By Nkem Osu
If inanimate
objects could speak, perhaps the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, headquarters,
Wadata Plaza, located along Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja would
have verbally acknowledged Thursday, November 6, as a symbolic day, as Rt Hon
(Engr) Victor Ochei, the youngest Fellow of The Nigerian Society of Engineers,
NSE, a law graduate and a Harvard-trained educationist and interestingly a
frontline Delta State gubernatorial aspirant submitted his nomination form.
This symbolism
finds relevance in the pomp and pageantry which had a tinge of tumultuous
symphony on the one hand and the unveiling of an articulately knitted blue
print aimed at improving the lives of Deltans, once Rt Hon Ochei mounts the
saddle of leadership of the state come 2015.
There weren’t
many activities prior to his arrival at the plaza, but his presence was
heralded by a flurry of movements, which created a sublime spectacle,
ostensibly accentuated by the double-decker picnic/sightseeing bus, garlanded
with the imposing posters of Rt Hon Ochei, a display a staff of the secretariat
dubbed innovative and progressive.
When he crossed
the threshold of teeming supporters from the 25 local government councils in
Delta State into the plaza with his towering frame, complemented by his
delectable spouse, Hanatu, who during the press interaction submitted that “my
husband is a tested and trusted administrator,” there was no doubt that the
man, Ochei, really demonstrated that politics and indeed governance are about
the people.
The press, a
motley of the electronic and print varieties, was handy and Ochei in his true
elements did justice to inquiries pertaining to peculiarities of governance in
Delta State from curious journalists.
Being the
journalists’ delight, the press swooped on him firing from all cylinders on
sundry issues considered tenuous but tangible to the instrumentation of
governance, ranging from his expectations of the impending party primaries, to
other issues relevant to pragmatic and prolific governance, the seeming
unwieldy number of aspirants, and his reaction to the alleged imposition of a
candidate by the governor.
On the alleged
imposition of a candidate by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ochei said: “His
Excellency, Governor Uduaghan has not told me that he is supporting any
candidate. Even if he does, it is his constitutional latitude to do so. The
fact remains that it will not stop other aspirants from going ahead with the
realisation of their aspirations. I am not perturbed, as long as there is a
level playing field and don’t forget that power comes from God alone.”
He was
unperturbed over the seeming unwieldy number of gubernatorial aspirants in the
state, a development he described as a positive sign, adding that democracy is
enjoying acceptability as the veritable platform on which progressive
governance could be attained as practised in the comity of nations.
On the
possibility of being influenced, he implored the delegates to be guided in the
choice of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, standard bearer by producing a
candidate who had demonstrated a desirable competence in cost-efficient, qualitative
and quantitative service delivery, active and functional peace promotion and
multi-dimensional inclusiveness, while carrying all stakeholders along.
Ochei has been
constantly postured as a man of character, a trait that stemmed from his belief
that “a man is as good as his words.” This was amply confirmed in response to
the poser on his reaction to the outcome of the party’s primaries, especially
if the party adopted the consensus option. In his usual candour, Ochei
acquiesced thus: ‘’In the nomination form that I have just submitted, there is
a column where supremacy of the party as the final arbiter in this exercise is
stated, and having completed and submitted the form, it implies that I will do
the needful.”
His continual
commitment to the corporate existence of PDP and its electoral successes were
succinctly captured in his response that ‘’the prime virtues of the PDP’s
standard bearer should revolve around the ability to foster cohesion and
potency within the party.”
In summarising
his covenant with Deltans, Ochei in utmost humility recapped that “it will be
immodest of me to speak of my antecedents, adding: “My antecedent speaks for
itself. I have come to provide my good people of Delta an invigorating
leadership, one that will bridge the gap between the younger generation and the
older one. A leadership that portends greater hope that Deltans will be proud
of, that I can assure you by the grace of God. This is capable of realisation,
because administratively and politically, I have been able to handle positions,
I have been tested under pressure and I know what it means to govern.”
These are
therefore clear pointers to the fact that indeed, Rt Hon Ochei is neither an
accidental nor a reluctant aspirant, for he had articulated these noble key points
as being germane to the central issue of delivering developmental governance to
Deltans.
Culled
from National Mirror
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