2015: I Will Give Warri South Constituency II, Good Representation – Ikpuri

Mark Wariota Ikpuri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in this interview with our crew of Tejiri Ebikeme and Francis Sadhere spoke on why he wants to represent the people of Warri South Constituency 11 in Delta State House of Assembly.

Excerpt:

Please introduce yourself to us

Mark Wariota Ikpuri is my name and I am from Agbarha Okere kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area.

I am going into politics because I want my people to feel what government is like. I started politics from a very tender age. My first assignment was the Special Assistant on Student Affairs. My people are lacking so many things but the opportunity of giving them is there. From the time of former Governor James Ibori to this day I think my people have not really enjoyed dividends of democracy, but the opportunities are there for them to have a fair deal, the will to do these things for my people is just the problem.

Take a look at Edjeba community, government presence is not felt here but government has taken a lot from the Edjeba community. For example, we do not have a health centre here. What we use as a health centre is a family hall. Look at Okere kingdom, so many things are still lacking – not that the government did not provide them but I do not know what is happening. This government has tried in providing a lot of things for our people. But I think the will to implement them is what is lacking. When I get there, I need to influence some projects for my people. When the crisis in Warri started, I was the first people to find one way to end it.

Today, some of the youths who were aggrieved then are now enjoying the peace today because of the way I spoke to them when I was given an appointment by Dr.  Uduaghan when he was Secretary to the State Government. I spoke to the boys and told them how to get close to government. I became a special assistant not by magic but by hard work. Today, some of the boys who listened to me are enjoying because some of them are councilors now. I think I am one of those that have contributed to the peace of this place because I am a detribalized man. I am also related to Itsekiri and there is no politics in Warri that you will not see an Itsekiri or an Urhobo man because we are all one. As a special assistant, if I was able to make some impacts, I believe I will make a difference when I get there. Also as a special assistant in Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, I have been able to do a lot too. I am a peace loving man and I do not believe in violence. I am going there to make the people smile and commend the government because right now they are saying a lot of things about the government. But I have made them to know that it is not the government, but the people representing them. So I want to submit myself to the people and be a servant to them and develop our communities.  I am out to give Warri South Constituency II a good representation as never before.

Barrister Denis Omovie said recently that he will run again, can you battle him?

Well, in his own small way he has done what he can do. But what I am saying is that, if I am there I would do more than that. And I am also waiting for that day when we will meet in the field to test our acceptability.

What are your chances of winning?

My chances are very bright because our people used to say that if you are crying, you will still be seeing things. The people know what is happening. Our elders say that when you keep eating one type of soup people will not be able to tell the difference until they taste another type of soup. Barrister Omovie has been there but when somebody else comes, he will do more than he has done and so on and so forth.

What is your message to your people?

My message is that they should stop the politics of violence. They should not let anybody use them, especially the youths. I see some people tearing posters and all that, that is nonsense because posters do not win election. I want to implore politicians to tell their followers to stop doing all that nonsense. I am always telling the youths that they should not allow anybody to use them for dirty jobs. You cannot be used today and tomorrow you are begging again. My advice to them is that they should look to their future. They should know the direction they want to go. They should not play politics of money because today if you collect five thousand naira, you have sold the opportunity of becoming a councilor in the future. Some politicians are in the habit of using the people and what they will say is that ‘I have paid.’ So they should come out and say no, this is what we want. Our future is at stake and we want the right person to be there. I am not saying that I am the right person, but the records are there for people to judge. If am there and I did not perform, the people have another chance to vote me out. That is the way it is. Today we are seeing what President Goodluck Jonathan is doing and he is from the minority and he is doing a very good job despite the security challenges which are being addressed gradually. Nigeria will soon be a good place to stay by the time he finishes his second tenure he is going for. The man will do wonders in his second term. Change is a better thing no matter how well the person there performs. If a person performs well, change will still be needed. And even when a man does well, changes need to be made. So I want them to play that politics of brotherhood and look to what they want and not their immediate need. You have to stay with your people for you to know what they want.

How confident are you in the ballot box and INEC?

I believe that INEC is doing a very good job because all the elections they have conducted recently were free and fair. The people working in INEC are not monsters, they are human beings and they have the same pain as we have. For example if as an INEC man I am given a job to go to my community to go and conduct a free and fair election and I know what my people are going through, I will do the right thing. And if I know a good candidate, then I must do what is right. So I have confident in INEC that they are going to do a good job. First of all, it is the Almighty God that gives power and I am assuring them that this time around that God’s will be done and the people will rejoice at the end of the day. Thank you.