MR. Exto, a former chairman of the Akwa Ibom State  chapter of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN is seeking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to represent the Oron Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. In this interview, Mr. Exto expounds on his political ambitions.
Excerpts:

By Tom Moses

YOUR name is synonymous with music but here you are delving into politics, what informed the decision?
I have always been close to God and God is the source of power but politically, well, everyone has his own story to tell and like I said some time ago, it is a campaign song that brought me into conventional politics and eventually, I have come to realise that it was God that designed it to be that way.
I came into the state in a very loud manner because the campaign song was a huge success and those in power wanted to know who did the song. The then Governor, Obong Victor Attah really appreciated what I did carried me along like a son and you know, when the governor speaks, everybody follows.

How do you intend to combine politics with your music career?
Music is a calling that is why you find a lot of failed musicians around because those people went into music because they saw another guy carrying girls around and they thought it was about that. Many of them fell by the wayside because of what they had to go through to become professional artists. Also, just like music, leadership is a calling. Politics is a platform for professionals to express their content. That is why you see people leaving their core professions to politics to take up leadership responsibilities. So combining your primary profession and the new profession which is the public office should not be an issue because if you had wanted to concentrate on your profession, then, you should have remained in your comfort zone.

Contesting an election is not a joke. So, I am not bothered about how I am going to blend the two, I am more interested in the preparation to be able to keep to the promises that I am making in the course of my consultations.

So, can it be expected that someday, during your tenure; the House of Reps member would be entertaining a crowd somewhere?
Yes of course; may be paid or free. Even Governor Akpabio who is not a musician sings everywhere he goes. He loves to sing, let alone a professional singer. You see, whatever I’m going to be in life, I am going to ride on the brand Mr. Exto and that brand is synonymous with singing. So, I cannot separate that role from whatever I become later because that is who I am. Even God loves songs and people like to see their leaders sing for them especially if you can sing. Even the leaders sing to ease tension or stress and that is one way I will always escape from the pressure of leadership.

You are just venturing into conventional politics, why do want to start from the House of Reps?
I have a purpose, I have a vision and I think that the national level will give me the right platform to make the desired impact as far as representing my people is concerned.
I am looking at where I think that my wealth of experience can come to play and where I can have direct influence on things that are brought to my people.

The Oron people that you are seeking a mandate to represent are complaining of being marginalized by the present administration hence, the agitations to produce a governor of Oron extraction in 2015, what is your view on this?
My personal opinion about the marginalisation of my people is the fact that there is a disconnect between the leaders and the system and that may be caused by not having the right people in positions to negotiate for the people. That is to say that the centre does not seem to hold the people in high esteem, respect the people enough to want to listen to them. What I offer as Exto is my ability to blend properly, I socialize a lot. I have lobbied all my life, I have been a unionist for the past 12 years and I have lobbied for my industry.