Chief Ayiri Emami is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State. In this interview with ADAMU ABUH, he explains why many top South South politicians are dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC, saying APC’s growing strength in the region stems from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s performance and the improved impact of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in oil–bearing communities. He also speaks on politics in Delta State ahead of the 2027 elections, among other issues. Excerpts:
There is a sudden wave of defections to the APC by South South leaders. Why? Is APC taking over the region in 2027?
Before now, many people didn’t believe in Asiwaju. Some of us supported him when it was risky. We believed he understands the Niger Delta. Those attacking him then had no reason other than selfish interest. But now, Tinubu has blocked loopholes, and people who were benefiting from those loopholes are crying. Look at Warri Port — money has been voted and work is ongoing. Omadino–Escravos Road is moving. NNPC, Chevron, NDDC and the state are working together. These things give confidence. That is why South South governors are joining APC. It is performance that convinced them. Those who used to stone me for wearing Asiwaju cap are now the ones wearing it every day. So I am happy. The support is because the man is working. Many challenges we see today didn’t start under Asiwaju. But now, there is visible progress in the Niger Delta. So, our governors want to identify with what is working.
When Governor Sheriff defected to the APC, there were claims that you and some leaders did not welcome him. What is the truth? And how prepared is Delta APC for 2027 elections with a possible threat from the Labour Party (LP)?
I was never against Sheriff joining. My interest is Mr. President. If Sheriff is supporting the President, why should I reject him? My only position was that those who kept the party alive before his arrival should not be sidelined. Leaders are talking to harmonise positions and I believe everyone will work together. In 2023, I didn’t support Sheriff; I supported Ovie Omo-Agege. But today, Sheriff is with the President. So, I must also align for the sake of Asiwaju. On Labour Party, it is not really a structure. It is basically aggrieved APC and PDP members who moved out temporarily to adopt the party. That will not be the case in 2027 because most actors are now in one place. We are more united. No one should be left behind, because in politics, 20 per cent matters. I am optimistic 2027 will favour APC both at state and federal levels.
How would you assess NDDC under Tinubu?
For the first time, NDDC has a clear vision. Some say I defend the MD, Samuel Ogbuku, because he’s my friend. But friendship does not blind me. If he messes up, I will say it.
Today, we are seeing pockets of projects everywhere and not just commissioning ceremonies. Omadino-Escravos Road is a major joint venture. Previously, NDDC funds ended up in Abuja. Now, things are showing on the ground. This is also the first time the chairman and MD are working like one team. And youths in the region are feeling the impact. In my Itsekiri communities, solar street-lights are everywhere; students now read outside at night because of the light. If that is happening in my community and the MD is an Ijaw man, imagine his own area. Same thing in Imo – roads, corps members’ lodges, community projects are all over the place. So, I give him credit. If he wasn’t performing, I would say so.
Then where are the calls for his removal coming from; including claims linking him to coup rumours?
It’s politics, envy and blackmail! I will give you my own personal example. My younger brother got involved in a cannabis problem. But the media wrote “Ayiri’s brother,” not the boy’s name, simply because of my popularity and access. People wanted to destroy my name. Same thing is happening to Sam. They want to link him to anything controversial because of politics. Sylva is his political mentor; so once Sylva is accused of anything, they want to drag Sam in. I don’t believe the NDDC MD should be tied to all these speculations. Investigations will reveal the truth. I don’t support coup in any form. Niger Delta people will not support coup. Democracy is better for everyone.
What is your take on the controversy surrounding the stadium project in Delta State?
I will never get myself involved in it because the man behind it is not my friend. He used to be my brother; but as somebody that speaks the truth, I will say what I know.
When Amaju Pinnick came with that project on a courtesy call to the then Olu of Warri and said he wanted to site this stadium in Ugborodu, I told him. I was speaking to him as a brother and a friend. Then I said, ‘let me suggest something to you; if you want this project in a remote area, like what you’ve explained, people want this thing to get nearer to the community, nearer to the people where they don’t have access. Take this project to Itsekiri where the logistics issue is closer, just about 10 minutes to Warri. The money you are talking about you will use all the money for logistics.’I was sharing my experience with him. Sand filling by Chevron will take a lot of money. They have to put in a lot of sandfill before it will settle.
As chairman of Itsekiri Regional Development Council, I had almost a similar experience. Chevron said we should start levelling the sand so that people can start building.
And the money in the account was about 1.6 million US dollars. So, in that account, you will sign, Chevron will sign, and government will sign. But for you to carry out any job, it’s Chevron that will come with their engineer to go with our own consultant and see how they will achieve the job. So there’s no or little way you can defraud or do anything funny about the money. So, they went to the field with Chevron’s engineer and they came back. To get that sand filling alone, taking equipment from Warri and everything, they are going to spend 1.5 million dollars. And what was in the account? One million six hundred thousand dollars. And I was the chairman. And I know my community. Tomorrow if they call and say, ‘Ayiri what did you do with the money?’ I will say I used it to level sand. You will see it all over the social media that Ayiri has taken the money. So, I went to Chevron and said, ‘my tenure is going to expire next year. Please, exercise patience. If I leave office, you can do the job.’
But in less than two months, someone wrote to EFCC and police that Ayiri had embezzled 1.6 million dollars in that account. It was all over the social media in Nigeria, all over newspapers, without verification. Uduaghan (then Delta governor) called me. He was in the security council and called me. I said ‘hello sir.’ He said, ‘Ayiri, is it true that the $1.6 million in that account, you and your friends have shared the money?’ I said sir, ‘please call Ecobank. The money is there.’ He called and said the money was there. While the money was still there, people in my community were carrying rumours that I had taken the money. And that caused crisis in the community. Full crisis! Because of those that hate me. That crisis lasted for three years and the money was in the account.
So, passing through this experience and everything, I told my friend and my brother then that this money that you are bringing, the area you want to build the stadium, for you to first of all cut that sand, I know how much will go. It’s very close to water. You have to do some protection. So, at the end of the day, you have this contractor, the two of you will quarrel. It’s now up to how many years? They are everywhere fighting, accusing Amaju Pinnick of allegedly misappropriating money. As we speak today, I don’t talk to Amaju. I don’t see any reason I would talk to him.
But when you asked me this question, I had to speak on it. Telling you that the terrain and the money they brought, Amaju just wanted to say, ‘oh, I did the stadium in the community.’ I don’t know what you want to showcase to people when you know that the fund in question cannot do the project. So today, the project has become an abandoned project. It was a fantastic idea. But some of us know that money was not enough for the project. So, you can see that initially, I told them before they embarked on the project that it’s not going to work.
For instance, I used to tell Sam (NDDC MD) that sometimes people that do market surveys in government want to use the same amount they are using in Abuja upland to go and do jobs in Niger Delta. They want the job at the same amount, expecting to get the same result. So, you can’t say, what Amaju did in Kebbi, he should come and do it in Delta.
