Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwe is a two-term Majority Leader, Edo State House of Assembly. The former Edo State representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says, in this interview, that he stands out as the most qualified candidate to occupy the Edo South Senatorial district, as Senator Mathew Urokhide’s tenure ends shortly. Excerpts:
You want to be the next senator to represent Edo South, What is your pedigree sir?
Since the commencement of this new democratic era, I have been a very active participant. I was elected into the Edo House of Assembly in 1999; I was the Majority Leader in Edo House of Assembly for eight years. I also went to the Niger Delta Development Commission as the state representative and I have participated virtually all the political activities of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo since 1998. In fact, I was among the founding members of the political party. In terms of experience I have been a legislator and I have also served in a body that is part of the executive and that is the Niger Delta Commission.
Some people are saying that you are eminently Qualified to run for senate due to your numerous achievements as former majority Leader and former Reps NDDC member in Edo state. What’s your take on this?
I am eminently qualified to represent the people of Edo south at the Red Chamber of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. My political history will show you that anywhere I found myself, I have always strive to excel, not just to participate but to ensure i get results starting from my school days, I have always be In the top bracket in all my endeavor even in politics. so it will not be a different when I get to senate by the grace of God, the impact of my representation will be very valuable and Edo state will be proud that they elected the best among other contenders to represent them in that office and I will ensure the story is different when I get there because Edo south will be made to occupy its position among other ethnic nationality in Nigeria.
What are your chances of becoming the next senator of Edo South sir?
My chance are very bright, firstly Nigerians generally are tired of the misrule of this present administration, the party has destroy Nigeria completely and brought Nigeria down in all aspect of nation building, in economy, security, Education which aspect of the National life of Nigeria are we going to say that this administration has done well? The common man no longer exist in this country because the average Nigeria is just trying to survive and that is not how it is suppose to be, because as at 2014, the country was the fastest growing economy in Africa, the best destination for investment, a country where everybody could afford basic amenities without much struggle, but When APC government came, they reversed us and took us far back before 1999 that is why PDP came with their slogan of ‘rescue Nigeria’ so I don’t see anybody In Edo state, especially in Edo south where I came from and where I want to represent voting to continue in the suffering caused by APC government, where people can barely eat, sleep with one eye open, where you can no longer travel freely because people are scared that bandits may kidnap them In our roads, where the public infrastructure have all broken down, the health sector collapse and everything that was built during PDP regime has been destroyed and if Nigeria is not rescue at this time, nobody will be able to tell you if there well be a Nigeria in the nearest future, is it not crazy that a dollar that was 150 during PDP era in 2014 is selling for over
800 and pounds is almost a 1000. What has changed? Our main source of income which is oil has God taken it from us?
Under Buhari buckry has taken over and if Government officials are not involve, they can never succeed. So I don’t think that any right thinking Nigeria will want to continue this part of suffering. A litre of Fuel was increased to 142 by Jonathan government and people occupied Nigeria and demanded for change. Now a litre of fuel is 220 and above and none of those who occupied Nigeria then is talking. Under PDP, a lot of people in diaspora where coming back home, but what is happening today is direct oppose, everybody is looking for an opportunity to run out of the country not minding the humiliation they’ll face outside the country, so I don’t see why we’ll not win this election.
What do you intend to do in six months if elected?
The first thing to do is to look at the government of the day, look at the program of the executive aim of government and see how it will benefit the people of Edo south, Edo state and Nigeria at Large. Law making at the National assembly is not localized like the state assemble, it is taking Nigeria as your constituency to ensure that the basic amenities of life, (food, shelter and clothing) is affordable to the majority of Nigerians who are making effort on daily basis to make their life better. The legislative is not an executive arm when I will say in my first six months I will contruct roads, I will build schools, legislation is basically law making, putting the interest of your constituency first and lobbying your colleques to ensure those interest as it affects your people, the executive arm of government see to it that project is done.
Do you see Peter Obi syndrome as a major threat to your Political ambition?
Not at all, like I said in my previous interviews Peter Obi is somebody who took advantage of the Mass Movement against poverty, insecurity, hard life that APC led government has brought to Nigeria. Is like people are protesting and he took advantage of it. But what people fail to realize is that the problem of Nigerians are not things you can resolved theoretically, they are things you must resolved practically and I look behind it, Peter Obi was a Governor of Anambra state for 8years, tell us any major achievement that will make us hand Nigeria over to him, the people are feeling that Peter Obi is from the south but he is not the only southern candidate.
Obi is leveraging on the protest by the Nigeria people against the hardship the country is facing without telling anybody how he intend to solve the problem like APC government where preaching about change them and people became gullible and voted for change even when Jonathan was telling them that one day they will regret their decision.
Looking at the candidate today, Atiku is the only one who is ready to take this country to the part of prosperity, so I don’t see obideient movement as any challenge, yes it is a drop in the water and it made some splash, but that splash is not enough to take the water out.
What do you think is lacking in the Nigeria senate that you want to look into if elected?
As at now, I will say we don’t have lawmakers, one of the power constitutionally given to the legislative arm of government aside law making is to oversight.
This set of senators pass appropriate bill and handover to the executive arm for execution, when they did not perform and they bring in another budget the following year, they will passed the budget without looking at the budget performance of the previous year.
The senate is married to the executive arm. Have you ever seen the senate forcing the executive arm of government to do the binding of Nigerians?
A senate that refused to sanction anybody when they refused to screen some people and the executed will still go ahead to leave that person in the office.
The executive will be acting as if they are dictators.
The senator that cannot call the executives to other for the interest of Nigeria first before their own personal interest. That is not how the legislative arm works.
In my opinion in this present senate, the law makers have not lived up to the expectation of Nigerians and by the Grace of God, when we get their, the senate will be the type that will support the executive when they are doing well and be able to checkmate the executive when they derail without fear or favour because senators are not appointees by the executive arm of government, they are elect with the mandate of the people and their first responsibility should be the feelings of their constituency back home.
Do you think that your presidential candidate can defeat the ruling party’s candidate?
Do you see any sane Nigeria voting APC in 2023 due to hardship and failure caused by this government? if every sane Nigeria will not vote for APC, who is Tinibu? Unless Nigerians want to die in abject poverty, unless Nigerians want the country to be handed over to bandits and hoodlums then they can vote for the APC. But I think every Nigeria have gotten a fair share, we have seen the best of APC in the last 7years plus. So no Tinubu can change anything, it is not about Tinubu as an individual, it is about their political Ideology and about the people who are piloting the affairs of the party. The only person who has showed leadership quality among the candidates is Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, people should have actually beg him to contest and lead us now the days of rigging election is over, and I don’t see how right thinking Nigerians will vote for Tinubu.
What advice do you have for the youths ahead of 2023 general election?
The youth should not vote out of sentiments, the youths should know that the country belongs to them, they should not make the mistake we made in 2015 by voting for President Buhari, the youth should reason and judge people with their previous performance before casting their vote.