IN about two months, the life of this government would come to an end. How would you describe your experience thus far?
As for me, it is a very rewarding experience. I have gained so much indeed in term of administration. I have really gained politically. My understanding of governance has been further deepened and I have been able to meet with people during this last four years as Secretary to the Delta State Government. Undoubtedly, it has been very rewarding and fruitful!

Some critics believe the performance of this government is far from splendid compared with the revenue it got in eight years. How would you react to that?

Well, in doing that, one has to bring in the statistics. When you say the performance is far from being splendid, I don’t know what that means. This is one government that has really touched the lives of people in different ways: in the areas of infrastructural development, human capital development and others. At least, there are things to show for it.

The Emmanuel Uduaghan-led government has really touched the lives of people! We don’t look at the invisible things but substantive things that matter!

This is an election period, there are a lot of speculations in the state of how the governor hijacked the civil service resulting in government officials complaining. Being the SSG for almost four years, how do you react to all the rumours?

When you say that there is no money in circulation, are you talking of the national economy or are you talking of Delta State? Everybody is aware that the economy of the whole nation has been dwindling for the past two years. It started gradually in about May 2013 and since then, it has never gone up.

The allocation that come to the state has been on the decline and it is still declining till this moment. It is right to follow up some of these national trends to know that the economy of this country is going down and has nothing to do with the state.

And, of course, this is still a country that depends on one source of revenue. So, if the national economy is going down, it means what goes to every state is also going down; whether it is oil-producing or not because the derivation too, is equally going down. So, it has nothing to do with Delta State. But I will be proud to tell you that Delta State is one state that kept with its promise of making sure that workers get their salaries every month. And until date, Delta State is not owning workers.

And I am sure that there are some states in this country that started owing workers since last year, but this state government has not owed workers. The only time that we were unable to pay before the 30th of the month was this last month that we paid in the succeeding week. And no doubt, this is still one of the best records that we have in this country. As at today, we are not owning February salary. The salary was paid about the 4th. And so, I don’t know anybody who wants to complain about that; instead, we should be commended. And, I don’t know what economy you are talking about!

On the issue of unemployment?

When somebody says that the government hijacks employment, for God’s sake, he is the governor of the state. If he decides to throw employment open, he throws employment opens. Is the governor going to conduct interview? And by the way, how many graduates do the governor has in his family that he would hijack it for? So, I really don’t know where this is coming from! I thought after the primary, we should have stopped this dirty politics of just throwing mud at people and character assassination.

We have gone beyond that level; we are thinking of how to go forward; we are thinking of how to deliver PDP candidate. If one should run down a PDP state, then, you are running down the candidate of the PDP and so, with any other party. Anybody who is trying to throw mud at by that statement, the governor is hijacking…, When you use the word hijack, that means, you are taking something that is not yours or you are taking somebody else authority.

The approval to employ people rests with the governor and once, he gives the approval, the appropriate authority in this case, the civil service commission takes over from there. The worst you can accuse the governor of could be that he sends him to me. I’m being factual and brave here. Who will be a governor in this country or even elsewhere and employment is going on and he has people in his family that would not employ one or two people from his family. I’m yet to see that person and let that person come out and say, yes, if I’m to be the governor, I would not even give the people one name from my family. But may be, that is what you can achieve in governance. I’m not saying that if I have evidence, I would have done that but if I am the governor, I would do that. If I have a graduate who is qualified in my family and that position is advertised, I would submit his name but he has to pass through the necessary steps up till the interview stage: Fill the form, do the necessary things, go for the competition and if he is one of those that has the cut-off mark, he should be taken. I would do that!

The insinuation is that it is not economic-wise employing now since a new administration is coming onboard May 29?

Is it only the issue of employment or we should ground government now because a new government is coming in! Government is continuity; there is no stop to governance. When this government came in, infact, three days to the swearing-in, major decisions were taken and when he came in as a governor, he didn’t throw them away. He went ahead and tackle them. That this is in the interests of the people and let us not tie governance to the individuals; let us not personalize this thing. If there is need for employment, it involves all. There is no exception, including you! When I mean you, including members of the media!

There is graduate unemployment; there is serious unemployment in the country. And if the government considers it necessary to employ a number of persons so as to reduce the unemployment, I don’t see that as something that should cause any uproar. In other words, what you are saying is that we should stop Exco; we should stop all acts of governance, including paying of salaries until the next three months when the next government comes into being.

Which are key areas of performance that could make this government memorable?

It depends on who you are and what touches you most. If for instance, a woman who before Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan administration was not able to pay hospital bills and today, from pregnancy to delivery, including Caesarian operation, are now free in the hospital, as far as that woman is concerned, Uduaghan is her hero. Equally, those whose children could get medicare now get free of charge, to that class again, Uduaghan is their hero!

For a young old man who made first class degree earlier but couldn’t go for masters because of funds, and today, Udughan has said that once you made first class degree, anywhere you want to read in the world, take this five million every year and proceed. And no doubt, Uduaghan is that person’s hero. It depends on where you are looking at it from!

Like we were talking of employment, anybody who is given employment by this administration, and this government becomes his hero. So, when one says what will this government be remembered for? It depends on who you are and which part of this administration’s policy touches you.

Today, your party is facing stiff opposition in the state from both the APC and Labour Party. Do you see your party surviving the challenge?

In Delta State, I don’t see any stiff opposition! As far as Delta State politics is concerned, the PDP is the only party to beat! Even the opposition knows that that they do not have a structure to win election  in this state. And I tell them to prove it. I have challenged them before; PDP candidates have gone from one local government to the other local governments. The much the opposition has done is just senatorial rally. And you want to compare the crowd you get by gathering eight or nine local governments together with the crowds the man was getting from one local government.

Today the PDP candidate is going from community to community; holding townhall meetings; discussing with people and I haven’t seen any of the opposition you refer to doing such. The opposition can take control of any other place but not in Delta State.
Where is the structure?

There have been complaints from the Urhobo in Delta Central and the Isoko and Itsekiri people of Delta South, who believe that they were cheated in the allocation of public offices. Are these complaints not serious enough to cost your party victory?
That is not correct! The Isoko never complain that Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan administration didn’t allocate them slots. Let me put the record right. The Isoko have issues with the primaries. We believe abnitio that the next deputy governor should come from the Isoko nation since the Anioma people are producing the governor, the South automatically have to produce deputy governor. And in the South, you have the Isokos, Itsekiris and the Ijaws. And the Ijaws have produced Senator –serving and is coming again from there. The Itsekiri have equally produced the governor who is serving now and is about leaving office. And we felt that the next important office coming to the South should now go to Isoko. That is the problem we had and the position now went to Ijaw.

As for the Itsekiris, they have just had the governorship position. What office are they going to look for? So, that question as far as I’m concerned is a malicious question. Such opinion doesn’t exist anywhere?

Though you party may have gotten structure in the state. But do you envisage anything unforeseen?

You have answered the question that PDP has the structure to win election in Delta State anyday. That is a foregone matter. Undoubtedbly, PDP is the only party that has a structure from the ward level through to the local government and to the state. We have a structure on ground that can be activated anyday, anytime.

Presently, even in my local government, people are moving from unit to unit which is the closest, ward to ward; leaders as I am now, would lead people to units in my ward … And the fact that you have a structure to win doesn’t meansyou can go and sleep. If you go to sleep, the opposition can do something silly and you will depend going to court to retrieve it back.

So, we are still talking with people; in fact, we are in touch with the people. Now, we have resorted from going to units to units; we are committed to lead people to units in our various wards. We are in touch and we are going to continue like this until the day INEC would finally say: no campaign again. Then, we go to the poll with the people happy behind us. We are not taking anybody for granted and we are not taking our advantageous position for granted!