Chief Fidelis Okenmor Tilije
Chief Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, a member and leader of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State, in this interview talked on the just concluded congress election of APC across the country, especially in Ukwuani LGA. He also talked on his governorship dream, the government of President Jonathan, the PDP in Delta State, the social development effect of democracy, and a call for all electorates in Delta State not to be docile in any election. This interview was granted to Emmanuel Okoro, of the Pointer Newspaper, Obiaruku Bureau and Emmanuel Enebeli, the publisher of Ndokwa Reporters.
Excepts
Observation on the recent held Ward and local Government congresses.
FOT: APC is a party of a new generation. It is a party of people who are termed spoilers and has decided to come together to create a renaissance of life. They found out that the only thing they can do to keep this country as one is for us to do things that will better the country. It is the conglomeration of the new and the old. The old ones are now born again, and the new that is about to start life, who believe that the only thing we have to do in this country is to ensure that there is populace of life. Provision of general amenities of life, be it education, health, be it home, which is what we had agreed to. Particularly here in Delta State where we have seen lack of governance. Here is where prototype projects are being commissioned.
Coming back to the congresses in APC, naturally in all human endeavours, there is bound to be disagreement and to agree. But, in Obiaruku, and Ukwuani LGA the congresses was peaceful. There may be some fracases, but we believe at the end of the day we will have internal democracy.
On the low turnout of members
FOT: In Delta State and indeed in Ukwuani we feel that the best thing is to have a harmonisation. If you could remember that there are four legacy parties that formed the APC, (the CPC, ACN, ANPP, and the DPP), we felt that the most important thing to do is to stop wastage of resources in fighting ourselves. And because we have done very clear and clean acceptable process, we taught that harmonisation process has breaded those we had, during the congresses. We are happy with it.
There is no rancour, it is a family thing. Like I said before it is possible that in some other areas in Delta State, there was fracases, but in Ukwuani we are happy that the harmonisation had gone through, except for about two wards or so, they went to the congress, they voted and the result was declared at the polling centres.
On his readiness to run for the Delta State Governor in 2015
FOT: We have an adage in my place where they said you never can carry money and begin to hawk it on the street. The money to drive the political process of making me the governorship candidate of APC is available. The money to drive the process to make me sit in Osadebe house in Asaba is completely intact. This is budgeted. It is not a wake up today and dream. No I waked up after dreaming. And I am sure Osadebe house in Asaba is mine to occupy, because that is the only way indeed that the average Deltans will understand that there is what is called dividend of democracy. I am saying this because of those who go about saying he has no resources to pursue the project. I am ready. And the party is ready.
On Jonathan’s Presidency and Delta State.
FOT: People say, oh you have a brother, Jonathan from the South South, but take a look, is there any federal presence in Delta State. Take a look of the area called Ndokwa nationality which is made up of Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East and Ukwuani LGA’s from the South South, is there anything like federal presence, the answer is no, and in fact in Delta State where is it? I can’t see any. Therefore it does not matter who is the president of the country, what is important is whoever is given the mandate of governorship or presidency or any form of governance should transfer, transgress or transform it into a position where the average Nigerian will be happy. That is what I keep, and I will keep it.
On Consultation so far
FOT: You will recall vividly I was a three times deputy governorship candidate in the politics of Delta State. This time around, my people have an adage that says, if you try one, two, three, change your system. The dream that I had, the God I serve, told me to change my system. And that system propelled me to say today, that I want to be the Governor of Delta State come 2015, because I know that God had spoken.
And I am doing serious consultation. And my people who are the masses says, it must be me and I am so happy, and overwhelmed, and I know that at the appropriate time this dream will be realised.
My Message to Deltans
FOT: What I tell my people of Delta State this time is that they should be strong and courageous to take one step forward in their life. That one step will give you a roof. That one step will give you happiness. That one step will give you health. That one step forward will make your parents no longer pay school fees. If I become the governor of Delta State, I will give free education from primary to tertiary institutions. I will do that. I will also give health to babies and those in primary and secondary schools. I will also give to those our seniors who are sixty five years and above. Most importantly, there will be zero tolerance on corruption, because we know that the leakages we had being experiencing is the causes of problems we are having today in the country, we will ensure that there is zero tolerance in the country on corruption, and if we do that we will be able to establish, build a greater cake for all to share.
Again, the problem of unemployment can be seen among our teeming youths and they are suffering. There is high unemployment in Delta and indeed in Nigeria. We would take very reasonable steps to do what will create a rebirth in our moral standing in Delta State. You can find out that since we no longer study nature study again in our primary schools, we are facing a lot of moral challenges. We need to create a moral rebirth such that people will now begin to understand that it is not wealth that people need to respect.
We will also ensure that, the so called cities of the federal constituencies will be cities of envy. Because we will not only be given water, light, but we are going to ensure that there will be full employment in these cities called federal constituency cities in Delta State.
I am not a neophyte in politics. I have been there since 2006. Now we must realise jointly, wholesomely that it is time to begin to witness the dividends of democracy. Let me say one thing, what has been bad is people saying Chief James Ibori is better than Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, it means that if Uduaghan should hand over to a PDP candidate, he will hand over to somebody he will be better off. We say today, we will stop retrogression in Delta State. We must reverse that trend, we must move forward to begin to progress.
Therefore the only way we are going to progress in Delta State is to ensure that PDP will not sit in Asaba come 2015. Because we will have the magic wand. We are going to do that, which will move Delta State to a progressive State.
