Hon. Kingsley Tenumah a.k.a. Afere, councilor representing Ekurede Itsekiri/Ugbori ward in Warri South legislative Arm is a media delight any day.
The lawmaker who is presently one of the most vocal representatives in Warri South legislative Arm is enjoying his first term after several unsuccessful attempts to represent his constituency.
Hon. Tenumah a.k.a Afere who is known for his candid views on any national, state, local government or community issues spoke to our Editor-in-Chief, Ebule Anthony at the Warri South Council Secretariat in Delta State.
Excerpts:
How would you describe your over 2 years’ representation in Warri South legislative Arm?
It’s not been easy, but by the grace of God we’ll always get by. Coming to the local government legislative Arm, I was in the struggle for many years and like I always tell people, I did not just come out to vie for a position because I want to, I had the calling and I believe in it, that is why I stay within the calling. Presently, if you watch most aspirants coming out today, as a journalist I enjoin you to go to town and asked them what is motivating them to come?
Psychologically you will find out that it is the flamboyant life that a legislator or government representative is living that is motivating them, but mine is not the same, I had the calling.
When I started in 1998/1999, I did not just come out because I saw my respected representative from my ward, Hon. Hamilton driving a flashy car or living a flamboyant life, I did not see Hamilton like that nor did I see Hon. Ekonte Ewowo in 2003 living in a mansion or living a flamboyant life. Neither did I see my predecessor, Hon. Gbemi living in a very big house or living a flamboyant lifestyle, I just had the calling, that is why I look at politics like a career which I will not want to dent at all and I still believe in it because of my background.
There’s been hue and cry that Ekurede Itsekiri/Ugbori ward has never witnessed government’s presence, for the past two years you’ve been representing the ward, would you say there’s been any change?
You can see for yourself if you go round Ekurede Itsekiri and Ugbori communities. Do your findings, but I can tell you that we’ve experienced a great change. We’ve experienced the presence of governance there, apart from when Dr. Otumara left with a very good work from the representative then, Hon. Kwashi Hamilton. He left an indelible mark, with the help of Dr. Joseph Otumara we had few projects like water, but after that everything collapsed.
I want to believe that it was because we didn’t have a real representative that had the calling, these are some of the things I saw that propelled me to obey the calling when it came. You can see now that today things have changed. I’m always in touch with my people, I was born and brought up in Ekurede/Ugbori ward. I understand my people and their pains. If you look at the pedestrian bridge that connects both Ekurede and Ugbori, it was there destroying lives. We are all witness to it, a week after my swearing in as a councilor, the people came to me and appealed that I should please forward their request to the chairman. They initially asked for a temporary structure, an iron bridge that will just be passable, but we sat down and I told them of the need to have a permanent concrete pedestrian footbridge there. They bought the idea and I insisted that it is achievable, let me go and lobby the council chairman based on the cordial relationship I have with him, I then discussed with him. After a bit of hesitation due to lack of fund, the council chairman later facilitated it as soon as fund was available, the security gate at the entry and exit of both communities readily comes to mind. Prior to its construction, we were witnessing series of robbery, but I can confidently tell you today that robbery has stopped in both communities. After the gates were installed, I received lot of calls commending my efforts. This now motivated me to do more, I must note however that I still got a few calls criticizing me, querying what benefit the gates will serve and I told them to tell me their priority. They said street light, I told them not to worry, that I have other ways of doing things. The state government later installed street lights, which would have amounted to duplication of projects had the local government installed the kind it did at Ugbuwangue, Pessu, Avenue and other areas of Warri. These were some of the things I foresaw that made me assured them not to worry having sent representation to DESOPADEC, State House of Assembly and even copied Government House, stressing the need for my constituency to have street light. Aside that, you will observe that right now as you are entering into the ward, from the Olu palace gate you will see a developmental work to beautify the place. That fence have been very bushy and it is not too good owing to the fact that Governor Uduaghan is making a great effort to beautify Warri and clean it, hence it won’t be good for the eyes, particularly since it is the palace of the Olu of Warri. We convened a meeting with leaders and people of the ward, sat down and agreed that it will be good if we appeal to the local government to beautify the place. If you go there right now you’ll see that we are interlocking the entire fence from the front to the back, these are some of the dividends of democracy people of my ward are witnessing now through me courtesy of Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan. So one can not say that the dividends of democracy have not been taking to that ward, but it’s only natural that we’ll continue to ask for more from the local to the state government.
We have it on good authority that some of these projects were financed by the state government, while the Warri South local government financed the others, who’s responsible for the beautification of the Olu Palace fence?
Thank you very much! Let me just make this record very clear, the Olu of Warri fence is being financed by Warri South local government council through my effort.
You’ve always believed firmly on the Dr. Uduaghan gubernatorial project come 2011, following recent developments, are you still resolute in your stance?
I’m still very sure, I can tell you that come 2011 Governor Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan will be returned as the Executive Governor of Delta State and I still want to believe that as the going get tougher, Governor Uduaghan will scale through. There’s no cause for alarm, I told you before that when the chips are down we will all put our heads together and I will still assure you that what you are witnessing between Governor Uduaghan and Chief E.K. Clark is a father and son fracas which will be settled amicably without two ears coming in.
Only recently some persons that called themselves Delta Elders protested to the PDP National Secretariat at Abuja calling for the dissolution of the Barr. Peter Nwaboashi led Delta State PDP executive, what is you take on that?
Well (laughter), when you say Delta Elders, I saw them on Channels TV, are those people elders of Delta State? If you are conversant with Abuja, before you get to the PDP National Secretariat, there’s a stand where they sell recharge card and make calls, just opposite the Wadata Plaza, there are two boys that are always there selling recharge card, I saw them with placards, you would see that these are hired thugs! Hired boys! Hired crowd! I saw them too with placards calling for the dissolution of Delta State PDP exco, would you say that those guys are among elders in PDP Delta State? I’m asking you, are those ones elders? Okay, they are calling for dissolution, where were they all these years? You recall what led to the state chairman coming in, where were these so called leaders when Barr. Peter Nwaboashi was inaugurated PDP Chairman in 2007? Where were they? Were there any court injunction stopping the exco from operating? Why now today? When we are almost at election hour, I want to believe the national chairman is sensible enough to understand these things. I know it will not work because the Nwodo led national executive is sensible enough to understand that you don’t just listen to outcry from minority to dissolve the exco, unless you want to kill the party in the state! There will be nothing like dissolution! I understand there’s a list going on of their own exco, they have already compiled a list of their own executive from the ward to the state. There’s a rumour that they have even dissolved the exco, these are just mere rumours. Look at what happened in Ogun State, the NEC had to reverse their decision, so let us not kill ourselves over nothing, these are just minor issues and it has nothing to do with Uduaghan returning as Governor of Delta State.
While you are quick to declare that those who carried out the protest are rented crowd, the opposition are equally saying that all those who attended the pro Uduaghan rallies so far held in the sate are rented, how would you react to that?
(Laughter) But you were there, you were there.
You will see for yourself, at every rally we have organized, did you witness a fight? Did you witness a quarrel?
Are you not aware of what happened in the recent Abuja show of shame where one young boy was beaten because the amount they promised him was reduced and he was beaten! If you are talking of a rented crowd, there will always be fight because money will always bring quarrel and fight, did you witness anything like that in our rally? No! So that will point to the fact that these are committed people who believe in the 3 point agenda of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Why is it that those calling for the abolition of zoning at the Presidency are not canvassing same in Delta State, particularly as it affects the gentlemanly agreement in the 3 Warri local governments?
I’m not an advocate for the abolition of zoning, zoning has always been there from time immemorial and it’s just like one saying 12 and dozen. 12 and a dozen are the same, federal character and zoning are the same, it’s just the language. If you remember the interview I had sometime ago with your paper, I said that President Goodluck Jonathan should thread softly and think well before taking his decision. I still believe in zoning, if not for zoning today, a South South President will not emerge in Nigeria, a South South Vice President would not have emerged and if not for zoning, an Itsekiri man will not emerge as Governor in Delta State, owing to the fact that we are minority. So I still believe in zoning and will still want to advise President Goodluck Jonathan to weigh the options very well, it will always come to our turn where we will have our eight years completely. You know one thing with us politicians, it is lack of sincerity. If President Jonathan refuse to contest in 2011 and allow the North complete their tenure in 2015 when he may decide to run, these same people calling on him to run 2011 will call on anybody that emerge from the North to take a second term. They will tell you that the constitution did not bar you from going second term, all they shout is just eye service because the man is the President today. If President Yar’Adua had not died, will they have been calling on President Jonathan to contest? I tell you they will not, so what I’m advising President Jonathan to note these praise singers, it is those that will say Mr. President this is not right that are your friends.
Let’s come down to the constituency you represent, you just said you believe in zoning and information available to us suggests that there is a gentleman agreement between Ekurede Itsekiri and Ugbori communities on who produces the councilor per tenure. How will you now marry your believe in zoning and your intention to rerun against the agreement which automatically would have seen Ugbori producing the next councilor since you are from Ekurede Itsekiri?
Thank you, I know this question will come up. I was expecting it, let me just put the records straight here, I still believe in zoning and there’s zoning in that ward to some extend, but there are some indexes one has to look before calling for zoning in that place. Fine! Zoning has always been there right from Hon. Kwashi Hamilton to Ekonte Ewowo to Gbemi before me. If you understand very well, there was a great confusion and fighting over my PDP candidature in 2008. What led to that protest? The Ekurede Itsekiri people denied me that I’m not from Ekurede, that I’m an indigene of Ugbori by birth. They insisted that the slot be given to them (i.e. Ekurede Itsekiri community) in support of zoning. I want to put a record straight here, like I told people and I keep on saying it, I’m not a councilor for Ekurede Itsekiri alone, neither am I a councilor for Ugbori community alone nor for Ugburoba alone. I’m a councilor representing Ekurede/Ugbori ward and I have all the people in my heart, not only the Itsekiris living there, I’m representing the Igharas, Isokos, Yorubas, Igbos and every other person living in the ward. That is why the entire project I initiated is not focused in one area alone, I am a representative of the people. Coming to the issue of zoning, what people do not understand is if Hon. Tenumah is coming back for a rerun the zoning still remains.
That will not stop me from having a second term provided I’m still coming back, but if I’m not coming back it is very obvious that it will be going to the Ugbori axis.
Though I have not taken a concrete decision whether to rerun or not, but if I decide to rerun zoning still remains. There’s zoning in the three senatorial districts in Delta State and you understand that in Delta South there’s zoning for the senatorial seat, but James Manager is there for his second term, if he had not come back another Ijaw man wouldn’t have taken it, it would have gone to either Itsekiri or Isoko. But because of the spirit of zoning, James Manager was given a second term. You will agree with me that zoning will not give you the best representation, assuming I had it in mind that Hon. Afere will serve one tenure and go, I will damn every consequence. You will not see any project in my constituency, because I would have said after all I’m not coming back again so let me just go there and enrich myself, but for the fact that I know my calling, I will not want to dent my image as well as that of my family. It is your performance that will make any leader or the people say go back and contest.
Let’s get it clear, will you be seeking a return come 2011?
That is not my priority for now.
So what is your priority for now?
My priority for now is to propagate, mobilize and make sure the people of my ward and local government come out, get their voters card as well as cast and defend their vote for our Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan come 2011. Then when we get to the bridge will surely cross it.
What then is the bridge?
Seeing Uduaghan in Government House Asaba come 2011 is the only thing on my head right now
Will you canvass for a state to be created out of Delta as the Aniomas are clamouring for or you’ll opt for Delta to remain as it is?
Personally, I will canvass for a proper Itsekiri State. Like the Itsekiri man will always say “agidi ole agi mafun eji tabi don, ukpawum gbabo” meaning you don’t deprive a child from growing a big tooth provided he or she has a lip to cover it. So I want to believe that the 3 Warris have enough resources to become a state because they have the needed resources to take care of themselves. If I have the opportunity I will canvass for a proper Warri State, you can even divide Delta by 3, let everybody find his way. But for the fact that one spirit, one love, I will still want to advise that let us still remain together.
One of the key issues in the recently amended 1999 constitution is the approval of Independent Candidacy. Bearing in mind that in spite of the existing 62 registered political parties, only one appears to be running the show, do you think Nigeria’s democracy is ripe enough for Independent Candidacy?
Right from time I have always been an advocate of Independent candidacy, which is why I have always stressed that the numbers of political parties in Nigeria are just too much. If they can prune it down to 3 and allow for Independent candidates it will serve us better. Look at the Babangida 2 political party system, it worked for us and I don’t see any reason why we should not be thinking of going back to that era. But people will say it is anti democracy, let me note that democracy is defined according to one’s culture, don’t come to Nigeria and defined the American democracy because they practice theirs according to their culture.
Though with the present 2010 electoral law just signed by the President, INEC has the power to deregister political parties, these parties are just there to collect subventions and nothing more.
Before now councilors used to graduate to higher political officers, but what happens these days is that councilors are virtually becoming what I will like to call Permanent Secretaries without striving to climb higher politically. As a councilor, what will you ascribe to this?
Honestly speaking, these are some of the things affecting our electoral system today. Not giving the room for a councilor to graduate to State House of Assembly and other higher political offices, it’s not really that they are not given that opportunity but I want to think that the councilors have not mustered the needed courage to vie for higher positions. They see it as unattainable, but it is possible, I believe experience is the best teacher, if a councilor decides to vie today for State House of Assembly and he gets there you will see that he’s coming from a very tough background with great experience. Look at the American system today, hardly will you see a Presidential candidate who is not a Senator, Obama was a Senator, the man that contested with him was a Senator, so also is Hilary Clinton, these are the experiences they must first gather and it helps governance.
Lastly what is your relationship with your council chairman and other councilors?
Thank you very much! I have a very cordial relationship with the local government chairman, Hon. Mofe Edema. In as much as sometimes we differ in opinion but that does not affect our relationship in anyway. I want to tell you something, today I want to say that Hon. Mofe Edema is a blessing to Warri South local government. The man has done tremendously well, the harvest of projects in my ward today is the handiwork of the cooperation he has been giving me. If I have singular privilege of casting my vote and returning him as chairman, I will sincerely give it to him without looking back, he is a great administrator of fund. I call him a stingy administrator, today you can see the presence of governance in Warri South local government courtesy of Hon. Matthew Mofe Edema. Warri South local government is not the richest, but what we are witnessing is as a result of Hon. Edema being a great administrator of fund, the council has never borrowed a dime from any bank. With all the projects Edema is embarking on, salaries are being paid as and when due. To my fellow councilors, our relationship is cordial. When I first came in 2008 I had to learn. I have learnt a lot from some of my old colleagues like Hon. David Oki, Bawo Nana and Marvis. These are councilors that I have legislative respect for, I learnt a lot of things from them and I must honestly tell you I doff my cap for these people. My elder brother, Hon. Ete Keke who always give me advice deserve the respect I give to him. My colleague who I see as a brother and friend, Hon. Romeo Ogedegbe also deserve mention, we knew ourselves in the House but it seems as if we’ve known ourselves for a long time. In sort I respect all my colleagues and enjoy a cordial relationship with them.
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