INTERVIEW

FAITH MAJEMITE IS THE CONCENSUS CANDIDATE FOR THE RAPID SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND OVERALL TRANSFORMATION OF ETHIOPE EAST LGA FROM OCTOBER 25 — Dr Latimore Oghenesivbe.

FAITH MAJEMITE

Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, is a reputable Media and Political Communications Consultant and the Director of Political Communication and Special Adviser on Political Propaganda Management to Chief Faith Majemite. He is currently the Principal Partner at Proskills & Associates. He holds a PhD in Literature, Master Degree in Public & International Affairs, a Bachelors of Science Degree in Political Science and a Law Degree from the University of Lagos. He is a member of several intellectual bodies and organizations including the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), the Goodluck Jonathan Support Group GSG), American Political Science Association (APSA), et al.  In this interview with our crew of Tejiri Ebikeme and Francis Sadhere, he spoke on the chances of Chief Faith Majemite on the October 25^th 2014 Delta Local Polls

We hear that there are other influential candidates in this race. Chief Tony Oboroh, Mr. Imarah and a few others who are also key players in Ethiope East politics and political observers are saying that Mrs. Majemite may not be able to secure the party’s ticket at the primaries. What is your take on this?

I laugh. You see, this coming election is going to be a complete game changer. It is going to be a total departure from the crude political scheming of the past. PDP as a party and its leaders in Delta State and Ethiope East knows what is on ground. They know those politicians who have failed our people and they also know those who are no longer fit and proper to wave the party’s flag. We hear that there are some failed representatives of the people who are boasting that they will buy the party leadership with huge sums of money so as to emerge as candidates whether or not they have performed badly. They have fixed their eyes on the peoples’ money that they stole in government which they now want to use to bulldoze their way through PDP rank and file to impose themselves again on all of us. Their plan is to return to power so as to continue to punish us economically, socially, spiritually and politically but God has closed His Heavenly against them. The cry of our people has reached God and there is nothing their political scheming can do to bring them back to political relevance. There is pay day for every good and punishment for every evil. Our demonic heartless and rogue leaders will reap their evil rewards to the fullest unless they repent. The choice of Mrs. Majemite did not come from her. She never indicated interest to run for the Chairmanship of Ethiope East. She stakes were higher than that but stakeholders in the affairs of Ethiope East had to reach out for help at the seat of government to help mount pressure on her to come salvage the local government from the hands of political vampires, who are hell bent to perpetually impoverish our people and make them to consistently eat crumbs and leftovers called “empowerment”. Empowerment as we know it today is sharing “barber’s clippers or N10,000 for two pot of soup and thereafter you are on your own for another four years or N15,000 in support of wedding programme or N25,000 to support the burial ceremonies of the bereaved or N50,000 for four years political loyalty, etc, etc. The huge money released by government meant for youth empowerment and vocational/skills acquisitions, sinking of massive bore holes, road construction and maintenance, renovation and building of new primary schools, funds for electricity transformers, drainages, cities and towns beautification,  funds meant for community health care, monies released for state and federal projects, salaries and allowances of political aides etc., are lodged in both local and foreign bank accounts of these political vampires for themselves, their families and few partners in crime of economic sabotage. These greedy politicians forge signatures of people in employment documents and receive salaries of certain people who are political loyalists but these huge sums of money never get to them whereas they want to be called Political leaders. What a pity? Some of them will get law suits very soon if they refuse to restitute. Now, some of our credible political leaders cried out to some people in the corridors power to help us rescue this ugly situation and as a result Mrs Majemite was prevailed upon by powerful people in government to take up this huge task of rebuilding our communities in Ethiope East. So, the rumour that she may not get the party’s ticket at the primary is the song which has been composed by some sinking politicians who have been rejected by our people. They are still shouting as if they are relevant but the reality on ground is that those challenging or opposing the candidacy of ONIEMO are only inflaming acute hatred for themselves which may worsen their continued banishment from our communities for the evil that they have caused our people. Today, as we know it, empowerment has been taken out of context, misinterpreted and in some cases taken out of the jurisdiction of some constituency in the State. These are some of the political abominations which some unrepentant political actors have committed with arrogant political impunity.

For any candidate to succeed there must be some key people backing up such candidate. Who are those important political figures in Ethiope East and the State party level that are endorsing Mrs. Majemite for this election?

Interesting question. I am very proud to let you know that last Saturday, June 28, 2014, our community leaders and leaders of our great Party PDP in Ethiope East gathered at Chief Ojakovo’s residence in Okpara Inland to raise their fingers to the heavenly seeking the finger of God upon the landslide victory of ONIEMO during the October 25 LGA elections. Those who adopted her on behalf of all us as our consensus candidate included; Chief Bernard Edewor (Our Political leader in Ethiope East ), Chief Love Ojakovo (former Finance Commissioner in Delta State), Chief Barrister Avwunudiogba (Chairman of Kokori Communities – who we both laboured in vain in my former political camp), Chief Captain Onokharigho (Abraka leader), Chief Mrs. May-Awhotu Iyasere (one of the great woman leader in our party, a creative resource and industrialist who is also the CEO of Rima Industries Ltd), Chief Fred Sowho (former PDP Publicity Secretary), Mr. Jerry Ewrhudje (Chairman of Urhobo Political Forum, Ethiope East LGA and former PA to Hon. Emeyese), and host of others. It was a huge crowd. These are party leaders with sophisticated political pedigree and it’s not going to be business as usual this time around.

In fact, the day ONIEMO purchased the party nomination forms was like a Presidential political rally in Asaba. The entire LGA party supporters abandoned their economic activities to drum their support for her candidacy. It was something else. Asaba has never seen that kind of event, only for the collection of nomination forms. Ken, you can image or picture in your mind how the campaign rally will like look. The incumbent LGA Council Committee Chairman, Chief Onoriode led the huge crowd. He is an ardent and unrepentant loyalist of ONIEMO and currently directing campaign affairs to ensure the landslide victory of our consensus candidate, Mrs. Majemite.

That is good news, but the best news is that the State party machinery has been well oiled to take ONIEMO on a smooth flight to her swearing-in ceremony immediately after the elections in October. What am I saying? I am saying that at both the party primaries and at the polls Mrs Majemite’s victory will be overwhelming. In fact, there are strong indications that Chief Oboroh and others will soon step down for her to be the PDP unopposed candidate for the Ethiope East LGA elections. I see this happening because Chief Oboroh will have to be politically sensitive to the party’s direction and the resolve our people. It will not do him any good if he contests the primaries and fail. That will be a minus for his political credibility that he currently enjoys. It will be the very first time that the Ethiope East people will resist imposition of candidate, it will mark the end of the use of force by unpopular candidate to frustrate our people, it will mark the fall of expired political vampires and will enthrone a new era of progressive politics and people focused governance.

It sounds good but don’t you think that Chief Oboroh has an advantage as immediate past Chairman of the Council particularly that he needed to do a second term as a matter of political tradition in Nigeria?

Olorogun Oboroh is a near fit and proper person. He would have scale through easily if our people did not insist on Majemite. As it is now, he has to thread systematically so as not to step on powerful toes who have concluded on the candidacy of ONIEMO. This is more of a personal advice to a big brother that I love so much. He is a good man as can be seen from his sound and cordial relationship with people. He is a cheerful giver and unequalled entertainer. He loves life and he makes people around him to have a feel of life through strategic fun. Uncle Tony is maverick and superlative in many ways. I personally praise him and thank him in previous interviews and articles for giving us a befitting secretariat. But the reality on ground is far beyond these qualities that I have mentioned about him. We love Uncle Tony but not to the extent of allowing him to pitch tent against the candidacy of ONIEMO. We may in the future return Chief Oboroh to the council just like what happened in Ekiti State where PDP decided to bring back Peter Fayose to remodel the State. Chief Oboroh has shown that is a leader for today and tomorrow and that is settled. But at the moment he should not rubbish that pedigree and credibility by listening to evil voices to give ONIEMO a fruitless fight. That kind of fight will be futile and will end in fiasco.

A political fight from Uncle Tony this time will be premature politically and may fracture his future political acceptance and support by our people. I am pretty sure that somebody somewhere who for his or her own personal selfish ambition may want to form an unholy and fake alliance with Olorogun Oboroh so as to pursue his or her impossible political agenda. I don’t advise Uncle Tony to fall into this trap. He should avoid it and work for the victory of ONIEMO so that the party leadership can look around for something reasonable for him in this dispensation. Something better is coming his way and he should not be in a hurry to miss it. These pontificates are both prophetic and at the same time a revelation of deep things to come in the near future. The bottom line is that Chief Oboroh is a super personality and he should not allow himself to be contaminated by political lepers.

Political lepers refer to those who already know that they have failed the people, they failed in their responsibilities as representatives of the people, they short-changed our people, they punished our people through deliberate refusal to provide transformational empowerment for our teaming youths, they destroyed our communities through the application of crude politics, self imposition, coercion and use of fire power and today they have caused pains, lack of development and hopelessness for our teaming youths and population. These classes of unrepentant political actors are called political vampires; political James Bond, Political Dracula, Youth wasters, Political Pharaohs, and you can actually improvise your coinage to describe them. These are the sinking politicians who want to drag others to sink with them. Chief Oboroh should avoid them technically and with all manner of craftiness but politely. Our people should take whatever money they put on the table and dump them, Simple. The money they are spending belongs to our people and therefore whenever you are called to come take a peanut out of your own money, why not? Go collect the money and dust your feet when you leave their homes.

This is something else. Now tell me, what difference do you think that Mrs Majemite will make if she eventually become the LGA Chairperson?

The interesting thing about ONIEMO is that if you mention her name to 2,000 people, the entire number will tell you that she is fantastic and good. Unlike some political “Maradonas” who if you mention their name to 2,000 people the entire sample size will tell you exactly the same negative things about them. You see, the character evidence of a political actor is the proof that he or she is either good or bad, accepted or rejected, self centered or generous, evil or godly. ONIEMO’s name is golden and flows like the proverbial divine oil of Prophet Elisha in the lips of hundreds of thousands of people in Delta State. She has done pretty well in her political career. For the first time in the history of Ethiope East Council Elections, we now have a candidate whose manifesto is made public, written and published in social media and will soon be printed in her campaign posters. She promises transparency, open door policy and accountability.

For the purpose of clarity, she promise to do the following; to bring local government administration closer to the people at the grassroot, to plan and execute people oriented programmes that would trigger uncommon development in our communities, attract government attention for rapid economic development, to work out deliberate socio-economic and infrastructural projects that would empower our people especially the teaming youths in Ethiope East, to do such other things that will distinguish her administration positively from previous administrations, to key into PDP new leadership strategies of President Jonathan’s transformation agenda at the grassroot and to remain loyal to His Excellency, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, party leadership and constituted authorities.

She further promise to serve the good people of Ethiope East and its communities, using available financial, material and human resources to foster uncommon transformation and rapid development in our LGA with a view to open a new page in progressive local government administration like never before. Once she is sworn-in, ONIEMO will collaborate with her council team to itemize salient and urgent programmes accordingly to priority and allocate funds for execution. She told me in clear terms that she will personally fetch water and mix-concrete for contractors at the sight of every project if that is what they require to complete projects on schedule. She will pay unscheduled regular visits to projects site and never to owe any contractor who have completed a project according to standards, time and specifications. It sounds great, isn’t it?

Yeah. Finally, what do you as a person stand to gain in all of these? What are your personal political ambitions either now or in the future?

Good question. You see, as at today, the survival and development of Ethiope East is the passion of our community leaders and His Highness, Ogunrimerime, the Okori I of Agbon Kingdom, the concern of our party leaders, the focus of Ethiope Elites, the passion of Mrs. Majemite and my concern as well. I want to see an LGA where the people radiate with smiles and quality life. I want to see functional Health Care Centres, I want to see uninterrupted electricity supply to power the small scale businesses of our people, I want to see good motorable roads linking our communities, I want to see the school children in sparkling uniforms and comfortable learning environments, I want to see our mothers and women have enough resources as soft loans or funds with zero per cent interest rate to expand their agricultural and cassava milling businesses, I want to see the elderly have a monthly welfare package to survive and appreciate God for their old age, I want to see and LGA that will paid WAEC SSCE or NECO examination fees for indigent students and so on and so forth. These are the focus of Mrs. Majemite for Ethiope East LGA people.

Therefore, my gains are anchored on the happiness of our people through a credible political and economic leadership which I very much believe that OINEMO will provide. As for my political ambition, that is left in the hands of God, left in the dictates of our political leaders, left in the reasoning of Mrs. Majemite and all other stakeholders in the politics of Delta State. I also know that once our party candidate emerges for the 2015 Governorship elections, I will be working with the governorship candidate during campaign through ONIEMO’s political camp at the dictate of incumbent Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and our party leaders. So, my heart is open and the political scheming and gaming is on-going. I cast my hope and trust in God who will in turn use human vessels to divinely craft and perfect my political career. This is it.

Political actors who impose themselves on the people are worst that Lucifer and his kind. If you see a desperate leader, you see despotic leadership. Crude leaders have no regard and value for human life which is why they can kill at anytime without losing a sleep. They quit the political stage shamefully and disgracefully, too. They are easily forgotten in the scheme of things and relegated to the dust bin of political irrelevance. They are easily written off from history because there is no story to tell about their days as leaders. There is nothing good to trace to their leadership or days in government. I will not and will never belong to that political class, which is why my political upgrade will not be achieved through “do or die” tactics. I know that at the appointed time God will cause His finger to accelerate my promotion politically.

I wish you the very best of luck. Or is there anything else you want to talk about?

Not at the moment. Once ONIEMO is sown-in as Ethiope East LGA Chairperson, we must then shift focus to the Governorship and general elections. As for the October 25 Council elections I will continue to respond and talk to the press depending on what is unfolding. So, I keep my fingers crossed and thanks for your precious time and for having me.