INTERVIEW – 2011 PRESIDENTIAL Race! PDP Stalwart drums support for Jonathan

South South opportunity? We can’t gamble with it-Udom

The immediate past Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Senatorian District of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Former Chairman of Oruk Anam Local Government Council, a key play in the emergence of the present government led by Chief Godswill Akpabio and staunch supporter of President Jonathan, Chief Soni Udom Spoke with Century Newsfront on several topical issues including the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, Niger Delta and other national issues. Excerpts:

Nigeria President from Niger Delta

I must say that I feel on top of the world, that is how it should be and it came through providence that is why I pray for the man every blessed day that God should protect him and help him to guide the Niger Delta in particular and Nigeria in general. Niger Delta as the topmost beneficiary in the present government Of course, especially with his anchor man in that ministry Elder Godsday Orugbebe is a very hard working gentleman, I have been to his office twice and I have seen what he has gone through, he stays in the office up to 5,6pm and attains to visitor, he is now trying to prepare a long term master plan for Niger Delta in cooperating all the stakeholders; the oil companies, NDDC and of course the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. I see him succeeding, I see Niger Delta being turned around during his administration. Constitution of the Federal Executive Council, and the place of Niger Delta What strategic position again, we should compare what is used to be before now, Niger Delta, our son from Akwa Ibom State is anchoring a very enviable ministry, a three function ministry, Lands, Housing and Urban development, what else do we need. Our daughter, Allison Madueke is in charge of Petroleum Ministry, our son is Foreign Affair, these are very important ministries and I think he has done well what else? You know this is a federation, there must be geographical spread, nobody should expect the President to also bring Works and Agriculture to Niger Delta before they are satisfied. I think our people in these ministries have enough cloud to network and make sure that the person in Federal ministries of Works, Agriculture and other ministries also remember that the Boss is from Niger Delta. Goodluck Jonathan’s chance in 2011 His chance are very bright, the issue is, this is mathematics, atleast three or four would come from the North and he is the only person from the south in PDP, so what are we talking about if the people in south south and south-west that endorsed him last weekend and atleast we have about four or five pliant governors from the North, we just need a little thing to make the day and of course I seen, some people, even some Prophets tell him that he will die if he contests, it is always like that, there is nobody who will not die. If Babangida can be daring courageous enough with all what he did he still comes out, let Jonathan go out he would not die, if they say there would be bloodshed who should talk about bloodshed, is it not the Niger Delta people after the North have ruled Nigeria for 38 years and we have not tasted it for one day except this view months, so who is cheated, who should bring bloodshed? Is it the man that has been sitting there for 38 years or the person who have not seen at all, so let the man be strong, forget about it. We have contested elections, even though you are going for councillorship, there would be some people discouraging you, so you cannot say that everybody would carry flag and sing hallelujah that you should contest an election, is not normally done, there must be some doubting Thomases and there must be some scare group. So let him be strong, he has the incumbency to his advantage that is at least 50% of the success, so let him go for it, he will surely win. The roles of Niger Delta people on the re- election of President Jonathan Yes I know there are many groups and this grouping thing is the new development in Nigeria election environment. All groups coming out, when we used to contest election under (SDP), there was nothing like group yet, we still have very good free and fair elections. There are many groups coming out every where even at the end of this my road, you can see there is an office being opened for His Excellency, Mr. President. There are many groups coming out but then, there are still some strategies, like me on my own since I have not been able to fuse in into any of these groups because if I want to fuse into any of these groups, I should go into the main group, there are some strategies that we would sit down and really manufacture a way that would make His Excellency to win the PDP primaries and of course that would depend on the guidelines, we are expecting the guideline this week, once the guidelines are out is good for some strategies to lock themselves up. There is this other issue of the Governors, luckily the south-south governors have at least said they would support him, and you know that the governors are very influential because the delegates belong to the governors, infact that is why they said that Obansanjo almost knelt down for Atiku in 2003 and which brought their quarrel to a very high level because all the governors were in support of Atiku, so the governors were the people wilding the delegates, so it good for whoever is working for Mr. President to get the support of the governors from which ever region, because there is nothing or little they can do right now because it is too late to the day, we have only one month. Presidential election before that of Governors It would have been the other way round if the governors were to have election first and be sure that they are on the saddle, they would have been in the position to pick the President that they want and think about it, the governors have been touted to also having a vision to occupy the post, I real one article that governors want to bring one of their own from the North to be the presidential candidate and one of their own from the south, to be the running mate, so it could have been more dreadful to allow governors to go first, so the President going first is better, at that point, candidates must have been known. Candidates would be known at the midst of October, the election is January, so at that point and the President has promised to conduct free and fair election and the man, Jega is not a small person, when we were in school, we know what Jega was able to do with ASUU. So I don’t think that this is the President that would call Jega and say give victory to this governor when other governor has won. That would not be done. So I think it is better because if the governors were to come first, they can use their money to fail any Presidential candidate, but if the President came first, he would relax and supervise see a free and fair election. Hunger in the state in view of the Governor’s second term aspiration He is try to address the hunger, may be that is why he went to Ibom Hall about ten days ago to distribute contract to party people and other well-meaning Akwa Ibom people, I heard that jobs worth about 29 billion is in the process of being released at least to cushion the effect of such hunger you are talking about, atleast he is addressing the issue. Political atmosphere in the state as new and old politicians set to contest I don’t know which specific politics not according to the rule you are talking about Politics of blackmail I think in terms of blackmail it was only at the governorship level that I would say that there is a blackmail here and there but in other levels not must blackmail, it is the healthy thing, it is politics, looking for a way to serve your people is not something thou fold your hands and believe that the community would just come and pick you. You must be able and willing, so this people are coming out to announce their availability, there is nothing wrong with that, because that is democracy its now it depends on how they go about it and I believe apart from the people at the governors end, others there is no problem. People looking for House of Assembly, there is not much rancor, and House of Reps, not much rancor except the Uyo Federal Constituency seat that is unending, the issue of the House swearing in Emman Obot has not brought the issue to a an end. Bafil is still in the supreme Court I read one article last week as he says that he will take Bankole to court for swapping his seat to another person, this is just about four days ago, so is still not ended. Is not over until it is over, so all said and all done I see the political atmosphere as being normal. The level of insecurity in the state I am a direct victim. In May this year, my wife was kidnapped, so I can never be satisfied with the level of security both inside the state and the neighbouring state especially Abia State, in fact, in a particular case of Abia state at appears as if they have decided to single out Akwa Ibom as their target which is very bad and which I think our Government must have contacted the Abia state Granterpart to do something about it. I don’t know because they say that up till now those people at Obinwa are still operating when 1000 security people have been emptied to Abia state, I don’t know why the federal Government, infact I use this opportunity to call on Mr. President to look at this matter again because one Judge told me yesterday in the church when they were announcing that Mrs. Ekpoatai is worshiping with us at Qua Iboe Church 2 Olusegun Obansnajo way so everybody was thanking God. When we came out, one Judge was telling me that without security, whatever development, achievement goes to next to nothing because without security, the achievement would not be marked with any enjoyment. I know Government is doing something about it, the situation is becoming a little bit calm and I think it would continue that way until during and after the election. Advice to unemployed youths My advice to unemployed youths is that let them not follow anybody who was destined to be an Armed robber may be from blood or from family to also join the group because of lack of job. I was once an unemployed youth, you just have to sit down and plan for your future, they are youth now of about 20-25 years, if they plan well, in the next ten years when they would have been 30-35 they would have a breakthrough and would that they can have a good family instead of venturing into crime and may be getting killed in the process. Some people are lucky, some may not be that lucky, so Akwa Ibom people are very hardworking and intelligent people, we are examples, we did not get anything from a platter of gold, so Akwa Ibom young men and women should not expect everything to come from the platter of gold. I sympathize sincerely with all the unemployed youths in this state, even in my family, it is the greatest problem, that is why I feel a little bit relief when the Governor says that in his next term, he would concentrate on the area of the re-vitalization of the industries and the establishing new ones because without industries no other source of employment can make a positive impact, so I want them to be little bits patience and that means that if there is such a promise, then in the next three years, there would be an avenue to employ them instead of going to join armed robbery, kidnapping and assassinating people, and in the process they can be killed them before the three years come, so I m pleading with them to be a little bit patience, let them pray to God things would get better. Advice to politicians and electorate in 2011 general election Yes, I want to tell the politicians to, if nothing else do a lot of g round work to win hearts and minds and not to believe that they would employ carry go again in the next election. It is the worse disenfranchisement that can happen. I remember that throughout the last year election when I go to village women would not as much as stop going to their weeding or market because of election, it did not use to be like that, election was for the entire society. I want to use this opportunity to plead with the electorate that they should come out and registered during registration exercise and also come out during the general election to vote, nobody would intimidate them and nobody should deny himself his franchise.

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