By: Philip Ike Abiagom,Benson Nwoko & Linda Arihi
[dropcap]G[/dropcap]reatness is a property for which no man can receive credit too soon; it must be possessed long before it is acknowledged. “When one of the world’s greatest thinkers, Ralph Waldo Emerson handed down the above words of wisdom, those he had in mind were certainly the likes of Hon. Kingsley Nonye Philips .
For the trail-blazing Political mogul from Ika South in Delta State, it is certainly impossible to gloss over his attributes for greatness. He is the embodiment of cerebral articulation, the essence of unparalleled philanthropy, the epitome of intellection and breathtaking simplicity, the personification of undiluted humanness, the perfect example of political leadership symbolism, the paragon of idealism, the soul of humanity, the heart of warrior, a perfect gentleman. In the gallery of great leaders and great men, he is without doubt, a rare masterpiece. Anyone who encounters Hon. Kingsley Nonye Philips would love to associate with him for his candour, courage and forthrightness. As a human being, his humility and modesty is second to none. As a politician, he is sound and engaging.
In this exclusive interview with the lion of Ika South politics, Former member of Delta State House of Assembly and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Kingsley Nonye Philips, has said that Delta State governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, DSP Ovie Omo-Agege will have an easy ride to victory in the 2023 general elections. He noted that the APC and Omo-Agege have the required competence, capacity, and acceptance to retain power at all time.
What makes you feel that DSP. Ovie Omo-Agege is a better option to take over from Governor Okowa?
DSP. Omo-Agege is a flagbearer with records of good governance and performance to rule Delta State. He is the best candidate to govern Delta State come 2023 because he is intelligent and proactive, infact he is a presidential material. To describe my leader,DSP Ovie Omo-Agege,“a tested and trusted leader” who is going into the race as an achiever.in a single piece, could be herculean. You will need to juggle the brain because he is a man of many parts, and you do not know from where to begin! But like a popular axiom says, a day begins a story.A lot has been said, written and, perhaps, recorded about this enigmatic personage that has become a household name across Delta State, Nigeria and even to other parts of the world. There is unarguably no part of the country that his name does not ring a bell.“Governorship contest is for somebody with capacity to deliver and Omo-Agege represents that. In fact, He has more projects in Delta Central as a Senator than the governor has done, not to talk about the Federal Polytechnic that he attracted , fully equipped and fully constructed. what of the National War College, his people are very happy with him.
Not necessarily. Any good political marketer will tell you the ease of selling a good product. Those from Delta Central back home are in a better position to tell you the impact the PDP-led Delta State Government has made and that of Omo-Agege senator representing them. For me ipsa loquitur (the fact speaks for itself).PDP has not clothed itself in glory in the last 16 years. Omo-Agege has shown that he can bring the much needed transformation in Delta State if Deltans vote him in as governor. Look at Rivers and Akwa Ibom States and what they have achieved in the last 16 years. How much revenue did they and Delta State earn within this period? I just feel the problem with Delta State it is lack of good leadership. Omo-Agege will be a good governor. He has proved that with his performance in the senate.
Delta State APC said Gov. Okowa wasted Anioma 8 years as Delta State governor, is it because of the Unpaid pensions, gratuities?
Yes, he wasted good eight years for Anioma people. Lets start with the pension -do you know that as we speak, some of them, eight, nine and ten years out of government, have not been paid anything. Some of them have died, and some are dying, they protest every day. They are bitter because they know that so much money has come to the state. Their bitterness is fueled by the fact that they now believe that we are not a poor state, and we have never been a poor state considering all the receipts. How much will it take to retire these pensions? But their bitterness is fueled by their belief that Delta is not a poor state, has never been a poor state, consuming all of these receipts. The monies are being channeled elsewhere. Most people alleged that they’re being channeled to funding a political campaign, as opposed to deploying the resources for the beneficial use of the people, most especially these pensioners.
What can you say about the two APC Senators from Delta State?
DSP. Ovie Omo-Agege and Senator Peter Nwaoboshi are the two APC Senators that touched the lives of everyone, every community and village in their various senatorial districts. In the past, senators celebrate and commission few projects that they have done. we can’t even count their projects. They set out to lit up the entire senatorial(Delta Central and North)districts as you are seeing street lights, transformers, reconstructing and renovating schools, building new classroom blocks, doing drainage and shore protection, and providing potable water. They all came from him and we have this in every village, community and town.
In fact, Omo-Agege has done more projects in Delta Central as a Senator than the governor has done, not to talk about the Federal Polytechnic that was attracted here, fully equipped and fully constructed. He also bought National War College, and His districts are very happy with him.
In Delta North Constituency, Senator Nwaoboshi has proved to everybody that he is a guru, do you know that 60% of the roads constructed in Delta North are been attracted and executed by NDDC through Senator Nwaoboshi but Gov. Okowa nickname himself “Road Master”. I was driving along cemetery road in Ika North-East the other day and it was looking so beautify and when I asked question, people told me that it was Senator Nwaoboshi that tarred the road. For Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, he is the best senator ever represented Delta North. Governor Okowa, Senator Osakwe and other Anioma senators all fail without a positive report card to show our people.
Sir, Is Ika South APC now a one united family ?
We are one family and united to win the coming election. Ika South would deliver 98 percent of votes to the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).I promised that no stone would be left unturned to ensure its victory at the polls at all levels. “We will work tirelessly, we will ensure that we leave no stone unturned, we will do whatever it takes because APC in Ika South is the pride of APC in Delta State and we cannot afford to let APC family down. “As for the unity of the party, there is no one here who has any doubt, we have a united party…We are brothers and sisters here. We will continue to be one.”
Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, some opposition party said that the ruling performed below average, what is your stake sir?
No normal Nigerian will say that this government of President Buhari performed below average, do you know that this government is the best in infractural development in the history of Nigeria? where will i start from, can we talk of the second Niger Bridge or the recent project President Buhari commissioned in Kano State. I was going through some of my documents and saw a newspaper publication of Observer of 1973 written by my late father of Blessed Memory calling on the Nigeria government to shoot all the corrupt people and their is another newspaper publication of 1983 where Nigerians are saying that hunger and corruption have taking over the land, my question is that is there anytime Nigerians will ever tell you that they are enjoying? we only appreciate our leaders only when there are out of office. APC government headed by President Buhari has set up a solid foundation for a new Nigeria.
What’s your assessment of the quality of debate among presidential candidates?
As far as I am concerned, the quality of debate among those jostling for the presidency is absolute rubbish. It is as if we do not realize that this country is in serious danger and that the number one challenge confronting the nation is insecurity. Lets look at Atiku for instance who is a fulani and from the northern Nigeria and President Buhari a fulani man from the same area is rounding up his eight years tenure and another fulani man from same northern Nigeria wants to continue, You and I know that it is not possible or do they want to bring disunity in this country? it is totally unacceptable to Nigerians. The entire southern part of Nigeria are very disappointed that Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa is backing another fulani man to take over from President Buhari because of his selfish interest, infact I don’t think that he is normal. If you compare the three popular candidates , Bola Tinubu has edge above them because he is intelligent, innovative, tested and trusted. Tinubu is not in the same class with Atiku Abubakar, even Peter Obi with due respect cannot be compared with Tinubu, because Obi was a dictator when he governed Anambra State as he refused to conduct local government election during his tenure as governor, but all know the history of Bola Tinbu in Lagos and how he created additional twenty local government Council. Tinubu is a class of his own.
“Nigeria can not afford to gamble this time; by making a wrong choice. Good enough, Tinubu has already defined his own self-centered philosophy, focusing on himself and his empire. This self-agenda can only be a recipe for further fragmentation and alienation in a country that requires a fast recovery from narrow pursuits.
As a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly, am appealing to Nigerians and Deltans to cast their votes for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and DSP Ovie Omo-Agege . As we all know that the current realities in Nigeria demand and require that Nigerians embrace only a candidate who has the right qualities to steer the affairs of the nation. We should not let the golden opportunity of voting Tinubu as President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor slip off our hands, “Going by the current socio-political cum economic realities of our nation, if we must truthfully and objectively agree with the true state of our nation, without shreds of sentiments, agree that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed is the right candidate to steer the affairs of the nation come 2023.”
The records of the former governor of Lagos State lays more credence to his ability to help Nigeria navigate the current challenges which it is currently facing.
“His trajectory into the state of the nation has seen him become an indefatigable individual who has always supported and pursued proper governance and quality representation.
“A broad minded, broadly connected and broadly accepted candidate like Tinubu, who has his ears to the ground everywhere, his nose for good governance and his eyes on socio-economic transformation is what Nigeria needs at this point of its evolution.
“Tinubu is the soothing balm for the healing of the broken trust, the battered economy and the bacterized political fabric of Nigeria.”