Edo State governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Isaiah Osifo, is a university don and former Chief of Staff to
ex-governor of the state, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor. In this interview with MICHAEL EGBEJULE, he delved into the criteria that should guide the electorate in selecting the next governor just as he expressed his reservations about the choice of candidates from the Edo Central senatorial district.

Why are you contesting the governorship election, having served in the past administration and coming from the academic community?
I have several reasons for contesting this election. I don’t just want to become a governor of Edo State, but what is my mission?  What am I bringing on board in the interest of the people? The theme of our campaign is: ‘Edo for Democracy’. We chose the theme because we believe that there is no democracy in the state. If we have democracy, we will not be saying ‘Edo for Democracy’.
 
Three things that can make a state great are the grace of God; hardworking men and women, patriotism; and good leadership. We have an abundance of young men and women, patriotic and talented people who are ready to work. But what is lacking is good leadership. And that is what is motivating me to contest the election and to fill the gap. 

What are the criteria for the choice of a good governor?
Human beings are created in the image of God. We are not animals. We are rational beings. We can identify factors and variables that can make you have a classification or make a postulation of what is likely to happen if an action is taken. That’s why we are human beings. The choice of a good leader must be based on certain qualifications, not academic but political qualifications.
 
Three types of qualifications are required for one to begin to have an idea of who will be a good leader. For instance, the law identified certain  requirements to be qualified to contest for the governorship election. For instance, you cannot go to Oko prison to bring an ex-convict to contest for an election. The law does not allow it. Somebody below 35 years cannot contest for governor because the law does not permit it. That is a legal qualification.
 
Section 182 of the Constitution also clearly states that if you have sworn an oath of allegiance to a foreign country or power, you are not qualified to contest for any public office. 
 
As a journalist, do your investigation to find out who among the governorship contestants has sworn an oath of allegiance to a foreign country. Patriotism is what defines citizenship. If you have sworn an oath of allegiance to a foreign power it shows you are a traitor. The Nigerian Constitution forbids it. If you have sworn an oath of office to a foreign power and you are still going about telling Edo people to vote for you, you are not going to be a good leader, because you have already lied; liars are not good leaders.  But, we are Africans, we trivialise things. 
 
Also, political qualification is key. To be a good candidate, you must be a voter. If you have never voted in Edo State, and you are now struggling to get a fresh voter’s card or do a transfer, politically you are not qualified to run in this election. If you are only seeking the right to be voted for and downplay the right to vote, then you are a dubious person. The two must go together, you must vote to be voted for. If you refuse to vote as an adult, and you are telling me you’re a patriotic person, who is qualified to be a governor where you have never voted, you are a dubious person. Voting is part of the requirement to measure the patriotism of citizens. The more the voters the better for democracy. If you stay away from voting, you are not a patriotic citizen.  
 
Taxation is also a political requirement. When you are contesting, they will ask for your tax clearance. If you have not paid tax in Edo State as an adult, and you want people to elect you to preside over their treasury, you are a dubious person. How do you spend money from a purse, which you did not contribute? As a journalist, I want you to find out who among us has not been paying taxes in this state. Anyone, who claims payment of tax, let him show you his tax clearance. 
 
In my place, it is often said that you don’t use a stranger to be the head of a community. If you are an Edo man but you have not lived here as an adult, your family is not here, your children don’t attend school here, your wife does not go to the market here, and you want to be governor, please, governor over who? Therefore, if you analyse these qualifications among the contestants, you should be able to know who is more qualified to be a good leader. Leadership is what is needed at this stage. 

What do you think is amiss in Nigeria’s political system or polity?
We have trivialised our political system for too long and that is what is giving us problems. We cannot afford to run a government that cannot solve problems. Government is to solve problems and this is for the wellbeing and welfare of the citizens. I grew up in this state, my father’s house has a public tap. But today nobody is talking about public taps.
 
In the United Kingdom, it is the government that is supplying water but in Nigeria today, everyone is running to dig a borehole. This is not how to run a good society. The essence of government is to provide basic amenities and infrastructure that will provide comfort and security for the citizens. 

You participated in the Concerned Edo South Leaders Forum for governorship candidates, what would you say about the meeting?
What the Benin elders are doing is very good. From experience and from what they have done, the message they are passing across is that they are not endorsing any candidate. But whether they are going to change their minds later, I don’t know. 
 
Without mentioning names, I am sure the people of Edo State know the candidate Governor Godwin Obaseki is backing. Part of the question you asked was equally asked in my interaction with the Benin elders. Somebody asked me whether I am against an Esan candidate or an Esan agenda in the panel. And I told them I could never be against the Esan agenda. And the Esan people cannot accuse me of tribalism because of my political trajectory. I campaigned for Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, an Esan man. He won the election. He was sworn in on the afternoon of May 29, 2007, and on the evening of the same day, he appointed me as his Chief of Staff. As we speak, I am still loyal to him despite our differences in political party affiliation. 
 
In 2016, I campaigned for Kenneth Imansuangbon from Esan Southeast in all 18 local government areas of Edo State. Anything that does not have merit, that does not have the truth, I don’t associate with it.

Are you against zoning and power rotation?
I am not against zoning or power rotation, but it must be with merit. For instance, no zone in Nigeria is not qualified to produce a president. If you ask a particular zone to produce a presidential candidate, and the zone presents their worst and says because we have been asked to produce a candidate, we can present anyone. It doesn’t work that way.
 
Therefore, if there is an opportunity for the governorship candidate of Edo State to come from the Edo Central senatorial district, it is the responsibility of the political leaders and elders to choose their best. In any competition, you go with your best, so when you are picking a candidate from any senatorial district, you must pick the candidate that will be acceptable to the other two senatorial districts.

  
I want to tell you that the candidates from Edo South Senatorial District are not candidates of Edo South leaders. Edo Central, which I know produced Anthony Enahoro, Prof. Ambrose Alli, Prof. Osunbor, and Tony Anenih as leaders will not choose a candidate who does not speak or understand their language. It is a cultural taboo. It is total alienation. It is disrespectful.
  
There is a need to promote our culture. We are told to teach our children how to speak our language. Today, we have an adult over 60 years, who cannot speak or understand his language. What does that indicate? He has no relationship with his people. He has been away either in America, Britain or Lagos. He is a candidate of the godfather, not the choice of the people, and I can say it anywhere. I am a founding member of the PDP, even though today I am contesting on the platform of APGA. I am a political activist; I am not tired, addicted or loyal to any political party that violates its own rules. When you are to present a governorship candidate, the person must possess qualities that are presentable to members of the public. We are Edo people; we are cultural people. We cannot present a governor who cannot speak our language. 

What are the issues you have with candidates of the major political parties?
A political party that cannot conduct a fair primary for its aspirants is not the party that our people should identify with. APC announced three results after their primary. They dragged themselves to court. If our system is working, APC would not have a candidate in this election. We know that APC did not conduct a primary, and we know that the APC candidate is not the choice of the majority of the party members; he is a choice of a godfather. Therefore, I will not subscribe to the godfather candidate. That is why I am contesting the election. The Edo Central candidates are not the choice of the Esan people, they are candidates of godfathers.