• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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My opponents underrated my political sagacity to their own hurt – Ise-Idehen

Jude Ise-Idehen

Jude Ise-Idehen was a two-time member of the Edo State House of Assembly on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) between 2007 and 2015. The now Rep-Elect for Egor/Ikpoba Okha federal constituency on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) defeated the incumbent lawmaker, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma  of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In an interview with journalists in Benin City, he spoke on why he won the election and other political issues. IDRIS UMAR MOMOH brings you the Excerpts:

During the election, political pundits never considered you as one of the candidates that would win the election but your victory came as a surprise. How were you able to galvanise the electorate for your victory?

There is no miracle in politics, but hard work and dedication. It is a full time venture. It is either you are working or not working. I don’t need to publicise everything I did. A real politician knows what he needs to do to win. And I believe I did what I needed to do to win the election. It is the people that matter. Not how many posters or billboards you erected across your constituency. It doesn’t really count. You can put a million but how many people really read the billboards or have the time to watch their television set. We have to be realistic. You must go and meet people that matter at their doorstep, which are the voters on the streets to canvass for their votes. That was what we were doing and we were not sleeping. As you rightly said, I was never counted among the candidates to win the election but in the long run I won because I did the right thing. I knew what I was doing because I had contested election twice into the state House of Assembly in which I was for eight years. So, I believe I know exactly what it takes to win.

Some people believed that your victory at the poll was a result of your good performance in terms of giving the dividends of democracy to the people of your constituency while at the State House of Assembly?

I don’t need to recount those good things now because you media practitioners were all living witnesses to those things I did through your reportage. During my period at the state House of Assembly, I renovated over six blocks of classrooms in Oregbeni Primary School, provided tables and chairs in Ogbesun Primary School, built three blocks of classrooms with headquarters office in Ewomodu Primary School, built a secondary school in Umelu in ward five, built three classroom blocks at Evboriaria Primary School as well as provision of tables and chairs to several schools. I also provided over 10 transformers across the 10 wards in Ikpoba Okha constituency and street lights to Evbomoma village. On security, I renovated the police station in Ologbo. In my eight years in the state House of Assembly, I provided borehole facilities to all the 10 wards in the constituency as well as sank over 25 boreholes in the various communities. I also renovated several health centres across the constituency, gave small scale business loans to women, created relationship with the Muslims and Christians alike by providing beverages, food stuffs among others during fasting and festivities.

I also sponsored people-orientated bills such as calling for the renovation of several health centres in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, a bill for hospitals to always treat bullet wound victims without prior requirement of a police report as well as anti-people bills like land use bill that is geared towards oppressing the poor and the establishment of  Iyamho University.

How did you feel when you were declared winner of the Egor/Ikpoba Okha federal constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the last National Assembly election in Edo?

Like any other human being, I felt happy and overwhelmed especially coming from the opposition party to defeat incumbent in the election. I was overwhelmingly pleased, delighted and elated.

Following the victory, you are going to represent the constituency at the National Assembly, how do you intend to carry out legislative functions to better the lots of the electorate compare to your predecessors?

One step at a time. I have been in the Edo State House of Assembly for eight years, and I already have the experience. I am not a novice to legislative activities. I am not like those coming to the system for the first time. I already knew what the people expect from me. So, I don’t think it is going to be a difficult task. It is going to be a collective effort and not just what I want but what the people want. The people must lead as always and they must dictate what they want and mine is to implement their wishes.

As a federal lawmaker-elect what are the critical issues that you are going to bring to the floor as soon as you are sworn in as it affects the people of your constituency?

Education, unemployment, roads and those basic things that we have been complaining of in the past years in the country. This time, it is just for somebody to try and fulfil the electoral promises made to the people as well as bringing the attention of the Federal Government to the constituency. These are what I will really work on. It is not that the basic problems confronting the people have been fixed or addressed. They are all still there. If you go to Egor Local Government, there are no good roads, dilapidated public schools everywhere. It is the same issues people have been complaining about in the past years but it is just to get the attention of governments.

Was your victory at the poll expected?

I expected the victory but my opponent also underrated me. They underrated my political sagacity and ability.

Now politicking is already ongoing at the National Assembly, especially the race for the speakership position. What camp do you belong or who are you supporting for the position?

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So far we are waiting for our party’s directives. I belong to the opposition party and we must wait for our party to give us direction on the way forward. So, I’m not in any camp none being involved in the politicking.

As a stakeholder in the Nigeria project, insecurity has been one of the major challenges confronting the country. What do you think government should do to address the problem?

Government should increase the number of the police force, train and retrain officers on modern methods of  policing and crime fighting techniques. Government should provide them with modern fighting equipment as well as upgrade the current equipment they have. Technology is very important in modern day policing against the olden days of policing. I believe the Federal Government should do more for the police and the military. It should also think of a new security architecture of bringing policing close to the doorstep of her citizenry with the introduction of state police. That will help to localise security apparatus to all the community since the Federal Government has failed in its responsibility of providing adequate security to the people.

How will you like to be remembered for after your first four years in the National Assembly by the people of your constituency?

I will like to be remembered for giving more meaning to the people of my constituency with robust empowerment for youths and women especially, providing employment to the youth and also try to lobby Federal Government to bring its presence to the constituency. My major priority will be to ensure that the people of the constituency feel the impact of Federal Government which today is virtually lacking.

Ikpoba Okha is one of the oil producing local governments in the state. How do you intend to use your office to ensure that the dividends that accrue from oil get to the people of the locality?

By the special grace of God and hopefully working with the people I will be able to draw the attention of federal government and all the oil companies operating in the local government to do more for the people in terms of their corporate social responsibility. They should do more for the people and if they are not doing it now, I will ensure that I prevail on them to start doing it. And if they are already carrying out their corporate social responsibility they should do more for us.

Do you share the view that the leadership of the 9th National or state Assembly should be elected based on credibility and not through imposition by any party?

It has to be on credibility and not party-imposed. I don’t think it is fair for party to interfere in who members should elect as either speaker of the House or Senate president. Party can only recommend a member for any of the positions but the legislators know themselves, and they should know who can lead them better.

Immediately after you were declared winner you held a thanksgiving service in the church where you shed tears. Why were you emotional during the service?

It is human nature my brother. Unless you are not human being and blood is not flowing in your veins you will not be emotional. Any human being that finds himself in my position with all the forces that worked against me and I still overcame them and triumphed, that is something I should be grateful for. Also, with the overwhelming support I got from the church and from God, that was enough to overwhelm anybody.

There is this talk making the rounds that you are not accessible by the people. How true it is?

It is ridiculous that people could say that I am not accessible after eight years in the state House of Assembly. If I am not accessible how could I have empowered so many people I have done so much for in my local government? Those making the statement are just saying it for nothing without any verifiable evidence to justify their allegations. They have to verify from the good people of Ikpoba Okha Local Government whom I represented at the state House of Assembly if I was accessible or not for the eight years I was in the house.

Your victory at the poll is currently being challenged at the election petition tribunal by the APC candidate. Do you nurse any fear at all?

I am already victorious. He is the one (APC candidate) challenging my victory. He has to prove his case against me, PDP and INEC. The burden of proof is on him and not on me.