In this interview with Hon. Hillary Fada Ibude, a former Chairman of Ika South L.G.A. Council elected on the platform of people Democratic party PDP, onetime Special Assistant to His Excellency, Sen., Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on Security, who recently decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC), speaks on why he joined APC, his Sojourn in PDP and the challenges he encountered while in office as the Ika South Local Government Chairman, and his bid for the House of Representatives membership and other issues.
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May we meet you?
I am Honorable Hillary Fada Ibude
Your profile Sir?
I was once the chairman of Ika South L.G.A Council elected under platform of Peoples Democratic Council, (PDP), a onetime Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters but today, I am a full fledge member of the All progressive Congress (APC)
What necessitated your move to APC?
I left PDP about a year ago because of the political discrepancies. I moved to All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) where I felt that time won’t be a stumbling block to anybody. I wanted to be neutral. My leaving PDP was because they denied IKA South their mandate for House of Representatives and I didn’t want to be part of the system that deprived my people their right.
I left the party to join APC for certain reasons, one, I cannot go back to my vomit, I don’t want to be with people who do not love themselves, people who are not straight forward, people who make caricature of them self, blackmailers: All they do is try to bring down one another that is not my kind of person. I don’t know how to pretend, I cannot mortgage my integrity for stupidity.
What are your plans for 2023?
We are still on course, but you know no one can predict tomorrow. Let God keep us alive. Till that time when we get to that bridge we will cross it.
Is it not too early to declare, considering the fact that you are not sure of contesting?
I decided to join APC now because I don’t want people to have the insinuation that I will go back to PDP, to set the records straight I do not care what anybody stand to benefit what I want is the truth I cannot go back to a party that does not have the genuine interest for Ika South people especially on the issue of House of Representatives, that position was suppose to have being occupied by someone from Ika south.
Do you think APC stand a chance in Delta state come 2023?
It depends on what the party has on board if the party gives us a good candidate without imposition or favoritism they stand a chance to win the next election
What necessitated the founding of the Association Oya-Akunahi igi?
We formed the group because we want to bring in political balance, people are afraid to speak out even when things are not going well I have always told them that either Okowa naturally hate Ika south people or people who are representing us are not telling Okowa the truth.
Okowa is not helping Ika South enough, that is my opinion, it is not to be giving unnecessary appointments, that means nothing and take our mandate from us, twenty SSGs cannot be compared to House of Representative and they are feeding us with the speculation of giving us the position of the Speaker, who cares about that, did they even get it now?
How do you see some development like road construction going on?
Who is doing the job that is direct labour you cannot be Governor only your brothers and family members are doing all the contracts, we have other families too in Agbor. As for me, if they want to do something meaningful there are other roads more economical to Agbor people than empowering your brother preparing him for something unforeseen? Is it a family business? That is running the state like a family business that is not how to govern a state.
Your Group Oya-Akunahi igi does it have political affiliation, if yes what are your aims/objective?
The group is a group of people who believe thing are not well apportioned that will pick the interest of the common man and speak out we are not afraid to say the truth the group membership cuts across Ika South and Ika North is not all from Ika North East that are happy about the situation everything is one sided that is the kind of Government we have today.
Your joining the APC at the state level people are complaining about the government of Buhari that there is suffering what do you have to say about that?
People could suffer for Nigerian to become better they should clear the mess of the past there is no magic that Buhari can possible do 20 year back PDP was in government for 16 year the only thing they achieve was GSM which any company can bring in mention any infrastructural development whatever you see today are self efforts common thing for the less privilege like water Housing all is Zero what are you see in Nigeria is self effort.
Before contesting Buhari promised he was going to change everything, people are of the opinion that a leader is supposed to be a solution giver and not excuses? What is your take on this?
If Nigeria, must move forward we have three tiers of Government they are laws guiding Federal, state and Local Government of which the federal Government cannot intrude in the state Government affair, neither can the State intrude in to the Federal Governments affair the only way Government can move forward is that there must be total autonomy for the Local Government.
Can you imagine that the Federal Government can award contract, to the State and even the Local Government don’t know about it constructing road in your Local Government yet you don’t know where they are coming from? the state government can sit in Asaba and award contract which the Local Government Chairman know nothing about, things are not done properly, if you want to award contract, at least the chairman of that Local Government should be informed give him what is expected of the road and the chairman should examine and make sure things are done properly before any payment can be made. They use their officials and their engineers, write anything and pay for contracts that are not properly executed or not executed at all.
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What are your regrets during your tenure as a Local Government Chairman?
I did all I could as a man I dint regret that much because it was tough for me, I was the chairman at a time all the leaders were against me thou I did all I could by Gods grace to make sure the right thing is done, it is speaking for me today I touch almost every ward with two three to four project in a ward I had about fifty eight projects in a ward only four was still ongoing when I left I touched school hospitals, library secretariat construction of streets the police station Abavo those where the project I carried out.
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Why were the leaders against you?
They were against me because they wanted us to share the Local Government Allocation they used Councilors against me and try to frustrate my government I was suspended for four months
What are those things you would have done that you dint do?
The only thing I would have done wasn’t possible for any chairman to do because of the law that is why I said Local Government has no full autonomy things you do as a chairman to a point are restricted.
How do you see the appointment of Sebastine Okoh and Felix Morka?
Well, it is a very good thing. This is the first time I have seen a Senator appointing somebody from a different Federal Constituency. We had the likes of Osakwe, Okowa, Nwaaoboshi; every senator had provision for eight to nine aides and no one has been appointed from Agbor until now. During Okowa’s time, no one person was appointed from Agbor. When you have nine local governments no one was appointed from Agbor, but a different person appointed two from Ika, the Deputy Senate President for that I am commending him and passing a congratulatory message.
Where Do You See APC 2023?
I see APC, taking over Delta State in 2023.
A Word of advice for Ika people?
My advice is that people should, for once, be more united and learn, to tell others the truth. You can only be your brother’s keeper by telling them the truth, because Ika is for all of us and not just for a family. Above all the people of Ika should be law abiding.