ADC solely a risk on social media — Bayelsa APC chairman

The Bayelsa State APC chairman, Dennis Otiotio-Odoni, says complaints by some get together members about being sidelined are misplaced, insisting that relevance on the grassroots determines political affect. On this interview with LINUS EFFIONG, he speaks on get together integration, relationship with Governor Douye Diri, the opposition ADC and extra

Some All Progressives Congress members have stated they’re being sidelined within the current scheme of issues. They name themselves the outdated APC; are you conscious of this sense of disenfranchisement?

I don’t perceive what they imply by being sidelined. How? Within the final congress that was carried out, had been they not carried alongside? Have been they not given positions? If you’re related in your work, you’ll have a say in what occurs. Whether or not there are 10 amalgamations, whether or not all of the political events within the nation are coming into one, if politically you’re related in your ward, when selections are made in your ward, they may seek the advice of you. However if you’re not related in your ward, you’ll not be consulted. Perhaps earlier than this time, you had been accountable for your work. Now, there are different individuals who have joined the get together, and these people are larger within the political hierarchy. You can’t wrestle with them. As an illustration, I’m the coordinator of Nembe Native Authorities Space. I’m from the outdated APC. The governor appointed me because the coordinator for the congress, because the lead coordinator for Nembe Native Authorities Space. The governor appointed the MD of NDBC because the coordinator of Ogbia Native Authorities Space, from outdated APC members. The governor appointed the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Oil, Heineken Lokpobiri, because the coordinator of Ekerema Native Authorities Space, additionally from the outdated APC. So, you can not say that the governor took all the things. The outdated APC members can not take all the things. The brand new members can not additionally take all the things. There will likely be a compromise. We have now to return collectively to work as one. So, we should always start to de-emphasise on this outdated APC and new APC, as a result of it’s making a dichotomy. We must always be capable to come collectively, combine ourselves, and be speaking about one APC, beneath one management of Governor Douye Diri.

What steps are you taking to combine the outdated APC?

The ward coordinators are, in flip, mandated to carry a ward stakeholders assembly, the place the ward executives will likely be nominated. The dispute decision mechanism is that if any ward, out of the 105 wards, for one purpose or one other, is unable to achieve consensus, then it should escalate to the native authorities committees, who will resolve the disputes. The place the native authorities committees are unable to resolve such disputes, they’re escalated to the state. So, this can be a clear course of. Procedures are put in place. So, if you’re outdated or you’re new, and you don’t agree with the choice of your ward, report back to the native authorities. And if the native authorities is unable to resolve the dispute, come to the state to report. So far as I’m involved, I’ve all of the stories that we obtained, we have now been in a position to resolve them and decide.

Just a few months in the past, you had been an energetic voice, criticising the administration and insurance policies of the Governor when he was within the Peoples Democratic Party however instantly he joined the APC, you all of the sudden misplaced your voice…

(Cuts in) How will I lose my voice? Do you perceive politics? Once I was talking then, I used to be talking because the chief of the opposition. However right now, the governor is a member of the APC. He’s the chief of the APC. So, I can not come out in public to criticise my very own authorities. If I’ve any recommendation for the governor, I can’t come on the pages of newspapers or on radio stations to criticise him. I’ve entry to the governor. If I’ve any recommendation for the governor, I’ll go to the Authorities Home and provides him that recommendation. At present, he’s the chief of the get together, the federal government of the APC. The federal government within the Authorities Home is an APC authorities. So, you anticipate the APC chairman to criticise his personal authorities? Is that this how it’s achieved?

You’ve gotten stopped talking the reality to the federal government…

No, that isn’t talking the reality to the federal government. If I need to advise the governor, I’ll advise him. I’ve entry, unfettered entry to the governor. So, I’ll attain out to the governor and advise him. You don’t anticipate me to return on the radio and be saying all this and that. Then, I’ll look silly. It would appear that I have no idea my job. Because the chairman of the ruling get together within the state, I’m not anticipated to criticise the federal government. I’m anticipated to defend the insurance policies and programmes of the federal government.

You had been on the Authorities Home when the brand new Deputy Governor took the oath of workplace. What are your expectations from the brand new Deputy Governor?

To begin with, we should thank God for guiding Governor Douye Diri to make the precise alternative.  It is necessary for the governor and the deputy governor to be on the identical web page; for them to have a unified imaginative and prescient and goal to work as governor and deputy governor within the state. There’s a want for him to decide on a deputy governor who shares his imaginative and prescient and has the identical drive in the direction of the event of Bayelsa State. We thank God that, because the governor stated, He directed him to appoint Pastor Peter Akpe because the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. You may see from the swearing-in ceremony to the reception, the individuals and the gang that got here to witness the deputy governor’s inauguration. It displays the calibre of the person who was appointed, speaks to the character of the one that was appointed, and speaks to the integrity of the one that was appointed. And so, we’re all, as a celebration, happy, and we have fun the appointment of the deputy governor. We’re going to help the governor and the deputy governor of their mandate to develop Bayelsa State.

You talked concerning the deputy governor being the precise alternative, however the plenty are criticising the governor for appointing his maternal cousin. They declare that the governor and his new deputy are operating Bayelsa as a household affair. Do you share that opinion?

Nicely, I’m not conscious of that. I’m not conscious that the deputy governor is a maternal cousin of the governor. Due to this fact, I don’t need to touch upon issues which are past my data. I consider that if you’re dropped at show that, you can be unable to show that. However aside from that, let me say one thing. You see, even in America, there was a time when the President appointed his personal brother as Legal professional Normal of america. In america, we’re speaking about competence. We aren’t speaking about household ties. To the very best of my data, the Deputy Governor, Pastor Peter Akpe, is from Sagbama. He has been enjoying politics since I knew him. He contested as a councillor. He has contested for seats within the Home of Meeting on a couple of events.  He has been enjoying politics as an indigene of Sagbama Native Authorities Space, which is in Bayelsa West, whereas the governor is from Bayelsa Central. So, I see no purpose why you’re speaking a few household affair.

So now, are you saying the governor is doing nicely when it comes to his insurance policies and programmes you as soon as strongly criticised?

Sure, he’s doing nicely. The opposite day, I accompanied him on a mission inspection, and in the event you see the tasks which are prepared for unveiling, you’ll marvel. Initially, if not for the demise of our amiable deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, on the sixth anniversary of the federal government, there would have been an enormous unveiling of tasks. Nevertheless, as a result of demise of the deputy governor, the governor determined that it will not be correct for us to have fun. So, what the governor did was simply thanksgiving. However I consider that within the subsequent two or three months, the President will likely be invited to the state to unveil these tasks.

Do you contemplate the African Democratic Congress as a risk within the subsequent election within the state?

ADC has been round; we have now achieved two elections with the ADC round. There was an low season election that was carried out for state meeting and nationwide meeting seats. ADC didn’t even win one. Final 12 months, it was identical factor. Even in Kano, APC gained some seats, in Anambra, APC gained some seats. APGA gained some seats. ADC didn’t win even one seat. The second set of elections, the FCT council elections, had been simply concluded. PDP gained one seat and APC gained the remainder. I didn’t hear that ADC gained one seat. So, that they don’t seem to be a risk. They’re only a risk on Twitter. They’re a risk on social media. They aren’t a risk in actual elections.