Mr Paul Odili is a member of the publicity committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State. In this interview, Odili expresses optimism that the majority of Urhobos will cast their votes for the PDP governorship candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa. Excerpts:
By Dapo Akinrefon
What is your reaction to the statement reportedly made by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Mr. O’tega Emerhor that he is running to rescue the state from PDP misrule?
Mr Emerhor is not a serious candidate; he is amusing himself on the political terrain. He is a paper tiger compared to Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who has paid his dues and is rooted on the ground. The records of the two are very clear and contrast very well. One and that is Dr Okowa has a track record of performance in government as an administrator and a legislator, Mr Emerhor has failed repeatedly—in fact, I should say that the man has been rejected by his people at the polls, when he ran to represent them at the Senate.
okowa
How Emerhor came to win the APC ticket beats me, and he is the main reason that party is in turmoil and in no shape for the general election. So when he says he is running to rescue Delta state, I just wave him aside as a non-starter. The man should rescue himself first from political oblivion. Deltans know this is not the time to take chances. The challenges ahead are serious and we need a serious minded man to pilot the affairs of Delta state.
The opposition still maintains that the state has not shown great progress under the current administration in infrastructure, security and human capital development. Don’t you think this position contradicts the administration’s slogan of finishing strong?
The opposition can say anything to sell themselves to the people, even if it means telling lies, using propaganda and deceit. APC is a desperate party, that is why Deltans don’t want this party. They lie too much. How can anybody who is not living in the moon and who is on the ground in Delta state over the last eight years come out and say that the state has not shown progress.
So why are the people always giving overwhelming support to the PDP? Why is it that in every election in the state, the PDP wins the most seats and have since 1999 continued to produce the governors of the state—a trend we know that is not going to change, as we expect Okowa based on current standing to be returned as governor? You see my problem with the so-called opposition.The Uduaghan administration is finishing strong because it has done so well in all the areas I mentioned.
Why should the people of Delta State trust the PDP?
Because PDP has delivered over the years. Because PDP has made Deltans happy and because Deltans don’t trust the opposition without a fixed identity and with leaders who jump around. Deltans prefer the PDP they know is better than the opposition they don’t know and so the people don’t want to take chances with these people.
How far has Dr Okowa gone in reaching out to aggrieved members of the PDP, whose support for him are in doubt?
Okowa has worked very hard to reach out to aggrieved members; I mean what happened immediately after the party primaries in December was the setting up by the Governor Uduaghan of a campaign council that has many contestants for the governorship as members, holding one strategic position or the other. So Okowa is doing well and has been accepted and embraced by everyone.
Is the PDP not perturbed by the UPU threat not to vote for the PDP governorship candidate?
What we have today in Delta state are two UPUs. There is civil war in UPU and there are two factions and they have two candidates. One faction supports Ogboru, the other supports Emerhor and that is sad. Sad in the sense that UPU should not be thinking of Urhobo candidates alone. Delta belongs to us all. Nobody has a greater right in Delta state over the other. From what I know the Urhobo people are not even following the UPU, they have accepted the PDP candidates. They have accepted Okowa, who they know and believe in because he has strong followership.
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