Mr. Onuesoke Okpako Igho Sunny is Special Project Director in the office of the Delta State Governor. He bared his mind on some vital national issues recently to the crew of National Reformer. He is not happy with the letter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Jonathan and urged the former President to tender apology to Nigerians. He said the re-election bid of President Jonathan in 2015 is sealed, signed and delivered, saying the North cannot stop the moving train of President Jonathan. Read on.
Please may we meet you?
My name is Sunny Onuesoke, a former Governorship aspirant in 2007. I am also an environmentalist but I am currently the special Project Director, Governor’s Office, Asaba.
Talking about the environment, how will you describe the environment in Delta State?
It is a global subject. We are all affected by the global warming. The major problem we have concerning our environment is over population. The global warming is as a result of green house gas and industrialization. We cannot have a clean environment when we are talking about development. Every young man wants to drive a car and for every car that is manufactured there is an additional carbon dioxide being emitted into the environment. Where there is development there is massive deforestation and when the forest are gone we will have problem because the trees captures the Carbon dioxide while they emit oxygen to us. My advice to people is that they should find a way to regulate environmental degradation because for every 365 days there is an additional environmental degradation. But if we want to solve the problem of environmental degradation by litigation, it is not going to work because we are cutting down trees without replacing them. We do not have reserved forest like what is obtained in civilized countries like London. To solve this problem, we need to increase our technology on solar power system. Talking about solar system, there is nowhere in the world that solar system can power big machines like turbine. Even from London to Newcastle we have about 16 nuclear reactors that are being used for power generation. Yet every day they preach against power this and that, but even in UK, they invest so much on nuclear power. And the British government are involved in building every day and yet they will come to Africa and tell us to minimize our CO2 emission. If you are telling us to control our emission, then you are telling Nigeria not to move forward. You are telling us not to get industrialized because once you are industrialized, you churn out a great deal of CO2 to the atmosphere through the fumes you produce from cars, turbines, etc. But we must be industrialized and if we must do that then you must forget about environmental litigations. If they want us to stop producing CO2 then they should also stop Japan from producing cars and all that degrades the environment. For as long there is population explosion, there is bound to be deforestation and when there is deforestation there is bound to be more heat. One of the worst generators of heat in the world is the air conditioning machine. You will like to have one and I would like to have one too. So who are you to tell me to not buy one. Every day we keep polluting the environment and unusual weather condition occurs. Today we do not experience harmatan any longer in this region because the trees are no longer there. The heat generated by us melts the ozone layer and increases the temperature. These block house we live in generate a lot of heat and that is why we are advocating for mud houses and brick houses.
How will you react to the open letter written to Jonathan by OBJ?
First and foremost Obasanjo should apologize to Nigerians and the world for making that letter public to the media. Take the history of United States for example; no ex-president had ever tried to influence a sitting president or an aspiring president. What Obasanjo has done is uncalled for. We have a lot of ex-presidents still alive. We have senior citizens like Shagari, Shonekon, Babangida, Abdulsalam etc. Are they not all Nigerians who have contributed to the development of Nigeria? Why does he always feel that he is the most important person in Nigeria to start writing letters to the President? What are his legacies? He claimed that he was responsible for stopping the civil war but no, Adekunle did that. He tried to abrogate things that he cannot substantiate to himself. What he did was against the rule of engagement. He wants to prove that he is super human and an icon of Nigeria politics; whereas he is not. His statements are inflammatory geared towards inciting and manipulating the people. It is against the law of justice. He could not have done that to a Northern President. Or does he think because he is from the minority he does not know what he is doing. That statement he used, “minority President” is an insult to us on our ego, culture, heritage, and the tradition of the people of the South South region and we are not going to take that. We demand an apology from former President Obasanjo. He must apologize to Nigerians for misinforming the world.
So tell us, do you want President Jonathan to come out and contest in 2015?
He is there already because one hundred and fifty million Nigerians voted for him and not the Northern elites. We are not in Nigeria for northerners to dictate to us who is going to be the next president or not. Nobody has abrogated that power to the so called northern elites. They have seen nothing yet. There are selected northerners that I respect but not the Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and others who do not have any background. Jonathan entered an accord with Nigerians and not the Northerners, and constitutionally that accord continues to 2015. We voted him into power and we are still going to vote him in again. You see the northerners are mad because Jonathan has revealed the cabals in the north by giving the north infrastructural development. How many northern presidents have done what President Jonathan has done? For two years in office he opened nine universities in the north and they are still complaining. The northerners have not seen anything like this and now that they have seen what their so called leaders cannot do for them. He has introduced a lot of people oriented programmes to them. I respect people like Gowon and Danjuma who cautioned Obasanjo for what he is doing. Do you know what it means for someone to come and open nine universities in the north? The northern elites wanted to keep their people from getting education because they want to keep the oligarchy system where hundreds of people will be feeding from one man. Jonathan achievements in the northern states is unprecedented and they are yearning to vote for him again. Don’t mind all these self styled northern elites who called them the authority of northern government. But development in the Niger Delta region where he comes from is slow; is going to take a gradual process because Jonathan is still studying the region. For his two and half years our rail system is now working. When he came he tried to revive most of the dead institutions. He has revived our air transportation. Let me give you a shocker. The power sector is going to be competitive now; it is going to be like the communication sector where sim cards will be used. If you do not like the services of one company, you can change to another one. Obasanjo sunk 18 billion dollars into power for eight years but he has nothing to show for it. Rather the power sector was going down.
Tell us, how do we make Nigeria work again?
I want to appeal to Nigerians that if we want the country to work we should be seeking for qualitative life. Qualitative life is different from being a millionaire. Nigerians should discountenance the drive for money and material acquisition. Rather they should be advocating for quality life; good road system, adequate power, good health, that is all that is needed. If we have constant electricity, good roads, housing for all, free health, free education, then you will not be seeking to be a millionaire. I am advising Nigerians, let us clamour for qualitative life. When you see the Britons and Americans, they are seeking for qualitative life.
Governor Uduaghan is concluding his second tenure in office, how would you describe his administration?
He has been able to sustain peace because without peace there can be no development. What he has done is marvelous. His infrastructural achievements are like pyramids and are incomparable. He has renovated and expanded our roads and airports to international standards. What about the Warri industrial Business park? Right now one of the fastest growing sea ports in the country is the Koko sea port where we have lifted the first palm kernel for export and this is unprecedented.
On man of the year award conferred on Governor Uduaghan by some national dailies?
Yes, the Sun, The Vanguard, and the Leadership newspapers all found my governor fit to be given the man of the year award. If they can find my governor worthy of that award that only means that he is an icon of leadership. (Laughs with excitement)
Now, as the special project director to Governor Uduaghan what are some of the star projects in the state?
We have the Asaba Airport which is moving very fast. It is one of the fastest growing airports in the country in terms of patronage. So let us be frank with our conscience. Some said he started late but to me it is not late because there are other demanding issues. It took this man approximately three years to sustain peace in this state. I just have to be frank. If the governor is doing good tell him and if he is doing bad tell him also. But let your criticism be constructive because he is only human.
On the Ughelli/Asaba Road
Governor Uduaghan is definitely going to finish the project before he leaves office. As you can see the project is moving very fast. The sector B of the project is about 90% completed and the other sector that was given to another contractor is also moving fast. Uduaghan has no intention of abandoning the project. Why will he abandoned such a project. He will complete it before the end of his tenure. He has said it time without number that he is not going to leave any of his projects uncompleted.
On Those Criticizing Governor Uduaghan?
Everybody is entitled to his opinion but if you want to criticize him you should do that constructively and objectively. Criticism is a universal norm. Even Obama himself is being criticized too. But let me remind you that if you are doing that you have to do it constructively because Governor Uduaghan is representing an institution. He is a human being like every one of us and he cannot do it all alone and that is why he has commissioners and other people who are assisting him. Nobody is perfect. Okay, look at the Abigborodo road project. That is a swampy area, but go there today you will see wonders on swampy areas. Look at the massive Ode Itsekiri road. It is wonderful. Then cross to the other side of Ode Itsekiri road and you will marvel at the impressive work done on this swampy land. This cannot be compared to somebody who is constructing a road in a dry land. Look my friend, what the governor is doing cannot be equaled to any person in the country.
On 2015?
It is too early for me to talk about 2015 because right now I am focused on projects and infrastructures and I would not want anything to becloud my infrastructural drive. Right now the Governor is focusing on infrastructural development in the state. The Governor is going to finish strong.
New Year Message?
My advice to Nigerians is for them to respect the office of the President. They should not think of Jonathan himself because if they talk about him they are degrading the office of the presidency which is the symbol of Nigeria.
