Ace broadcaster, frontline rights activist and prominent Itsekiri leader, Chief Mrs Rita Lori-Ogbebor, visited the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State to attend to complaints by her people of their inability to obtain the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC). In this interview with EBENEZER ADUROKIYA, she bears her mind on the INEC, Muslim-Muslim ticket and the rising new normal of vote-buying, among other issues.
What prompted your leaving Abuja to come to the INEC office in Warri?
With my age, it’s sad to see a lot of things go wrong in my country. I have no other country; this is the only one I have, good or bad. Until my dying days, I will always put in my very best to making things right in my own way. Whether I’m in Abuja, Lagos or Warri, I’m in touch with my people. And the cry is always that they cannot register, they have no voter’s card. And when I come here, my preaching to the people is to go and register and they always respond by saying that they have tried and they can’t get their cards. So, I came down to devote this week to making sure that everybody in Warri is registered. And I’m very glad that you people came to join me.
When we first came, it was frightening because the whole place was crowded and we were wondering whether we could go in. Thank God we went in and I must say that the electoral officer was nice to us. He explained the reason for the crowd and we put our heads together to do some re-organising.
Among the crowd were people who have lost their cards and wanted a new one, people who have never registered at all and there were people who have registered but wanted to play some pranks by registering again. And we had to sort out these people. Before we left, the place was cleared. Some people were able to get their cards and some were able to register.
With what happened in Ekiti, it seems that voters cards have now become a meal ticket for some Nigerians; was that what prompted the calls you received before heading down here?
I have been monitoring and following this electioneering process and I know that once I surfaced anywhere, it is going to be transparent. I think people, especially those in Warri, know the name, Rita Lori. People know that once I get anywhere, it is justice I’m looking for. People co-operate with me and as you can see with what happened at the INEC office, there was no bribe of any sort. People were not prepared to receive nor give bribe under my gaze. It went well the way it should be.
What will you say about vote buying, do you think it will help the system that people like you are trying to sanitise?
We are doing our best but again, you know your country. We know the stage we are in this country and people like us will continue to work and pray that our people and the leaders will do the right thing. The problem is from the leaders not the poor people. I went there with you and I didn’t give anybody money. Immediately they saw me, they were happy. People like us will continue to do the little we can do, showing good example, praying and working. I pray for the country everyday because I have no other one.
What is your message to the electoral officers to ensure those people get registered?
They know good and bad; they know the right thing to do. I don’t think giving them a message is important. What is important for them to know is that what they are doing today, they are doing it for themselves and their children. When you do good, you get good likewise when you do bad because the law of Karma is there. Your children will get whatever you do now. Nobody wants a rowdy country, a country of anarchy. So they should think of that and do the right thing.
Given the fact that many people are still struggling to obtain or register for their PVC, are you going to advise the Federal Government to extend the registration date?
From the crowd we saw today, if everybody must register, then they must extend the date. The machines they are using for the exercise are not enough. When we got there, they only have four machines; so they must extend because this is the only right that the people have. The people can’t go and fight the politicians; once they get to power, they are not going to look at the poor people and so, they must be given the opportunity to exercise their rights. They should extend the time until we don’t see the crowd that we saw today. More machines should be brought to registration centres. And also, more personnel should be employed to enable us finish this work.
Do you agree to a Muslim-Muslim ticket and what’s you take on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa emerging as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar?
This is a country of Christians and Muslims and we all have our fears. The matter of religion is so serious these days that people are killing people. The people no more have the confidence and trust up North so it will be just right for there to be Muslim-Christian ticket to allay the fears of the different religious groups. Because really, the Muslims have their own definite religious beliefs and we cannot brush them aside. I, personally, advocate a Muslim-Christian ticket. And I believe that the presidency should shift to the South because the structure of our country, today, is that of compromises, tolerance, one falling for the other.
We are actually managing, struggling to stay together because we have some differences and the leaders must recognise these differences; and also go out of their way to patch up these openings. Otherwise, we may not have a country. So, the presidency must come to the South; there’s no question about that.
The leaders of South-South, South-East and Middle-Belt under the forum of the South and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) tagged the governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as a betrayer for accepting to be running mate to PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku. This is in spite of leading the other 17 Southern governors to advocate power shift to the South only for him to emerge the running mate to Atiku. What’s your take on that?
I wasn’t there when that decision was taken, but I know that one of the people present was Chief Ayo Adebanjo and I know that he came out before the primaries to warn that power must come to the South and that no Southern candidate should accept a running mate. I think they signed it as well. Now, Okowa is a running mate to Atiku. Well, this is politics. One can never vouch for politicians. I don’t think what he did was right, but I thought that his answer would go beyond saying he believes in party supremacy. When they sat down to take that decision, all those who signed were men of caliber in their party. What right has he to sign that document at that time if he knew party is supreme? But one cannot know what politicians are doing or want to do when the cards are on the table.
In Delta State ahead of the 2023 governorship election, between APC’s Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and PDP’s Sheriff Oborevwori, and perhaps other governorship candidates, where will you pitch your tent?
I am a chief of my people and mother of this country; what I pray is that God should give us the best man.
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