Sunday Aguebor JP
Sunday Izuhunwa Aguebor JP is a successful business tycoon, Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State and aspirant for the State’s Southern Senatorial district’s ticket. He spoke with our Bureau Chief, Kingsley Abavo in Benin-City about his aspiration, and prospect of emerging the candidate and much more.
Please tell us what you have been doing before politics
I am a business man; Chairman Bibi Group of Companies, it is made up of three interests; Bibi Hospitality and Hotels, Bibi Petroleum, and Bibi Farms. These organizations have helped immensely in creating employment for our people. The good news is that these establishments are sited here in Edo South particularly, Benin. So the major beneficiaries are the Edo speaking people and we also have the Bibi Foundation; we have given scholarships to numerous number of people, we have been involved in a lot of micro credit packaging which have positively impacted on the lives of several persons in the Southern Senatorial district of Edo State. These are individual efforts and resolve to enhance the living standard of our people. We believe strongly that given the instrumentality of Government, we will no doubt do much better. But the truth of the matter is that you don’t give what you don’t have.
When I see people say they want to contest elections, the first question I ask; what have you done for yourself and to positively affecting your environment and the people? But most of the answers; is nothing. That is why you see when they are elected, the first thing they do is to consolidate on their financial status because they are not used to giving out.
Why he is in the race
I am in this race for two reasons; one, I feel strongly that I have the capacity to do it differently because what we have experienced in this country since the advent of the fourth republic in 1999, has been a complete negation of what the democratic practice ought to be.
Often, you see people taking advantage of the gullibility of the citizenry offering themselves to contest election; giving them peanuts and when they get to power, they forget the reason why they were elected for their self aggrandizement. Whereas, it should not be so!
Sometimes, I wonder why people blame Buhari? Yes, he may be having his own faults but in my own opinion, I think the main problem of this country has been with the national Assembly. The national Assembly has failed woefully because the democracy we practice today is based on a tripod.
The only difference between a military dictatorship and the democratic Government is the presence or absence of the national Assembly. So if we now have a Legislature that decides to be an appendage of the executive; it therefore means that the Government we have is no longer democratic.
So, I believe that the moment one is given the opportunity to be in the national Assembly, you are not supposed to pander to the whims and caprices of the Executive. You should be able to ask questions especially when things are wrong.
Just recently, someone imported adulterated fuel into the country and Nigerians were victims of that gross misconduct of an individual or group of persons and as we speak, nobody has asked any question not even the national Assembly. Also, nobody has taken responsibility for that grievous offence against the citizens of this country. People who are supposed to ask questions are not saying anything; we have a docile national Assembly. And if we continue in this trajectory, it will be almost impossible for us to get it right.
I am contesting this election because I have seen that the PDP is going to make a very big difference having been in the opposition for almost eight years; they have realized their mistakes, they have decided that this is the time to make the desired necessary change; listen to the Party’s slogan: ‘Rescue Nigeria.’ If we must rescue Nigeria, with the kind of people we have in the national Assembly in the past, how is it going to be possible? People who go to the national Assembly with the mind set that the purpose is to empower themselves, cronies and their immediate family that is why they are not asking questions.
We need people with proven integrity, people who in their individual life have done a lot to show they believe in helping others; Patriots! And I represent that, I am confident and believe that if given the PDP ticket for the Edo South Senatorial district; the election will be one way because the people knows me and I know them.
The problem is that the political parties have a way of eliminating the best candidates otherwise, Nigeria will not be in this mess. They have a way of choosing the wrong candidates that is why when they go to elections; they face a lot of battles, a lot of hurdles. If the Party chooses the right candidate, the election will be almost a walk over. I can assure you that if PDP gives me the ticket, this election will be a done deal!
Against all odds, will you subject yourself to Party loyalty?
Well my loyalty is always for the Party, as I believe in the Party supremacy!
Ok, what machinery do you have to emerge as candidate of the Party?
The Party does what is called delegates election, I will meet them one on one as they are the ones to determine who becomes the candidate. So, this election is about talking to the delegates; we know who they are, we are going to meet and talk to them, we are going to be pushing our message; convince them on why they should vote for me.
So what is your message?
My message is that Nigeria is collapsing. If it collapses, it will collapse on all of us without knowing whether you are PDP, APC or whatever. The country is at the brink and the desire of anybody is to rescue the country; the message the PDP is preaching. So, seeking my Party’s ticket, I will key into its message, to doing things properly and at the end of the day, everyone will be beneficiary, and be happy. We are worried about the situation of Nigerians particularly my people of Edo South because we have had the privilege of traveling round the world. What we have here, is completely different, there is a lot of dishonesty. If there is some level of honesty in Government, everything will be good because when we see people who aspire to position in Government without any pedigree, and history but their main intention is just to go loot; it should not be so. We need people with human face to be in the national Assembly and that is what I represent!
Are you not scared because people say that you are a green horn; considering the number and Calibre of people in the race with you?
How can I be scared? I don’t understand; that is their opinion! Don’t forget, I contested national Assembly election in 2007. In 2007, these persons you talked about never contested any election; they were not even in the Party. So, where is the green horn coming from? Well, people are entitled to their opinion. As far as I am concerned, I am in the race, I will do my best to emerge a candidate of my Party to the national Assembly; I told you earlier, this is all about the delegates, let them go to the delegates and preach their message. Most of them you mentioned have been in Government; I think the delegates should be smart enough to ask them; when you were in Government what were your achievements? I have never held any political office, everything I have done so far, was with my personal resources. The Party you are talking about; PDP, in 2006, there were issues. Prof. oserheimen Osunbor was the Governor, and Anenih of blessed memory was a national leader of the Party, they had issues. That was when people needed to openly declare what they believed in. I believed Anenih was right while others believed Osunbor was right. It will interest you to know that the Congress which brought the Dan Orbih led Exco to be; that still exist till date, we were the people who brought it to be, I worked so hard, I organized the local Government Congress in Oredo with my personal fund and in that Congress, I was made national delegate to the Party. So how can you call a man who was a national delegate in 2006 a green horn?
Sir, from the records, money is a big factor with the delegates to deciding who becomes a candidate. So, how ready are you to spend this money in wooing the delegates?
I am not going to spend money, if my goodwill cannot do it then… I am not desperate, I am only feeling that I have something to offer, that is what is pushing me; I can do it differently from the usual. If I can pick the ticket, I feel I can teach people how to be a representative because they seem not to know. People just go there, thinking they are going to represent themselves, that is what we have been seeing. But at least for the first time; I want to teach them that a representative can do a lot for their people; that is the passion I have. It is not about me actually!
There is this argument about zoning particularly in Edo South. The position you are aspiring for, the occupant is from Oredo just like you. So people are saying it is time, it shifted to someone from other parts of the district. Are you not worried about this?
I am from Iguelaba but have lived here: Oredo all my life. Every person living in Oredo have their own different Villages they come from. Those claiming to have come from other parts of Edo South; they all live here. This is the centre, in Edo South, nobody has claim to anywhere. Senator Ehigie Uzamere contested the first time in Oredo and went to Ovia in his second coming. Was he chased away from there? Same with Daisy Danjuma. The first time she contested as Oredo native and went to Uhunmwonde for her second term. So the issue of zoning does not exist; it is the argument of very lazy people. The question is; what can you do for the people? Edo South is unique and not to be compared to elsewhere. We are one people hence the argument is lame.
Ahead of the primaries of the PDP: your Party, what should we be expecting and your advice to the delegates?
I want to plead with the delegates to look at the aspirants, be careful and make the right judgement because their judgement would determine whether they are prepared to continue to
be in bondage and suffer or wants to be liberated. I am only offering myself to serve; I am a business man having a lot to do but decided to make the sacrifice for the good of our people. So, if at the end of it all, they decides to collect money and toe the traditional path of doing that which is wrong, it will be very unfortunate!
What is your Campaign Slogan?
My Campaign Slogan is ‘Rescue Nigeria.’ If you rescue Nigeria, automatically, Edo South will have been rescued.
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