On January 6, Deltans will go for a fresh election to choose a governor. In this interview with Vanguard, Obarisi Ovie Omo- Agege, the Republican Party of Nigeria candidate speaks on his mission and vision for the people.

What is your motivation for going into politics and what is your vision for Delta State?

Omo-Agege

My vision is that of a viable Delta State where  excellence is rewarded, and the  well-being of Deltans is guaranteed, where cherished values are protected. Delta State is blessed in terms of human and material resources. But when you come into the state, you ask yourselves,  with all of these endowments, how come there is nothing to show for it? We saw that Edo State was going down the drains before the emergence of Oshiomhole as governor.

But see what has happened since he became  governor with little or no resources that can match what Delta State receives from the federation account.

Our people did not get a fair deal from the government of Uduaghan when you compare it with what the government has received. So, for that reason, we are coming in with an agenda which we have christened ‘the five steps to prosperity.’ We want to provide free and functional education to our people at primary and secondary school levels.

We intend to take it all the way to university level by way of bursary awards and scholarships. In addition, we  want to create an enabling environment for students to study properly. We intend to set up two model schools per local government area across the state. We intend to enhance the packages of teachers so that there will be the need for them to want to stay in the rural areas, instead of coming upland.

Now, moving further, we  intend to provide free medical services to all Deltans. Now, what do we have today? What did the Uduaghan administration provide? All he talked about as his achievement was free maternal care. I do not quarrel with free health for the under-five and senior citizens who are above 65 years. But, what happens to those in-between?

Are they not Deltans? Why the segregation and abandonment of those from five years to 65 years in the health care system? Why is the vibrant section of the population, the active tax-paying group being  discriminated against? It is unfair to collect their taxes and deny them the benefits of governance.

I am making a case that the active population are equally qualified; they are the pillars of economic growth and development. Look in spite of the money that has been voted for the health sector, from the time when this ex-governor was the Commissioner for Health, there has been no improvement in that sector. In fact, the health sector under  Dr. Uduagahan, has been sick and dying, incrementally.

The General Hospital, on Okpanam Road, has been abandoned. We intend to renovate all the existing hospitals  and put them under  proper management. Our programme in health is designed to ensure that what we call free medicare is free and quality medical services.

From here, we go to urban renewal programme. Under the  programme, we are looking at constructing a coastal road from the River Niger Bridge- head, to terminate at Anwai River, to create an alternative to Nnebisi road as the only route in and out of Asaba. Once the coastal road is constructed, you can imagine the commercial and tourist activities that will spring up on that road. We are also looking at what it will cost to dualise Nnebisi Road, add drainage and proper road shoulders and street lights, etc.

As part of our urban renewal, we want to do a new town development, we are looking forward to acquiring lands to build housing estates. We want to do this by going into private-public partnership with investors, government will provide the sites and services and, in return, the private investors will build the houses. We are looking forward to strengthening the Delta Building Society to enable them provide funds for civil servant and Deltans to acquire the houses.

In Ogwashi-Uku, we intend to build a dam at the Ubu River for agricultural irrigation, water supply, and electricity generation by including a 50 mega watts turbine.  We are also looking at integrated agricultural development. What we intend to do here is basically to assist our farmers to go into mechanised/commercial farming. We intend to set up equipment leasing agencies in all the local government areas where farmers could lease farming equipment that will be purchased by government at little cost, to assist them expand their development of agriculture.

Another component of the five steps to prosperity is security of life and property, which will be anchored on community policing. Another area is manpower development which is the creation of jobs and employment for our teeming youths.  We are also looking at the situation where some of our industries in the state that have gone moribund like Delta Glass, AT & P, Asaba Textile Mill, can be brought back to life under the PPP arrangement to  create businesses and jobs for our youths who are unemployed.

Can you comment on the issue of the Economic Reconstruction Fund?

It is our plan to set up an Economic Reconstruction Fund whose aim shall be to partner with private investors to revive  some of our ailing industries as well as establish new ones on joint venture basis. This is to enable us provide some form of funding, or to provide some kind of guarantee for the loans that will be given, to revitalise the ailing industries. Our goal is to create the job opportunities and produce goods and services.

What is your position on power rotation?

Personally, I don’t believe in rotation or zoning because it breeds mediocrity, but, having said that, I believe in equity, I believe in fairness. Some of us are in this race today because there is nobody from the Delta North Senatorial District who has shown interest.

If there is a candidate from Delta North who has shown interest, I will support him or her because, since everybody is complaining about Dr. Uduaghan’s poor performance, most of us would have thrown our support behind that candidate.

I am in this race because there is no one from Delta North and the popular feeling today is the governor should be anybody but Uduaghan. That is why I am putting myself forward. Now, having said that, the people from Delta North have an aspiration to govern in 2015, I do not quarrel with that aspiration, and I have made my commitment to them that I will do a single term of four years. In 2015, I will assist in ensuring that that aspiration comes to pass, I have a clear-cut strategy to make them attain that aspiration.

How will you respond to the allegations that you are part and parcel of the Ibori political machine?

Well, I served the people of Delta. I happened to have served under Chief James Ibori as a Deltan. I served as an Executive Assistant, I served as Commissioner for Special Duties, I served as Secretary to the State Government. I believe that in all of these capacities I acquainted myself creditably. I have listed the accomplishments I brought to my people during this period; I made positive impact with that opportunity, which is very important in politics.

But, above all, I don’t think anybody should be deprived of service to his state just because he served in the James Ibori’s administration unless there is verifiable evidence to prove that the person soiled his hands.

Why is there so much desire to actualise this slogan in Delta: ‘Anybody But Uduaghan’ (ABU)?

Well, for some of us, many people in Delta  believe that his administration  failed. We believe that the people of Delta deserved much more than they  received from his administration, this is not personal. I don’t have anything personal against Uduaghan, but I just believe that Uduaghan is not good for the people of Delta.

Uduaghan has had three and a half years,  albeit illegally and his record is there. I can tell you that for three and a half years, he did not add value to the state. All the projects the former governor has commissioned were those commenced and paid for by Chief Ibori, before he left office. Except setting up diesel-powered street lights and putting television viewing centres in roundabouts  and dangerous street intersection in the state, you cannot point to one single thing that the former governor has done with N650 billion that he has received in three and a half  years.

We are, therefore, saying that we have had enough of bad governance, which is what all this is all about. It is not a personal battle, the entire Delta State is waiting for the opportunity to shame the rigging machine of PDP .
Well, so many people say that the Republican Party is not known in the state and it does not have the structure, is that not an impediment?

This election is not so much about the platform, it’s about what you have to offer to the people and I believe that I have so much to offer. As contained in my manifesto christened ‘the five steps to posterity,’ the question is whether or not the people of Delta  want these policies to be implemented for their own good. If they want it, they can vote for me, if they don’t, they have their choice, that’s what democracy is all about, it is about freedom of choice. DPP has its candidate, PDP has its, it is not so much about the platform but about what we have to offer.

With God on my side, I will emerge the governor of Delta State.

There are fears that your presence will split the vote of Delta Central and that you are not the consensus of the Delta Central Senatorial District.

All that I can tell you is that I am not running this election as an ethnic irredentist or an ethnic champion. I regard every Nigerian and indeed, every Deltan as my brother or sister. In every social group, be it family, race, tribe or gender, we have good people and bad people; so I do not discriminate against people based on primordial sentiments.

Having said that, I want to say that my support  base cuts across the different ethnic groups in the state. I entered this race confident that I will win, irrespective of the number of people contesting. There will always be a split of votes in any event.

Even in Delta  Central, for instance, there are people who will vote PDP, others will vote Labour Party, there are others who will vote ANPP and other parties contesting the election, the question is whether one is able to muster the majority of the votes in the election to get 25 per cent across the 25 local government areas and have a majority of the aggregate votes across the three senatorial districts and still be able to muster 25 per cent in at least two-third of the states which comes to 16 local government areas but I am confident that I can garner a minimum of 25 per cent in all the local government areas  and get the majority of the votes cast in the ballot. With God on my side, I will emerge the governor of Delta State.