How did you feel when you were d e c l a r e d the winner of the PDP pr ima r y for Ovia federal constituency?
First of all, I will like to thank my party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the electoral officials for conducting a very successful,
peaceful and democratic primary election. I am overwhelmed with joy. The journey to clinch the party ticket has not been easy, but I am
able to go through and now looking forward to the general election come 2015 when PDP will definitely be occupying the seat of the Federal
House of Representatives for Ovia federal constituency.
How do you intend t o represent your constituency, especially in the area of empowerment?
My major priority to my people when elected will be to lobby and galvanise the Federal Government to make Ovia Federal constituency a
centre of excellence. I intend to empower the people economically through the creation of job opportunities by attracting small and medium scale industries to the constituency.
I will particularly pay attention to the plight of women in the constituency who are disadvantaged in the pursuit of education, employment,
dignified means of livelihood especially those who suffer discrimination on the basis of gender or from traditional/cultural encumbrances; granting of soft loans to women and other vulnerable members of the society to enhance their livelihood.
I will also ensure that children of school age are provided with free books and uniforms and ensure that the school environment is conducive to learning and that our children who attend these schools benefit in character.
As a representative of the people, farmers in the constituency will be adequately provided with farming implements and inancial assistance. Network of roads in every community will be well rehabilitated and made motorable in order to minimise inconveniences
and hardship suffered by commuters and to facilitate the evacuation of agricultural produce from their farms to the markets. Also in the agenda is to promote peace, understanding and good health habits among the people of Ovia Federal Constituency.
What is your message to the electorates as you go into the campaign proper for the elections?
As we are going into the campaign proper, my message to the people of the constituency is that they are for the first time going to experience the dividends of true democracy, effective and qualitative representation.
I want to urge the electorates in the constituency to definitely put their trust in me because I am a very trustworthy candidate that will
represent their interest at the federal legislative chamber.
What is your take on the al leged protest by other aspirants that were vying for the seat with you that delegates were coerced to vote for you?
Nobody was coerced. The conduct of the primary was something that was unanimously decided by all the stakeholders at the constituency
including the delegates.
The delegates gave me the ticket because they believed that I am credible, trustworthy and able to represent them. So it was on that note
that all the delegates decided and came to a conclusion that they are all going to vote for my favour because they needed a representative that can wholeheartedly represent their interest.
So, I am grateful to the PDP to be able to conduct a successful peaceful primary, though there might be possible one or two oppositions
or aggrieved persons but it so happened that in the spirit of oneness we will be able to come together and accept the outcome of the exercise.
I want to congratulate all the aspirants that were at the race for also putting in their best.
I thank God too for having a very supporting family structure because that has also gone a long way in helping me to get to where I have gone to right now. I am looking forward to the general elections and I know I have supporters across all political parties. I have a
lot of support and people from other political parties they are willing to come and key into my election.
That to me is something I could not probably buy with any amount but I have just been favoured because I am blessed with God’s favour.
So I really do not see any element of coercion or duress during the primary election but I would like all the other aspirants to work together
wi th me be caus e we are all one big family. Each of these individual aspirants that vied for this position all told me that their journey started in my father’s house.
Friday Edosa from Okada is my cousin. He is a relative of my father. He went to my father for blessing. Kelvin Aigbe also went to my father for blessing. Etiosa Onaiwu another aspirant was taken to see my father by his elder brother for blessing. The three of them were all
blessed by my father to contest for the primary. So when his daughter Omosede came he didn’t tell me to go ahead.
After much talking my father was quiet, shocked and taken aback. He is normally the one to say you go for this or why not try at this but my decision to take a shot at politics is somehow different to him.
My father knows me to be very independent. He was really taken aback and discussed it with my mother. My mother asked me whether I
am sure that I can take the heat of politics and I said certainly I can do so, that I am ready to go for it and reach nthe finishing line. Not only to reach the finishing line but to be a winner.
Will you be reaching out to the aggrieved aspirants over the petition?
Frankly speaking, I am not aware of any petition but if there is, I will oblige to appeal to them not to be aggrieved, that they are all my brothers and in one way or the other we have come along this journey together and we have had the spirit of oneness so far and I will like
us to maintain that throughout on to the general election.
I will definitely be paying them a visit to appeal to them as well for their support because I need their support and it is important and it will
gladden my heart to know that I need their support.
