessman, and even though I have been out of office for a while, I have not stopped my involvement in being myself. I find joy in doing the little I can to help those in need.

Even politically, I remain a leader in my Ward, LGA, and the state, and I am regularly in touch with the grassroots in Aniocha North LGA and Delta State to guide and inform their decisions.

As a leader of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State, what is your reaction to the defection of the Governor and the PDP structure into your Party?

The defection of the Governor of Delta State Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, who I consider a brother into the APC, is a wise move that deserves commendation and should be appreciated because of the potential benefits that would now be enjoyed by my party. However, the people of Delta State are the biggest beneficiaries because of the unity between the state and federal government through which more benefits are possible.

It would interest you to know that the Governor of Delta State and I were colleagues at the House of Assembly, and I know him as  an easy-going fellow who is interested in doing the best he can at every opportunity. Of course, the present leadership crisis in the PDP makes it unsafe for any serious politician to confidently associate with the party, and Governor Sheriff must be applauded for his definitive action to move forward.

The defection of the governor and other Delta PDP stakeholders is also welcome for a number of important reasons, especially its impact on the present political situation in the country regarding administration of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR and the need to ensure balance and sustain the hard fought unity that has kept the country together for over six  decades.

There are reports that one of the major reasons for the defection had to do with the re-election of President Tinubu. Do you share such a view?

It is not about whether I share the view or not, but more about what the nation needs today. Since 1999, Nigeria has existed and progressed through sacrifice and conscious efforts to maintain a balance and give every area as much of a sense of belonging as possible.

Coincidentally, this development is coming during the second anniversary of President Tinubu’s and Governor Sheriff’s administrations respectively.  I believe the President has shown his boldness and decisiveness as a leader, who means well for the country. The problems of the country are a lot and it can’t be expected to disappear overnight, but some decisions have been taken that are in the best interest of the nation.

The removal of fuel subsidy is one of such decisions and despite its initial pressures, the benefits are now very obvious via increased allocation to states. 

In Delta State, Governor Sheriff has embarked on some major projects being carried out by reputable engineering firms like Julius Berger, RCC.

The increase in allocation is the reason for this.

The Education sector has also been impacted through the introduction of NELFUND and as a person, who is passionate about education, I am particularly happy about the opportunity it gives our youths. This means that anyone desirous of higher education can go without wasting precious time. There are also other areas, like the Minimum Wage increment, and the Tax Law being pushed at the National Assembly. So, if Governor Sheriff has seen all these and chooses to align with the Federal Government, I believe it should be welcomed.

 Governor Sheriff Isn’t the only major defector, in February this year, Senator Ned Nwoko moved into the APC…

Senator Ned Nwoko is a big brother and what he is doing at the National Assembly is unprecedented. I do not want to speak about his defection because I think his performance is a better discussion.

His activities have been revealing, especially his advocacy for the creation of Anioma State, which is very timely and has huge potential for our people. He has opened our eyes to the fact that it is possible and with the assurances I have gathered, I believe there is a good reason to have hope. The Senate has now informed us of the public hearing for Anioma State, and this is the most progress that has been made on the matter to date. 

Finally, Anioma people will now speak and aggregate their opinion on the issue and address the concerns surrounding the creation of the state. For the first time, the Delta North Senator is rallying our people towards defining purposes and he’s succeeding. As a former legislator for Aniocha North, the recent restoration of Aniocha North Constituency 2 by the National Assembly is very sentimental, because it brings an end to years of injustice and shortchanging of our people.  Senator Ned Nwoko is making an impact and it is being felt by people, and that is what is more important.

  In all these, how do you assess Governor Sheriff’s two years in office? 

First of all, governance is not an easy task. When we look at our society and see how family values are being lost, we can have an idea of how difficult leadership can be. So, let us begin with appreciation for the efforts made by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, so far.

If I recall, when Governor Sheriff assumed office, he made very direct moves to affect the road infrastructure of the state. My supporters and people I know have applauded his action on the Ughelli-Asaba Road, the stretch from Otovwodo Junction, Enehren Junction, and PTI Junction has also been greatly adjusted. The Waterfront City Project in Asaba, and the Mega flyovers being constructed by Julius Berger in Warri among some other projects indicate that he has not done badly in terms of infrastructure.

There are also other aspects where more action needs to be taken, and that is in the area of security. We must not lie or deny what our people face daily.

I am from Delta North,  Aniocha North to be precise and the concerns of insecurity are the only aspect that Governor Sheriff needs to take more action on to be sure of what he desires most.

The security of lives and properties, just like infrastructure, is integral to the growth and development of any society, and we know the Governor has done so well in infrastructure. It would be unfair for insecurity to rob him of that deserving acclaim, that is why I say he needs more action on it.

But on a general note, I think Governor Sheriff’s performance in the past two years is not bad at all, especially when you also consider that he has tried to be disciplined, to limit borrowing, unlike previous administrations.  

 What are your expectations of the Governor, going forward?

I think the defection of Governor Sheriff to the APC is going to play a major role in repositioning his government, and if this happens, I’m sure there will be more benefits for the people.

The dominant expectation in various quarters is how Governor Sheriff plans to integrate older members of the party into his administration to allow for the exchange of ideas and approaches that his government will greatly benefit from.

It is a time to be more political and, at the same time, more progressive in terms of how politics and governance should be combined for the benefit of the people. None should suffer for the other to be relevant because the people are also involved in every aspect.

President Tinubu has empowered a lot of old APC members, and this will attract more goodwill in addition to our Senators, but when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori integrates the government with the older APC members, there will be a renewed sense of belonging, partnership and balance, heading into the 2027 electioneering cycle, which begins soon.

There are notable figures in the party whose counsel will help the governor remain balanced and fair to all.

I think this is the major expectation most people have of him, especially when we understand how Delta State political timeline works.

 How do you view the ongoing defections to the APC and the deluge of endorsement of President Tinubu for 2027 even when the economy is struggling? 

Politics is a matter of interest and the preservation of relevance. The APC has successfully consolidated by winning the 2023 elections, and the leadership style of President Tinubu since assuming office, has been described by many including members of the opposition as very cooperative, direct and decisive. 

First, as a party man, I reiterate that the defections of State Governors, and national and State Assembly members are a welcome development because it increases the dominance of my party in the country.

Between 2023 and now, the APC has consolidated its victory by receiving not less than two governors and over 30 members of the National Assembly. State houses of assembly have also unanimously switched to the APC. These developments are indications of a party that is well-run.

Of course, other political reasons may add to these developments, but a major one is the failure of the opposition to put its house in order and live up to its responsibilities.

The PDP is a shadow of its former self, and the rave of the 2023 elections, the Labour Party, LP, also has challenges of leadership, and has failed to consolidate on the massive support it received in 2023.

Just like the Delta State government said, the PDP is unable to guarantee the survival and growth of its members and has been unable to effectively address its challenges.

As of today, the APC is the only realistic partisan political platform that has stability and can support the aspirations of the political class of the country, hence many politicians and their structures will naturally find comfort and expression in the party.

As for the endorsement of President Tinubu, I think nothing is wrong with it because as I highlighted earlier, his administration has a lot of positives that have changed the face of governance and economic growth in the country.

The level of attention that infrastructure is being given in the country is laudable. In every geopolitical zone, major projects are being initiated, expanded, completed and commissioned.

A high level of financial governance now exists with the autonomy granted to the judiciary, legislature and the push to include the local government councils too.

Of course, security needs more attention but even here, the President has been decisive with renewed attacks against terrorism across the country.

So, from a general view, these endorsements have logically acceptable angles to them.

 What is your take on the moves by opposition parties to form a coalition against President Tinubu?

I consider it part of the uniqueness of democracy because not everyone will be in support of the government of the day.

The All Progressives Congress is a product of a coalition and if today others believe that they can do better with power, then they are welcome to form their coalition.

But it is not just about forming a coalition, there are so many considerations, especially the political correctness about removing the present government because, at the end of the day, that is the aim of the coalition. 

As I also said earlier, no government is perfect, and if the coalition believes that it can wrestle the power away, then it’s an indication that our politics is gaining more maturity and becoming more ideological.

But for me, I don’t see any headway in the coalition for so many reasons, notable among them is the fact that President Tinubu is a politician with a very high intellect and has been part of previous coalitions across the country.

Secondly, the Federal Government is not doing badly, and from my estimation of its performance, it will have more to campaign with by the 2027 presidential elections.

Thirdly, there is still a level of ethnic and religious politics being played in the country, and this might favour the President and APC.

There is also the aspect of funding and the ability to galvanise support.

The defection of governors to the APC has also killed the option of potential funding for the coalition because the logistics involved in removing a ruling party is not easy nor is it cheap.

The coalition will have the hardest challenge, and it is unlikely that it will generate enough capacity to oust the Tinubu Administration between now and 2027.

What is the way forward for Delta State and Nigeria?

The way forward is to first remain committed to progressive principles because that is where democracy thrives. We must be introspective and be willing to allow the interests of the nation and state to influence our actions on a social scale.

The citizens have a lot of responsibilities, just the same way the government must also be alive to its responsibilities.

The growth and advancement we see in other climes is possible in Nigeria too, but we must all be willing to play our roles.

Those of us who are blessed by God need to be willing to share our resources with our communities, like the way my big brother and predecessor, the former Speaker of the House Of Assembly Rt Hon Victor Ochei FNSE has done through his construction of a contemporary sports complex, which would revive dreams of youths, give his community a facelift and allow attract more development.

The government must always remember that it is at the service of the people and their welfare must remain the utmost priority.

Growth and progress are being made, and I believe through patriotism, more progress of possible.