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…As he felicitates with Omo-Agege
As Nigeria celebrates its 59th anniversary of nationhood, a PDP stalwart from Orogun in Delta State, Chief Pius Odioko Ovbije, has advocated a return to the 1963 Republican Constitution which emphasized regionalism, in order to address some of the national challenges confronting the country.
Ovbije who was fielding questions from newsmen during an exclusive interview in Ughelli recently, stressed that with the weight of the challenges confronting the nation 59 years after Independence, neither APC-controlled government nor the opposition PDP has the capacity to solve it, just as he suggested a return to regionalism or in the alternative, adoption of true federalism, adding that it holds the key to a better future for the country.
Ovbije who is popularly known as POC, while commending the effort of President Buhari in addressing the myriads of problems bedeviling the country, especially, insecurity, poverty, unemployment and crimes, stated that, though the government of Buhari and previous administrations have tried, the problems have so far defied any known solution, adding that what is needed now is to put aside political divide and collectively seek a possible solution to the issues.
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According to him, even if the British that colonized Nigeria were to be asked to come back to govern the country, they cannot do any magic to bring back peace and progress to the country.
He said: “I have the belief that going on with the way the country is moving currently, the situation and state of the nation will only get worse.
“With the way things are at the moment, no saint can put Nigeria on a good stead.
“Even if you decide today and say let the British come back and recolonize us as a nation and start to rule us under the present condition, they would fail woefully.
“So, to me, we must retrace our step, go back and dust the 1963 Republican Constitution, and let us come back to regional administration.
“It is only then that we can move forward. If you like, go and bring the best administrator, there will be no magic.”
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Ovbije who is the immediate Commissioner for DESOPADEC who represented Ughelli North and Ethiope East mandate area in the board, noted that one critical issue that plunged the country into the prevailing quagmire, has to do with the growing distrust among Nigerians, especially along traditional, religious and ethnic lines, adding that there is mutual distrust and irreconcilable differences.
“Presently, Nigeria is badly divided along tradition, religious and ethnicity and several other lines.
“The mutual suspicion is so grave now that nobody can succeed in bringing Nigerians together because the lines of divisions have become so drawn and irreconcilable. There is no more trust among Nigerians.
“So, whether the present ruler is a Fulani man, the situation will not be different if a Yoruba man or Igbo man takes over the administration of the country.
“The situation will not change under the present state of mutual distrust and entrenched division”, he said.
When reminded that the 1963 Constitution had its own challenges, Ovbije noted that the problems peculiar to the regions will be resolved more easily because they will be allowed to control their resources without external interference.
He said: “But if we go back to the 1963 constitution that has to do with regionalism, the Yoruba man will be in charge of his region controlling his resources and administering his people in their own interest.
“The same goes for the Northern region, South South, the South East and of course, the middle belt. Under this arrangement, the regions will be paying tax to the central government.
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“This is because, the problem today is that there is an all-powerful centre government. And this has made the nation to become very lazy.”
He blamed former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon for the present problems confronting the country, pointing out that his creation of twelve states in 1967, led to the fragmentation of the hitherto regions which were developing and competing among themselves for growth.
“And it is the Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s regime which dissolved the regional government and created 12 states that caused this problem of national laziness.
“So, if you check very well, Gowon was a big problem. He did what he did unknowingly by fragmenting the regions which were self-reliant as at then, into states, thinking that by so doing he was trying to keep Nigeria one.
“He made a blunder, and that is where Nigeria is today. “Goodluck Jonathan was there, he was criticized for his inability to solve the challenges; Buhari now came in with change, but today, you can see for yourself.
“Let me tell you, the problem of Nigeria as it is today will overwhelm any saint”, he said.
In another development, the immediate past DESOPADEC Commissioner for Ethiope East and Ughelli North, has felicitated with the Senator representing Delta Central in the Senate, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, on his recent election as the Deputy President of the Senate.
Commending Senator Omo-Agege during an exclusive interview in Ughelli recently, Ovbije noted that the victory of the Senator is not for his immediate community of Origin, nor for his senatorial district of Urhobo alone, but for Delta State, the South South and the entire nation.
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“As for the election of Senator Omo-Agege as Deputy President of the Senate, today, Delta State, and by extension the whole of the South South should be proud of him on this feat. “Today, we are proud that we have the Deputy President of the Senate. He is the number five in the country.
“He should use it well for Deltans and for South South to remember him.”
He advised the Senator to work in synergy with other national lawmakers from the region so as to collectively address the problems bedeviling the people of their district.
He said: “He should work closely with other members from the South South so that at any particular time they should be conscious about what is happening in their zones.
“The whole of us are happy, not only Orogun but the whole of Delta State and the South South.”
