The Present Delta State Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Hon. (Barr.) Raymos Bolowei Guanah can best be described as a seasoned politician. From his days as a student to Local Government Chairman, two time Special Adviser and now Commissioner, Barr. Raymos Guanah has proven himself as a technocrat and one with political savvy.
In this exclusive interview at his Asaba Office with our Editor-in-Chief, Ebule Anthony after a long pursuit and wait occasioned by Hon. Guanah’s busy schedule, the consummate politician spoke on his House of Assembly aspiration, political life, the contentious issue of zoning at the Presidency, Delta State as well as the clamour for new states to be created in the country.
We present the no bar interview uncensored.
Let’s know the face behind Hon (Barr.) Raymos Bolowei Guanah?
My name is Raymos Bolowei Guanah, I’m a lawyer by profession. I’m a politician today and by the grace of God I’m a Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Delta State.
Can you give us a brief history about your political life?
Let me say that my involvement in politics started long ago in college, I was a prefect, I went to Western Boys High School in Benin. Later I was a supporter of the UPN, though I didn’t play any role, I like their ideologies and supported them as well. I later became a member of the NRC when there were two political parties, I was NRC member in Ughelli, where I was leaving and practicing my law profession. And the government then said you could join the party anywhere you were, hence I joined the NRC in Ughelli. But much as I found out that via the pronouncement that you could join the party anywhere you were, there was still some level of sentiment that affected my involvement. I now moved to my local government, which was the then Bomadi where I joined the SDP. I was in the SDP until that era ended. Thereafter, I came back to my legal practice, when parties were formed I joined the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), I was Chairman of the Party in Bomadi local government area.
When Patani was created out of Bomadi, I became Pioneer Chairman of GDM in Patani local government area and I became the party’s Chairmanship candidate in the local government. Then came an election, I keep telling people that I won that election but I was not declared winner, I went to the tribunal to contest it but when the tribunal went that era also ended abruptly. I joined the PDP from inception, I was the chairman of Patani local government area, I was elected chairman in 1998 and I served from 1999 to 2002. After my service the then governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori appointed me Special Adviser on local government matters for two and half years. Thereafter he appointed me Political Adviser, I was Political Adviser till the end of Chief James Ibori’s tenure. I am a member of the PDP, member of the campaign organization, we did all that needed to be done to make sure that PDP emerged victorious at the polls and the party emerged victorious and I was appointed Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development till date.
No doubt, your political history is quite lengthy, first as a local government Chairman, two-time Special Adviser and now Commissioner. If you are to assess, which of these positions will you say is most challenging?
I became Political Adviser towards the end of a transition when Chief James Ibori was to end his second tenure as governor and we were going to start a new face entirely. There were about 17 governorship aspirants on the platform of the PDP and at the end of the day I was made to co-ordinate these aspirants to several meetings with a view to see that we do not go to the polls in rancour, thereafter I was also involved in the process that led to the emergence of all the PDP candidates in the House of Assembly and National Assembly. All of them are challenging offices, but like I said as Political Adviser I was also involved in the Presidential elections both in the primaries and the elections proper, because whatever Delta has to do in Abuja as far as the convention was concerned, my office was involved. To that extent I had to relate with our members at the National Assembly, the ministers and ambassadors from Delta State origin.
Having been neck deep in politics, do you still have time to practice your legal profession?
Yes, I still read my law books, attend my Bar meetings, Bar conferences and I’m still a lawyer. If I have any opportunity, I will still go to court.
The issue of today is politicking, 2011 is getting pretty close. The other day I traveled to Patani I saw posters indicating your House of Assembly aspiration, let us hear from the horses mouth, are you really eyeing the Patani Constituency Seat in the State House of Assembly?
The answer is yes, I’m aspiring to represent Patani constituency in Delta State House of Assembly. There are no doubts about that, I intend to and have therefore put everything in place to ensure a smooth sail to that position.
But there are indications that virtually all the lawmakers in the present Delta State House of Assembly, particularly your constituency which has the Deputy Speaker, Hon Basil Ganagana want to return in 2011. Are you perturbed by that?
I have a pedigree, I have a record which I want to sell to the people. A record of service and a record of performance. As many people as possible can try to aspire to any position, there is nothing wrong with it and I encourage people to aspire, but I’m sure at the end of the day my constituency will determine who they want to represent them.
We can’t talk about politics without taking a peep at the national level, where do you stand on the issue of zoning?
From day one I have never believed that zoning should be a matter for discussion. The constitution that I read tells me that if any law runs contrary to the constitution that law is null. If the constitution gives every Nigerian right to contest any election into any office provided you are qualified, from any part of the country then I can leave here and go to Sokoto to contest provided I have lived there and meet the constitutional requirement. No political party constitution can bar anybody provided the constitution of the land has said otherwise, to that extent the PDP constitution is inconsistent with the Nigerian constitution. It’s not an issue for debate, because the country’s constitution is supreme.
Fine, but one argument that will always be canvassed is that zoning was cooked up to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging and if you are going to abandon it half way, don’t you think you are trying to generate a conflict of sentiment?
No matter how much long in time, if you practice what is wrong it is wrong.
From day one, the PDP decision to zone was against the constitution, but maybe because there were no issues then nobody talked about it. But now issues are on the table and it’s clear to us that what the PDP did was wrong, I’m aware the PDP is even taking steps to amend the constitution to remove that clause because it has become an issue.
All of you that are clamouring that zoning should be abolished at the Presidency election are not saying anything as it affects Delta State even though we all know there was an internal arrangement within the PDP frame that after Chief Ibori’s two tenure, Delta South should have their two tenure before Delta North, is that not zoning arrangement?
No, let me tell you something, in 2007 several persons contested elections under the platform of the PDP for the primaries, it was not a Delta South affair alone. Other people contested, I’m aware that Chief Ovie Omo-Agege from Delta Central contested the primaries, Chief Godswill Obielum from Delta North contested the primaries, Pius Ewherido, Chief Ibrude and a host of others across the three senatorial districts. And Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan emerged, if Ewherido had emerged we would have voted for him in the general election as the candidate of the PDP. If Godson Echejile from Delta North had emerged, we would have supported him too and even at the general elections, people came from Awka and all parts of Delta State to contest against the PDP candidate. So it’s clear to us, if there was zoning the way you are saying it, PDP would have limited the contest to only Delta South. As I talk to you, the PDP ticket is open to all parts of the state. And I don’t want to believe that we are practicing zoning, it’s possible for the purpose of convenience, but we won’t call it zoning. Personally I hold the view that in Delta State, the three senatorial districts should be allowed to have a go at the governorship, it’s not fixed to any party or constitution. I just believe that after Dr. Uduaghan’s two tenure as governor, power should go to Delta North.
… (cuts in) Hon. Commissioner, what will you call that?
It’s not zoning, it’s reasonable in a state like Delta.
(cuts in)…. Of course Delta is a miniature Nigeria.
We are being reasonable, that’s where we are.
The issue of State creation has come up again at the National Assembly. At the last count, at least 33 requests have been made, are you one of those that will subscribe to a state being carved out from the present Delta?
I love Delta State! Because from Asaba to Abare, to Ughelli, you can see that there’s a tread that ties us together. That is not to say that people should not agitate for state creation, agitation is natural. You know the process of creating a state is not just the way you are saying it, it’s a whole process. I don’t want to comment on the way and manner the constitution was amended recently where House of Assemblies across the country were hoodwink to accept what happened in Abuja. I tell myself that what happened was hoodwinking, the same way the National Assembly should have allowed the State Assemblies debate the amendment clause by clause like they did.
How are you going to cope with your House of Assembly aspiration and your busy schedule as Commissioner?
I will soon resign from this office because my party constitution enjoined me to resign if I want to run for an election, which is why I have not come to say I want to run for election. If you see anything going on in that regard it’s people urging me to run, once I make up my mind finally, I will definitely resign and go to the field. The truth is if I don’t resign it will affect my work, any person that want to run for any office, especially when you are appointed and not elected will have to resign so that it does not affect the person’s work
What’s your take on a certain group calling for dissolution of Delta State PDP Exco?
I don’t see any reason why the state PDP executive should be dissolved, I don’t see any reason.
Invariably, you people are ready for 2011?
Delta is ready for 2011.
Your last word sir…………
Deltans should be as peaceful as they have always been. We are very confident that with the one man, one vote campaign that is going on, Deltans will have the best in 2011.
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