CERTIFICATE OF RETURNS DECISION TAKEN IN HURRY – HON PASCAL UGBOME

THE INTERVIEW:

ITV Question: The Edo State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, on the 31st Day of August, 2022 presented Certificates of Returns to Candidates of the Governor Godwin Obaseki led faction of the party. What is your reaction?

Hon. Pascal Ugbome: Ordinarily what happened yesterday (31/08/22) ought not to attract the attention of any serious minded person. Again, this is politics and people can get carried away by things that are not supposed to make them excited. As far as I am concerned, it is all a contrived drama, they just decided to amuse themselves and make themselves happy.

The interesting thing is that we are in court, some of the processes were instigated mostly by them, i.e., the other faction, we also instigated some of the processes. As we talk now, there is no basis for what they did yesterday, it’s even contemptuous of the Judicial Process but one is not perturbed because when people are desperate they will want to do anything, they will go to any length to make themselves feel happy. It is an attempt to also hold on to their supporters who already know that they are holding onto straw and then they celebrate inanities. One of the matters has gone to the Supreme Court and one wonders why they cannot wait for the process to run its course.

Also looking at the documentations that are in place, I saw that the document was signed on the 6th of June or thereabouts by the National Chairman and other necessary officers and by 30th of that same June the same National Officer signed the letter in compliance with Court Order telling INEC that we are the authentic Candidate. So it just shows you that it’s like a circus, they are entertaining themselves. We’re not bothered by what they are doing. At the end of the day we are vindicated that we’re on the right part. It’s a simple thing.

We did congresses, delegates emerged, these delegates voted and voted at different levels, they voted for us, they voted for the Presidential candidates, in one of the processes they denied the delegates, but now, in one of the matters that they themselves even instituted, they are now laying claims to the same delegates, even in their gathering of yesterday, somebody there was saying the delegates don’t exist. So you can see how confused they are, it’s unfortunate, it’s pitiable that we find ourselves in this situation but again it’s understandable.

ITV Question: Where Does This Action Lead Us to?

Hon. Pascal Ugbome: Adjudication of political disputes is not totally detestable because the Judicial process is part of democracy, and people have right to protect their rights, ventilate their grievances in court, that’s what is happening, it’s normal and that’s why the Electoral Act and the INEC Time Table have been so drawn in a manner that there is room for Judicial Ventilation and settlement of disputes.

Because disputes will always arise when people are desperate. People don’t want to do the right things, people want to do things negatively.

For some of us, we believe that Nigeria has to move forward and the only way Nigeria can move forward is for us to stand on the part of decency, the Rule of Law, Honor, because all these are the things that are missing in the polity. That is why you see all these activities going on. We must sanitize the system; the courts are there to help us sanitize the system that is the only way the country can make progress.

So, it’s not totally unhealthy that disputes have arisen, we believe we did the right thing, they believe they did the right thing, so we need a third person to say No, these are the people who did the right thing. INEC who is an unbiased arbiter has repeatedly stated that we did the right thing openly, by way of affidavit, by way of statements, INEC has repeatedly said, we did congresses, we did the right primaries and so in such a situation you see why there is need for the Judicial Process to run its full course. We think we’re almost there now, we are at the Supreme Court.  That’s the ultimate. At the end of that, we’ll take it from there.’

ITV Question: Are you of the opinion that the Edo State PDP Chairman is playing Governor Obaseki’s script?

Hon. Pascal Ugbome: For me, that’s not important. Whatever script a human being decides to play is left to him and his conscience if he has one. To me, that is not relevant, we focus on the goal.

ITV Question: You are one of the leaders of Edo PDP, what will be your suggestion to resolve the crises rocking your Party?

Hon. Pascal Ugbome:  At a stage it would have been possible to resort to political settlement but now, it’s in the Judicial arena so the way to do it in my own thinking is for the matter to run its full course. Everybody knows that eventually only one person will win. When we get there, we’ll take it from there.

ITV Question: Both factions of your party – PDP are in court, and if peradventure one side comes out victorious at the end, do you see the loser agreeing to work with the winner to ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming 2023 elections?

Hon. Pascal Ugbome: If we are truly honest in our intentions to serve our people, I don’t see why it will be difficult when you have exercised your rights to seek redress, taking advantage to all legal, logical apparatus and machinery. I don’t see why it will be difficult for somebody at the end of the day to accept the ultimate final decision. For me, I am a democrat, you can see I am very busy(in the office). Going to the Senate, I will be taking time out of my legal practice to go to the Senate. It is people who don’t have a second office, who don’t have any other thing to do, that will say they will do or die. Must you die to serve people? For me it’s not do or die. For me it’s a process, we’re in the field, we make ourselves available, we were chosen, we were elected, popularly elected. It’s unfortunate that some people have decided to sore a wild wind for the party, it’s sad but not too surprising given the characters involved.

Eventually, I think that the party will need to come together because we need to win the elections if they are true party men, if we have PDP in our DNA. Disputes will always arise because of differences in appreciation of perspectives. Honestly it’s embarrassing that we have taken God’s Grace for granted. It’s so sad, we have a formidable opposition out there, we are doing as if there is no opposition. It’s unfortunate because a situation where people are supposed to be elders and they are not behaving like elders, these are the kinds of things that happen. That is why well meaning, conscientious people should get involved in the process. When the right people are not on the field you see all kinds of things happening in the field. Nigeria belongs to all of us and it behooves on all of us to take out time and get involved and contribute to make the process better because when it’s good, it’s good for everybody. Desperation is at work when people don’t have respect for decency and honor.

ITV Question: Words of encouragement to Edo North PDP members who gave you the mandate to represent them at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.

Hon. Pascal Ugbome:  Well, I just want to once again thank the very wonderful, very conscientious, responsible, good PDP People and Delegates of Afemai Land who voted for me on the 23rd of May, 2022 to fly the Party’s flag to represent the Party and win the election for the Party, to be the voice of our people at the Red Chambers. I am very grateful to God for making it possible and grateful to God for making people to appreciate that one has the capability, ability, resourcefulness, the intellect and experience to be their mouth at the Senate. I want to assure you that your mandate you’ve given to me is very much intact. We have robustly decided to protect the mandate and that’s why we are doing what we are doing. You can be rest assured that at the end of the day we will protect that mandate and ensure that the mandate is allowed to stay and taken to the field, so that by February next year, I , Ominimini, Pascal Ugbome will win the election and go to the Senate and make you proud, make government work. Join hands with other patriots to make Nigeria a better place for all of us.

I want to reassure you that I’m focused, I am committed. Don’t be shaken by what is happening, It’s normal anyway, dissention is part of democracy because there must always be disagreements and two people cannot always see one thing from the same point of view. That is why it’s very easy for me to move on because I credit the other person with the right to see something from another point of view.

So, there will always be disagreements and the courts are there to settle these disagreements and I believe this one will also be settled and hopefully, I believe that, we are going to be able to pull ourselves together as a party as we used to do, stand together shoulder to shoulder, pound for pound, match the streets, talk to the people, garner their support and then win the general election.

I thank you very much  for your support and urge you to pray for us, pray to God to help us, so that your will and your wishes will be given vent to by the Supreme Court. Thank you very much.