Right Hon. Justin Okonoboh is a former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly and one of the founding fathers of APC in Edo State. In this interview with OJIEVA EHIOSUN, he spoke on the trending political issues in Nigeria, 2017 presidential election, why Edo people have fallen in love with Governor Monday Okpebholo among others issues. Excerpts:
As a medical doctor turned politician, you always find yourself in the winning party, not a jump here and there politician. What has been the driving force behind this philosophy of yours?
Yes, since I joined politics, I have never belonged to the losing side.
I’m a progressive. When I believe in the ideology and philosophy of a particular party, I stick to it.
Again, when party starts, as a progressive, you should be able to know the party that will stand the test of time. We are people- oriented, as people-oriented, when political party starts, it’s easy for you as a core democrat to know the party that will stand. When you find progressives coming together, you know that something good will come out of it.
Progressives sometimes don’t win election like the case of APC losing to PDP during ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki’s second term.
Many APC politicians dumped the party for PDP, you were among the few that refused to defect and because of that you were greatly punished by Obaseki.
How was it when your party was out of power for four years in Edo State?
Well, my life was not dependent on politics, before I became a politician I had my job as a medical doctor. Again I knew it was going to be a short time for PDP in Edo State. Yes Obaseki denied me of so many things but I kept moving. You know how I was removed from office as the Speaker. I didn’t fight back because I knew too that those that masterminded it will not be there forever. You see, one thing about me is that I put God first in anything that I do. Once you are with God things will always work out in your favour.
You were lured by PDP to defect and work with Obaseki, you rejected it. In Nigeria’s political system you hardly find politicians like that. Now did you regret not accepting the their offer?
Not at all. I knew PDP would not go more than that after Obaseki’s government. For me, I have past that stage of someone coming to buy me. Also when you are close to God those things will not move you. Most of the positions I had got in politics were giving to me by God, so because of that, I mind what I do. And I speak to politicians who know that they came to power by the grace of God to do the right thing because God will not be happy if He had given you a position and you begin to use your power to oppress people who gave you the mandate. So, no matter what you offer me I will not take. I believe in God. I trust him and am very confident that He has so much.
With the way politics is played in Nigeria, the average Nigerian person see politicians as evil people. Now do you see Nigerian politicians as Christians?
There might not be many politicians that are christians, but there are few politicians that are christians.
That is why we are carrying the message to them that as christians they should not stay away from politics, because if you stay away, it means you have left the world to be ruled by charlatans and nothing good will come out.
I’m happy now that a lot of christians are coming into politics. Though it’s very difficult because what you find in Nigerian politics is very terrible. That is why a lot of born again christians are running away. But you shouldn’t run away because you are light, you must shine in the midst of darkness.
Professor Yemi Osibanjo was a born again Christian and Vice President under Muhammadu Buhari, yet he couldn’t change anything
What do you think might be the reason?
He was not the President but Vice President. In Nigeria, whether state or local government, anything deputy is a spare tyre. They only do what their bosses ask them to do. You saw the time Buhari was away, Osibanjo did a lot of things trying to make things work the right way, but some cabals in Aso Rock weren’t happy, they wanted to even kill him. So, you can’t blame him because he was not in charge; he was just a deputy that did what he was instructed to do.
There seems to be internal wrangling in APC in Edo State despite being in power. Do you agree with me that all is not well with the ruling party in the state?
We’ll, I do not know where the crack is in the party; I think that is not true at all. Some time ago, the governor hosted party leaders to a victory party. In politics, we must always differ because of the interest but that does not mean there is a crack.
In the political structure, as a leader you have followers because they feel they will benefit from you. So, in that case they follow you. We all cannot agree on the same thing because of the interest. So, as at today, APC is one and we are all working together to move Edo State forward.
You have been an ardent follower of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you are equally a senior leader of the party; with the present hardship in Nigeria, are you comfortable with his style of leadership?
It is not just hardship in Nigeria, it is hardship in the entire world. Even in America there is hardship, that was why Democrats lost the last election to Donald Trump. Americans reacted because of the hard economic situation there. Look, this hardship is all over the world.
Look let us be sincere to ourselves, Jesus is coming very soon, these are signs of the end time So let us just be prepared.
You can see crisis and war happening in many parts of the the world, these are nothing but signs to tell you that the world is gradually coming to an end. All these are prophesies in the Holy Bible.
Again, for President Tinubu, he has turned the economy around. If you check World Bank reports, IMF reports, you will know that President Tinubu is doing well.
If we had continued the way we were going, by now we would have collapsed but he had held it and things are coming into shape. The problem is it takes time for it to get to the average person. But first thing is, to hold down the prices of commodities in the market.
Again, don’t forget that as government is trying to get things to work out, there are some persons who don’t want it, so they work against the interest of the common man for their selfish interest.
So, Tinubu is the man that will hold the country.
How do you rate Senator Monday Okpebholo so far?
I was shocked with his performance within his 100 days. He has done very well and he has continued. He is working and Edo people have given him a name “Practical Governor”. Edo people are happy with him and he has their support.
Some people are accusing him of favouring a particular senatorial zone more than others; what is your take?
Look the man is an Esan man, other governors did the same. We all saw how Comrade Adams Oshiomhole empowered his people from Edo North. For me, those are no issues for now, they should allow the man work.
Nigerians are attacking Tinubu of wanting to make the country a one party system, what do you think?
The man is working, so the progressives want to associate with him. Most of the state governors defecting to APC are in their first tenure, they all want to go for a second term. Politics is about interest, so they must join the winning side. They want to be in the party where they can win. No President forces people to become members of his political party. Because Tinubu is doing very well, people want to associate with his progress and be part of history.
PDP is having big problems, if they were not having problems, there would have been a strong opposition. Right now, there is nothing like opposition party in Nigeria. So, there will be no problem in APC winning 2027 Presidential Election. Right now, people that are supposed to hold the party (PDP) together are leaving. So, it will be an easy ride for us in 2027.
