Chief Matthew Ofioguma (JP) is a one time President General of Ekakpamre community in Ughelli South LGA. A chieftain of the PDP and staunch supporter of Governor Uduaghan. In this interview with Jon Egie he attributes the PDP victory at the April 26, polls to providence saying those who are mourning the victory of Governor Uduaghan are doing so out of selfish desires assuring that Deltans will enjoy the next mandate given to the PDP.
Chief, how do you react to the victory of the PDP in the governorship election?
My reaction is positive. Positive in the sense that we have just heard the voice of God and no man challenges God in whatever decision He has taken.
Are you happy that Uduaghan has been declared the winner of the election?
Of course, yes! I am happy.
Do you think that he deserved the winning?
Of course, he deserves it.
In spite of the hue and cry, the grumbling of the people that the PDP government led by Uduaghan had not satisfied the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Delta State yet INEC declared Uduaghan as the winner of the governorship election, does it go down well with you?
Sincerely, even as a Christian state, you and I believe and attest to the fact that even as holy as Jesus Christ, he could not satisfy the yearnings of the people even till date. Luckily enough I have been to Israel, he is not even loved by his people. So, no prophet is ever respected in his own home. Uduaghan is not an exception. Also here, our brother, Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama (SAN), the deputy governor of this state. Once you are in position it is definitely clear that you will meet with opposition. Happily and luckily enough once a time I happened to be the President General of Ekakpamre community, just a little segment of this state, and as much as I thought I did nobody ever preached the gospel of Ofioguma has tried. It was only when I left that they began to miss me. So too, with any normal human being. Nobody has ever ruled Nigeria and gotten praises before. It is only when they are out of office that they miss such a person. I want to say that Uduaghan to a reasonable extent like every other human being most especially with the forces facing him, he has tried but I know he can improve and that is exactly what we are expecting. He will improve.
Do you justify the volume of votes he has from the three senatorial districts especially the south?
Actually, normal registration was done which was acceptable to all Nigerians, nobody challenged it and I am sure nobody will say that in this ward, unit, LGA there was over voting. It was the number of persons that were registered in the wards, units and LGAs that actually came to vote.
There is a strong allegation that INEC colluded in rigging the election will you subscribe to that?
I will not because failure has always been angry.
Now, the fear of the people is that the first four years of Uduaghan they were strangulated and they are afraid that he is going to whip them with scorpions in the next four years. What is your take on that?
No, no, no! if people say that they were strangulated I will not subscribe to it because I think nobody was strangulated. The man tried his best at that level but I have earlier said that I know that he can improve on his services, he is going to do better. I know Uduaghan we were co-workers at the Delta Steel Company, he was a medical doctor I was an arch furnace worker, we knew ourselves, he has not been a wicked man. So, he is not going to whip anybody with scorpions.
In your brief stint with Uduaghan how can you recommend him?
Sincerely, Uduaghan is workaholic, highly diligent and a man who loves the people.
Where do you think the hatred and apathy for Uduaghan emanate from?
The hatred, if we must be very frank, people who are against the PDP today, 90 percent are people who have benefitted from the PDP. Probably because they want to remain in office for ever and at that level of benefitting alone so if the government or the man at the head of affairs says, my friend you have benefitted enough let another person come such persons will be angered and those are the people who are angry because the system wants a change and the people feel disturbed and those are the people who are at the opposition.
The people of Delta Central are more or less weeping or mourning over the victory of Uduaghan, what word of consolation will you give to them?
Sincerely, we did not expect 100 percent victory either from PDP, DPP or any other party but those who are mourning; they are mourning as a result of their personal and selfish interest if not PDP’s victory in the governorship polls is a divine intervention of God.
Do you expect violent reaction to the victory of Uduaghan?
Chief Great Ogboru who happens to be the governorship candidate of DPP is too matured, too civilized to go violent. Unless his followers are not obedient to him, unless his followers are not those that can listen to his gospel, his way and will of life, then some miscreants can take an opportunity of that and go into the streets. But I let you know that whoever that does that is not at the dictate of Chief Great Ogboru. They may be doing it because they feel that is the way they can go into house breaking, vardalism, looting and extortion because I know that the leadership of the DPP, as far as Chief Great Ogboru is concerned will not go violent. So, I am assured you that PDP’s victory over the governorship election is acceptable to between 90 and 95 percent of Deltans.
You are in high spirits as I see you, what happens or how will you feel if the January 6, rerun election which is already being litigated does not favour the PDP?
I know our judiciary is so matured now that they wouldn’t do anything that can lead to the breach of the peace. Whatever was done during the rerun was genuinely done and the judiciary followed their process genuinely, I am very convinced that the judiciary will not decide otherwise because the result of that rerun election passed through a genuine process.
As a strong PDP member you must have benefitted so much from the party, am I right?
I wouldn’t say no and I wouldn’t say yes. But I know that my legs, my arms and every part of me has been in PDP. It is true that human beings are insatiable; one may say that I am selfish, greedy and self centred but I still want to say pop and plain that I have not benefitted as much as I worked for PDP. I have always told the governor, the deputy governor and the commissioners that I always have the result of my unit as my certificate. I have never lost my unit any day so I stand to benefit, I should benefit. But if I remain in the position I am now, the condition, the situation I am now under PDP I may have no choice than to go, call it a poor group, a weaker group, I may choose to join it and remain poor there than to remain with a group that is very, very rich, the PDP, and continue to suffer and wallop in hunger.
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