On Monday, June 12, 2023, Nigerians will enjoy another holiday declared by the Federal Government to celebrate democracy. Termed “Democracy Day,” Muhamadu Buhari’s administration set it aside to commemorate June 12, 1993, Presidential Election, acclaimed as the fairest election held in Nigeria and won by Moshood Abiola. The same administration also truncated that election supervised by General Ibrahim Babangida’s military junta.
MKO Abiola, for short, did not accept the cancelation of the election, and he fought for his recognition as the elected President. His fight led to his death and that of his wife, Kudirat, and several other Nigerians. One can say that Babangida hurriedly “stepped aside” as Military President because of pressure from Abiola’s activities.
Babangida handed over to Ernest Shonekan who handed over power to General Sani Abacha, who tried to conduct another election. However, death claimed him, leading to the emergence of General Abdusalami Abubakar, who relinquished power to a civilian on May 29, 1999. Since 1999, Nigerians, especially, Deltans, have enjoyed democracy, at least the freedom to choose who leads them.
The beauty of democracy is that people whom the people know are chosen by the people to represent them in elective positions. For those of us who experienced military rule, we can still recall that the army administrators were selected to go to states based on their ability to bring back ‘returns.’ So, such administrators had nothing to do with the development of the areas they were sent but with what they would return to their pockets and those who sent them.
Today, to the glory of God and against the predictions of naysayers, Nigerians are enjoying democracy, and its most significant dividend is that we are participating in choosing those who will represent us. In Delta, for instance, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and Sir Monday Onyeme, well-known by the people, emerged as the Governor and Deputy Governor in a keenly contested election.
It is natural that in every contest, there must be a winner. Even in boxing, no matter how bloodied the loser may be, he still embraces the winner, and I believe that was why Rt. Hon. Oborevwori has clarified that his victory at the polls was for all Deltans. He may no longer remember those he contested with as he is now in a position to work for all Deltans.
For instance, he has given a matching order for the early completion of the Ughelli-Asaba dual carriageway. Completing that road will significantly facilitate ease of movement from Asaba to Warri, and indeed, it is not only the Governor who will use the road or members of his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He works for all Deltans, no longer about his political party or individuals.
It is also good that his Deputy, Sir Onyeme, is on the same reasoning plan as him. Sir Onyeme, upon assumption of office on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, made it clear to the Deputy Governor’s Office staff that the people should think about Delta and how to deliver the best for humanity in their actions.
He re-echoed it again when he met with members of the Asaba District of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). As a Fellow of ICAN, members of the profession paid him a felicitation visit at his office at Government House, Asaba, and he made it clear that Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration believes in quality delivery of results and will work closely with professionals for the people to get the best.
A day after the visit of ICAN members, Ndokwa Core Group, a political pressure group of the PDP, visited to congratulate him. That of Ndokwa Core Group was significant as Sir Onyeme is from Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State and is a patron of the group.
The group is a formidable platform with members such as the member-elect, Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, the member representing Ndokwa West in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Charles Emetulu; the members-elect for the Delta State House of Assembly to represent Ukwuani and Ndokwa East Constituencies, Hon. Chukwudi Dafe, and Prince Emeka Osamuta. So, it was like all those who won elections in Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency belonged to the Ndokwa Core Group.
From the day he assumed duty, Sir Onyeme is always at the Government House Chapel at 7.30 am, staying till morning service ends at 8.30 am and moving straight to his office, where he will attend to official matters till about 5 pm. At times, he stays in the office beyond that period.
For some of us who were students of Sir Onyeme at the then Delta State University, Asaba Campus, he is a dedicated worker who recognizes and appreciates hard work. Was he born with a silver spoon? One cannot be categorical about that because he was an Accountant at the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, Asaba office when he was our lecturer.
For those who may think it has been rosy for Sir Onyeme, he is a product of grace who believes in hard work. When he was an Accountant at NALDA, he was a part-time lecturer. For those of us who were at DELSU, Asaba Campus in the late 1990s, we can still recall that Sir Onyeme lectured alongside the likes of Mr. Cyril Agbele of the Delta State Civil Service then (part-time lecturer who was fond of using the Anglican Hall), Dr. Nzerem of Federal College of Education, Asaba, Mr. Mathew Analogbe, Mr. Augustine Odita, Mr. Tom Rocke Ajobo, not forgetting Mr. Okoro Boi, Mr. Martins Odukuye, among others.
It is good to remember the good old days. Sir Onyeme, as a man who believes in impacting knowledge, in collaboration with some of his few friends, organized the Peak Associates, where they groomed those interested in becoming ICAN members. Then, Mr. Tom Ajobo encouraged us to go to the Nigeria Institute of Management (now chartered).
So, it did not come as a surprise when all those who emerged victorious in the last general elections from Ndokwa ethnic nationality gathered to congratulate the Deputy Governor.
Not surprising but significant too was the fact that the Chairman of the PDP for Ndokwa West, Ogbuefi Lucky Okuji, that of Ndokwa East, Chief Vincent Osilonya, and Ukwuani, Chief Kaine were all at the meeting, which was a clear evident that Sir Onyeme does not only command respect “abroad” but has the full support from home.
Such a gathering having all elected officers from one’s constituency gathering to felicitate with him was rare, and it was evident that Sir Onyeme had started well as the Number Two man in Delta State. His people and Deltans love him because he has been around and understands the plights of Deltans.
At that visit, Chief Onyeme echoed the need for the people to remain committed to the ideals of the PDP. To him, though, the elections are over, and party members should remain united and committed to the standards of the PDP.
Sir Onyeme’s speech at the occasion was that of a man not interested in blowing off another’s candle. Instead, it showed a man who is committed to lighting the candles of more people to enable them to succeed, bearing in mind his long journey to success. In the local parlance, Sir Onyeme is not interested in destroying the ladder he used in climbing, but he is constructing more ladders for more Deltans to climb to attain their best.
With such disposition, Deltans will undoubtedly witness a new dawn because, as a successful civil servant, there is no doubt that he will work closely with the Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to foster a more united and progressive Delta State.
So, when the story came out about him complaining about the looting of his office, one question that came to mind was, who wants to throw a spanner in the wheel of progress?
Such stories are capable of causing distraction, or was it intentioned to cause disaffection? This is because, when he assumed duty on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, everything in the office was intact, and to date, he is still using the furniture and every office equipment left behind by his predecessor in office, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro. Therefore, that story was a blatant lie.
As a journalist who accompanied him on the day that he resumed duty and closely followed his activities, I was also asked, ‘If no pin was stolen from his office, what about his official lodge?’
Again, one can only deduce that someone was pulling a mischievous string somewhere or trying to cause a storm in a teacup. Before Onyeme’s inauguration on May 30, 2023, his predecessor, whom he has worked closely with, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro took him around the premises, and everything was intact. So, when was the lodge vandalized? Was it during the renovation process, which is still ongoing? The Deputy Governor believes in the electorate’s power. So, he is very accessible, trusting that collectively, we can get it better for the state.
Elections are over, and it is time that we move forward as a people. In our local parlance again, if you set your house on fire, it may no longer be comfortable for you to live in. Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration is still very young, promising to work round the clock for the people, so, let us support him.
Even when critical, we should encourage them to refrain from taking faulty steps, as that will not be in our favor. But, again, if we believe in democracy, where the best emerges from among the people, why should we wish those leading us to fail? If they fail, it will be a collective failure.
That is why we should do all that we can for them to succeed; if we cannot contribute physically to their success story, which will translate to our success story, we can go on our knees and pray for them to succeed, bearing in mind that we have a lot to benefit when they grow.
The time for bad-belle politics is over, Delta belongs to all of us, and collectively, we can transform it into our dream state. The good thing is that we have a Governor and a Deputy Governor who understand our challenges as a people. They are not people who are living outside the state, so, as an individual, you can ask yourself: in what ways am I contributing to the success story of Delta State?
The Governor and his Deputy are not super-humans; they have blood flowing in their veins just like you and I; they can only be magicians if we are to start looking at their score-cards when they do not even have a constituted legislature to ensure the balance of power as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
The legislative members, including Hon. Emetulu, Prince Osamuta, and Hon. Dafe, will be inaugurated on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. That same day, Rt. Hon. Ezechi will resume duty in Abuja as a Federal House of Representatives member.
Nigeria’s democracy is on course, but the question again is, what are you doing to deepen it by supporting those who emerged victorious in the elections to bring out their best as our leaders or to distract them with a bid to make them fail and in the process cause havoc of which you will be a victim of your evil plot?
May God bless Delta State and keep our elected and appointed leaders focused on delivering the dividends of democracy.
BY FIDELIS EGUGBO
