STABILISING THE DELTA ASSEMBLY

Behind the much talked about rancour-free Delta State House of Assembly is the Speaker, Hon. Victor Ochie, who many now refer to as the stabiliser, writes Olawale Olaleye

His physiognomy can be intimidating. But when you get a little closer, the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei, is just as harmless as the words that proceed out of his mouth. Confident and self-effacing, Ochei also boasts such a trapping mien that even his political foes would concede so much to him.
Interestingly, unlike the ordinary, his physiognomy also corroborates his intellectual depth, understanding of Delta politics and terrain as well as the legislature where he holds court as speaker.

“I think the operative word is rancour-free. First, let me say that the magic is God almighty who has given me the strength and wisdom to run a multi-party house all this while, rancour-free. It takes wisdom and wisdom comes only from God.
“Second, I think the major issue in transforming to this stage, is the fact that I have been able to build confidence amongst my colleagues and one of the biggest builders of confidence and trust is transparency. I have been transparent in my dealings and I have not shrouded anything in secrecy. The moment a man looks at you and can believe in you, then, you have no problems because he has nothing else that he is hiding from you and so, that has basically been my watchword,” he said.

Particularly constant is the credit he gives to his colleagues in the running of the Assembly, which to him has not come cheap. “To be open, to be transparent and God blessed me with colleagues who are very understanding, who at every point in time, want to know what's on the ground and would do everything to assist not just antagonise you for the purpose of wanting to have rancour in the house. We sit down and discuss our issues every week before we go to plenary.

“We will sit down and tackle issues whatever they are from whatever perspective; we put them on the table and deal with them. It has really helped us in dealing with extraneous factors that would have ordinarily been a source of worry. We thrash them out, no matter how bitter; we will lock ourselves out in executive sessions till whenever and until we find a common ground, we don’t come out. So, that has been our dealing with our business like it has never been done before,” he said.
That Ochei used to be a member of the opposition before defecting to the ruling party where he is not just a member of the Assembly but speaker, is believed to say more about his kind of politics, without stooping to undue pressure.

“I'll say the parties in this country do not come from ideological backgrounds; they are all basically the same thing- vehicles to take you to your political destination or political office. But I was in an opposing party simply because the ruling party as at that time did not give me an opportunity to run on its platform, so I went to another platform. I was not opposed to what they were doing so long as it is done right.
“So, it really isn't an issue of trust with the opposition. It is about if indeed you are there and can be part of the solution, why not be a part of the solution? You do not need to shout. Indeed, you think they are not doing the right thing, why not be a part of the solution? For me, being there and coming to the mainstream is being able to contribute my quota in that, in this desire to improve our government. I can make an input and basically, that has been achieved largely.

Ironically, that he has led a rancour-free legislature is not an indication that he has no challenge to grapple with. On the contrary, there have been such challenges but have made the legislature a stronger institution of democracy.
“The challenges are quite a number. Well, you have instances where your colleagues are not happy with what is coming out from the executive arm and you have to act as a stabiliser because you are an arm of government and you have to go into negotiation and discussions with the executive arm, trying to find common ground; sometimes you get them and sometimes you don't.

“It is also our duty to go back to our colleagues and make them see reasons why you cannot get your issues through. More so, the legislature as of today is not independent; it is not autonomous, you still have to go back to the executive arm. So, somehow, besides the fact that we collaborate with each other, you also have to understand that there is a bigger boss which is the executive arm.
“We collaborate with each other and you also have to understand that there is a bigger boss which is the executive arm and in resolving issues with the executive arm, you must play a pivotal role, that's on one end. On the other hand, you have a situation amongst your colleagues; some colleagues who may not exactly like your style but it is your ability to carry everyone along irrespective of different shortcomings, accommodate each other.

“That basically is another challenge because we are 28 individuals who have different faces, different ideologies, everything different that you have to put up with to ensure that you work with them and keep a focused house. All of these challenges put together, you also have the Challenge of a partisan house where you have the members of the opposing parties in a minority group but quite sizable in number in managing their wants and their agitation within the confines of what your party presents as the majority party and ensuring that you still coast along laws and motions and resolutions, all that irrespective of the differences.

“It is a challenge. All these plus your ability to manage them and bring them under a compromise where you'll all work together in an atmosphere of clear cut understanding and ensuring that everybody's interest is properly aggregated; their thought processes. It is not limited to this, we meet with them everyday, but I do know that God will grant us wisdom to overcome them,” he stated.
Although, there have been speculations about Ochei’s ambition in 2015, more than anything else, he seems concerned about his legacy as speaker and a lawmaker of about 12 years in the Assembly.

“For me, I will be a fulfilled man in 2015 by the time I look back at the legislature, I will say, thank God I did a good job because my promise was that I was coming to the legislature to restore the glory of the legislature as the first arm of government. The legislature has suffered the most, during the military interregnum; they were always proscribed, suspended but this time around, we need to put the legislature as the first arm that makes the laws for order, peace and good governance.
“Infrastructure wise, we have been able to do a whole lot to restructure the physical look of the legislature and whether you like it or not, the physical structure has a way of affecting your natural style if acting. If you work in a place that looks disorganised, you might end up being a disorganised person.

“But if you work in an organised place, you will naturally organise yourself into the scheme of the organisation that you've met. So, for me, I have been able to restore the flow of the legislature. That will be my pride; that this is a system that is established and people after me will continue in that system and modify it but not go back to where we are coming from.

“For me, we have been able to set a standard, that is one personal satisfaction that I will have in leaving the legislature and you know, having served in a place for 12 years, I can look back and say I have done well at the risk of sounding immodest. If we continue the way we are going now, by 2015, we can look back and say we have done well. It's not just me but a collective effort of my colleagues. Truly speaking, we can say we have done well. That will be it for me.”

Culled from Thisday