ITV Debate: Political Conflicts and Resolutions: Focus on the Edo Gubernatorial and Local Government elections held on Sunday the 24th of Feb 2013 between ACN,SDMP,ANPP Leaders

ITV Debate: Political Conflicts and Resolutions: Focus on the Edo Gubernatorial and Local Government elections held on Sunday the 24^th of Feb 2013 between SDMP, Chairman Edo state Prince frank Ukonga, A CN special adviser Hon. Tony Osazuwa and ANPP Representative, moderated by Mr. Wilson of ITV.

Preambles: Edo state political landscape is being heated up by various conflicts of intra party politics, conflicts among political parties, conflicts among the alliance parties in the july 14^th, 2012 governorship polls, conflict resulting from the primaries of political parties in the Local Government polls of April 20th 2013, conflicts resulting from the conditions and requirements of Edsiec – the Edo state Electoral commission and others resulting from other causalities. So the ITV Television invited notable leaders of Political parties in Edo state to discuss the conflicts and find solutions to the conflicts as the Media’s contributions to the development of democracy in Edo state, in Nigeria and the world in generality…which is a great novel approach to conflicts and resolutions…

ITV CONFLICT RESOLUTION DEBATE OF 24TH FEB 2013 BETWEEN- ANPP, ACN AND SDMP LEADERS

ITV.  Mr. Wilson: His Excellency Frank Ukonga, There are rumors of political conflicts in Edo state in recent times and the local govt polls of April 2013 is hooting the polity, could you give an insight into the conflicts

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: Chairman SDMP: Yes the rumors are true. There are lots of political conflicts in Edo state which I will classify into two broad categories- First the intra party conflicts of the April 2013 local government polls; results from lack of internal democracy of some parties in the ways at which the candidates were chosen largely based on alleged selection and hand picking of stooges and man Fridays of some powerful elements of some parties rather than proceed for genuine primaries some parties opted for consensus candidates so at this juncture some other candidates that were edged out are at daggers drawn, but at SDMP we conducted the freest and fairest primaries in the state free of rancor and all elected candidates for the local government election were duly ratified by the polls committee monitored by Edsiec, INEC, the Police and the SSS. While in some parties it was war and there is still war in those parties but that is their internal wahala which is not the business of SDMP. The second category of conflicts is among political parties which also showcase several gray areas.

A CN- Hon. Tony Osazuwa: Yes it is not rumor that the A CN has internal conflicts as regards the choice of candidates but we have resolved it amicable applying internal conflicts resolution mechanism, in some cases we had up to ten candidates competing for one slot of chairmanship or councillorship, so what we did was to resolve the issue by advising the nine candidates not chosen to work with the victorious one so that it can be a win- win affair.. And we have been successful as there is no single case in court that I know of..

ANPP Representatives:  Yes, Political conflicts must result as a consequence of irreconcilable differences among party members while those that come up to resolve the conflict with the applications of dialogue and perhaps horse trading are generally appreciated as the process of conflict resolution and it is often  a global basis occurrences of party political  conflicts which are consequential of dysfunctional internal democracy but with time and proper handling this would become more manageable…

 

ITV- Mr. Wilson: Your Excellency, Frank Ukonga can you explain the second category of inter parties conflicts and perhaps some panacea of resolutions-

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: The second category frontiers on the relations among the political parties on ground in Edo state, and there is big conflicts but we all pretend that all is well.. for instance in the 2012 governorship election in Edo state it is open secret that the allied parties of CPC, SDMP, Labour Party, and NCP all collapsed their structures and worked for the success of the A CN Party of comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and that was why he won the election and the tremendous land slide victory was a collective effort, were we allied together to put our eggs in one basket with the promise of forming a UNITY GOVERNMENT – which translate to the fact that he will carry the PDP as well as the allied parties along in the choice of appointments and in the governance and decision making of the state which will translate to all being represented in the State Executive Council… but unfortunately in the list of commissioners sent for ratification by the House of Assembly , all the names of the 19 commissioner nominees are all A CN members and we believe the A CN should be magnanimous enough to be fair and to come to equity with fair ethical resolves and not dissolve into hedonistic ,self centered  chauvinism.. To tell you the truth it was really lowly..

A CN: Hon.Tony Ozazuwa: That is not the complete picture; apart from the post of Commissioners there are other posts like the Special Advisers, board appointments and directorships and as we set up the government we shall certainly carry every body along. For example the choice of the SSG and the Chief of Staff represented a leverage of olive branch to some other powerful stakeholders of the polity who worked as well for the success of the polls, so as the Benin adage goes- those who have worked and imputed to certain success must certainly expect reward and I promise you it will manifest…

ANPP: But to be adequately represented in conflict resolution it is expected that other allies be represented in the State Executive council which is the ruling body of the state for an ideal situation otherwise allotting sundry positions to them as appointments would merely be consolatory and not partnership government as far as alliances of political parties are concerned traditionally and universally.

ITV-Mr. Wilson: His Excellency Frank Ukonga, what’s the view of your party about the role of allied parties in the proposed Unity Government as espoused by the A CN discussant Hon. Tony Osazuwa

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: I agree with the ANPP representative that for a truly acceptable Unity Government, the traditions and universality of every stakeholders being represented in the State Executive council is imperative, magnanimous and a true sign of conflict resolution.

ITV Mr. Wilson: His Excellency; could you be more explicit for the sake of our numerous viewers

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: It is like we all worked together to cook a pot of soup and a great meal of pounded yam and when all is ready, one of the parties hijacked the pot of soup and pounded yam to his house and began to feast with his spouse and children and family leaving the rest partners-allied parties short changed, vulnerable and hungry; wallowing in misery, scavenging, penury, denigration, self pity and regrets.. I don’t think this is a good example and it will impact negatively on future alliances, cooperation and mergers of political parties in the state, in Nigeria, sub Saharan Africa and the world in generality.

A CN: Hon. Tony Osazuwa: why do you paint such a gloomy picture of the situation?  The list of commissioner nominees is only the first list of appointments and there are still lots of other appointments like the board of directors, directors, special advisers etal ; as soon as  possible we believe others will be carried along in an all inclusive government.

ANPP Representative: But if other allied parties are not represented in the State Executive Council it would not be an all inclusive affair, as that is the highest governing body of the state if they are relegated to sundry appointments it will not be adequately inclusive and perhaps signal an abysmal party relations which portends grave dangers for future cooperation of political parties.

H.E Prince Frank Ukonga: Edo gubernatorial polls which I contested as a governorship contender along with the Comrade Governor His Excellency comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other gladiators, was adjudged the best in Nigerian History and one of the best polls in the world in the year 2012 and the entire world is interested on how the post election victory will be managed by the allied parties that produced such a spectacular landslide victory and success in the annals of elections and political legacies of the world.. So the entire world is watching us.. from USA, Russia, Canada, EEC, UNO, Britain etal most of whom were observers in the polls of July 14, 2012 and were supportive in training our polling agents as the IRI of the United State of America were the people that trained SDMP agents and they followed me as far as to Igarra my home town to observe the elections and see me voting with lots of photographs to report to their head office.. They are all watching us, how we manage the post election victory… which will also go into world record either as positive or negative strategy of managing post election victory and the future consequences and recommendations will come out as rational inferences to be used to teach students and researchers alike. We are not alone … it’s a global village. And that is why we need to set credible records for posterity and not degenerate into the Machiavellian philosophy of use and dump which is the antithesis of political and historical developments that is no more fashionable, archaic, lowly, and disrespectful to all and sundry involved in the election process. Mankind and the global village has evolved more polished , fashionable and presentable methods since the mundane age of Machiavelli and that is expected by all the observers and participants to bear in the management of post election victory..…

ITV-Mr. Wilson: What are the conflicts in the pre local government elections that are generating so many feuds among the political parties…

ANPP Representative: The issue of mandatory deposits of 50 thousand Naira and 100 thousand Naira being demanded by Edsiec- the Edo state electoral commission as well as the prohibitive tax clearance requirements were the tax offices are alleged to demand as high as 500 thousand Naira from candidates for the councillorship polls and 780 thousand Naira for the Chairmanship polls is hooting up the polity as it is disfranchising lots of candidates from contesting.. It is supposed to be a free and fair election…

H.E. Frank Ukonga: I am the newly elected Chairman of the Edo SDMP and from the look of things we shall find it very difficult to field candidates as most of our candidates are youth and women with extremely lean war chests for the polls. I have sent a message to the comrade governor His Excellency Adams Oshiomhole to waive the mandatory deposit demanded by the Edsiec so that we at SDMP can field our candidates for the Local Government polls and if these albatross is not removed most of our candidates may not participate in the local government election of April 20 because they cannot afford the prohibitive fees and conditionality which are strange and totalitarian..

ITV-Mr. Wilson: Does that means you may boycott the elections-

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga; we are still consulting and soon we shall let you know of our decision.

ITV Mr. Wilson: His Excellency: Talking about mergers of political Parties in Nigeria, is SDMP part of the new mega party of A CN, ANPP, CPC etal

H,E, Prince Frank Ukonga; SDMP is not part of the merging political parties  as we view the whole drama as reactionary addressed to checkmate the PDP in the 2015 general polls and win elections as the soul reason de entre of the new mergers of those political parties. Which is reactionary and self servicing as not directed to the noble ideals of building formidable, credible political institutions in Nigeria based on the merging of political parties with similar ideological orientations and commitment to service delivery of dividends of democracy to the teaming masses of Nigerians has not been the fundamental premise of the merger…SDMP is the first political merger of 25 political parties to be legally consummated by  INEC registered in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa and pioneered by the Late Chief Antony Enahoro addressed to merge to make a difference in service delivery to the electorate and not a consequence of merging on reactionary premise to wrestles power from the ruling party and that was why it was registered by INEC. And perhaps that is why INEC is foot dragging in recognizing the new merger of APC..Because it’s like a gang up of political parties of strange bed fellows..

ITV: Mr Wilson: what are the present and future consequences of this your analysis His Excellency Frank Ukonga-

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: This  portend grave danger for the polity when the power tussle begins in APC after the courtship is consummated , the male spider syndrome will begin to manifest to the new merger of APC, as a consequence of internal rivalry which could implode and because of its giant nature could snowball in its fire conflagration to engulf the entire  country as in the case of Action Group of the merger between Akintola’s UPGA which was a conservative , and Chief Awolowo’s AG which was a social democratic progressive,  in the Western Region, which after its consummation exploded after its success produced chief SLA Akintola as the new Premier of Western Region and he tried to edge out chief Awolowo’s men from the party in the general elections of Western Region and the entire West began to burn, which subsequently snowballed into a national issue and the military had to strike and take over the government of Nigeria using these premises as reason de entree for a coup de Etat… and as history repeats itself we may be on the path of another cataclysm..

A CN: Hon. Tony Osazuwa: I do not subscribe to what His Excellency Ukonga is espousing as such in the first place the SDMP was not a merger of political parties as such but a merger of associations, NGO etc which cannot be compared to what is on ground at the merger of APC. Right now APC is coming together because Nigeria lacks a credible, big opposition party that is formidable enough to win overwhelmingly in general elections and present a credible alternative government to the people for the beauty of democracy and this premises cannot be described as reactionary but as a positive contribution to the development of the weak political institutions of Nigeria…

H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: No this is not true SDMP, was a merger of registered political parties like ADC, DPA, National Reformation party etc and some of the proscribed political parties by INEC had already collapsed into SDMP in the 2011 general polls…and besides we at SDMP has very strict rules and code of conduct. We stay away from such alliances as the conference of political parties and all such alliances, we do not often participate in Unity Governments on state and federal levels and if we do it is a great respect and privilege to the other ruling party to have SDMP peoples in their governments be it on state level or federal level and there are many other rules we adhere to strictly in our party. And we are not desperate to serve in other peoples governments.

ITV Mr. Wilson: can I say that the conflict has already started from the studio as you both are now at daggers drawn.

General laughter

ITV. Hon. Wilson: Well, we thank you all for responding to our invitation to resolve the conflicts among the political parties in Edo state in our studio and we hope that all the points discussed and the solutions raised by the participants will be addressed by the authorities in order to move Edo state to the promised land of greatness, progress and prosperity… we also thank you all our viewers across the state and the Nation and the entire world for joining us in this most important debate.

Thanks and Have a nice week end..

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The ITV Interview of Prince Frank Ukonga- Chairman SDMP Edo state on the 22ed of February 2013 @ the ITV Village, Benin City…

Prince Frank Ukonga -new chairman of edo SDMP and the certificate of return

The ITV Interview of Prince Frank Ukonga- Chairman SDMP Edo state on the 22ed of February 2013 @ the ITV Village, Benin City…

Preambles: On the 8^th of February 2013 Prince Frank Ukonga was elected the new Chairman of SDMP and was invited to an interview by ITV on the 22ed February for a fantastic no hold barred interview of the leading television station in Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa. Moderated by the, Ace Presenter, and Director Sunny Duke Okosun.

Presenter and moderator Duke Okosun: Your Excellency: Congratulations as you have been elected the chairman of SDMP in Edo State of Nigeria and Welcome to the program.

Prince Frank Ukonga: Thank you. I am highly elated to be part of your dexterity in contributing to the development of Edo state of Nigeria through pro active functional journalism.

Duke Okosun:  Your Excellency: 2015 general election is still far away about 2 years plus but then the politicians have abandoned the primary prerogatives of service delivery of dividends of democracy to the peoples of Nigeria and are busy actively into partisan politicking for the general polls , Is this not  diversionary to the primacy of job creation, economic and industrial development, electricity generation, providing quality education, portable water and what have you.. How do you react to this?

Prince Frank Ukonga; Our views at SDMP which is subscribed to by the majority of stakeholders in the Nigerian Project is that Nigeria and in general Sub Saharan Africa has weak institutions which is consequential of our dialectical and historical milieu of slavery, colonization and imperialism whence we believe that all departments of society needs urgent development including political and politicking in the polity. Consequently we see the politicking towards 2015 general polls not diversionary but as part of the whole that also needs development and maturation as our problems in this segment of the world is largely political. Nevertheless we agree with you that other areas of job creation, industrial and agricultural development, education, youth and women development needs urgent attentions…

Duke Okosun: The observations that the masses has been alienated from the political leadership of the polity is becoming a factor of concern, as it appears that the elite class have hijacked the realms of leadership and the benefits therein.. Is this a healthy development?

Prince Frank Ukonga: This is not a healthy development but then it is important to appreciate the fact that the elite class invest their time and money in developing the frail political institutions existing in the polity as stakeholders.. the majority of the masses are contended in playing the role of riding on the safe lane, while some are lukewarm, resigned, lazy and impervious to the politics of their environment and it is a popular Marxist maxim that in general the masses do not have the where wither to rule and govern themselves even after the success of a successful masses revolution but that they still need the elite whom in the context of revolutions will transform his ways and join the masses to lead them. Whence, the masses on a universal basis are always walking to the gallery, by their attitudes of ineptness, indiscretions, and passivity to the issues of leadership, so they are to be blamed.

Duke Okosun: Your Excellency, how can a member of the masses begin to lead when he is not given the opportunity to do so?

Prince Frank Ukonga: Leadership is not given to people in strict political dispensations but the will of leadership is mustered, worked for assiduously and taken up by he who is destined to lead. It does not manifest on a plate of gold a la carte, it is something that you work for, plan for and with time acquire. Note worthy in the aspects of political philosophy is the fact that the masses are their own worst enemy; as in what is popularly described as the crab phenomenon- the masses out there always try to pull down a member of their class who want to lead them, out of jealousy , peer rivalry, cynicism and lack of trust for members of their class but immediately rally round the elite who they feel is superior and have something to gain in the context of gratifications and other benefits from the elite..They look down on their own class and anybody from their class who want to lead them..This is universal, historical and perhaps dialectical but it is unnatural as these were traditions of men that became part of the universal culture of the global village…

Duke Okosun: Your Excellency: A number of people feel that the politicians need spiritual cleansing to be more committed to service delivery to the populace, do you see religion playing an important role in the affairs of politics and governance of the polity

Prince Frank Ukonga: It is the church and religious outfits on a global basis that needs spiritual cleansing and not the politicians. It is the failure of the church in molding the world in the path of rectitude and upright meta ethical resolves that begin to rear its features in the political arena as it is believe in esoteric philosophy that a people begets the leadership they get, which is the harvest of their volitions in thoughts, words and actions that is sown by the people and they reap it bountifully as well. Whence if a society is corrupt and backwards it is the result of what the predecessors invested that is harvested in the future, similarly when a society is progressive and prosperous it is not accidental.

Duke Okosun: Your Excellency:What should the people of Edo state expect from your leadership of SDMP as its new chairman?

Prince Frank Ukonga: My prerogatives as the new Chairman and leader of SDMP in Edo State is primarily to rejig the party with the new Edo State EXCO of SDMP addressed to create a formidable political party that will make a difference in the political and social economic wellbeing of the peoples of Edo state in particular and to the Nigerian federations as well as sub Saharan Africa in maximum interpretations .This will translate to either working with the Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole  in a Unity Government or perhaps forming a shadow government to contributing our quota. Secondly we are committed to expanding the membership strength of the party as well as establishing offices and formidable presence in all the 18 local government Areas of the state. We may participate in the forth coming local government polls in the state if the obnoxious requirements of mandatory deposits of 100 thousand naira from candidates and the prohibitive cost of tax clearances for candidates are waved by the Edsiec- Edo state Electoral commission, nevertheless our major priority is to prepare in advance for the 2015 general elections as well as the 2016 gubernatorial polls.

Duke Okosun : Your Excellency, Is SDMP part of the new political merger of APC-All Nigerian Peoples Congress being proposed by the  ACN  ,CPC,ANPP and co

Prince Frank Ukonga: SDMP is not part of the political merger of ACN,CPC, ANPP and Co. SDMP was the first Mega party of mergers of 25 political parties in Nigeria and Africa to be consummated and registered by INEC and we are still open to other political parties that are interested in merging into us. Our merger according to the Late Chief Enahoro who stated the our merger party is to create formidable opposition political party in Nigeria as a great alternative committed to service delivery to the teaming population of Nigerians and it was not a consequence of reactionary philosophy as in the case of APC Merger. APC  perhaps is a merger of political parties with different political ideologies and orientations like a merger of peoples of strange bed follows which is reactionary as its reason de entre is focused to wrestle power from the ruling PDP alone as major selfish reason of coming to being… that is why the INEC is reluctant to register the merger as a new political party as such reactionary backlash potent grave danger to the polity which was similar to the dangers of what the Action Group went through when Chief Akintola  who was more of a conservative joined forces with Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was a progressive to win the polls in western region and no sooner that Chief Akintola became the Premier he tried assiduously to weed out of the party Chief Awolowo’s men in the general election of Western Region which resulted in the general war and uprising in Western Region which was used as an excuse by the military to take over governance in Nigeria… and as history repeats itself such scenario could manifest again when the power tussle begins in the new APC Merger…

Duke Okosun: Your Excellency: So what is your view about developing the weak political institutions in the country if mergers and acquisitions of political parties are suspects of possibly fermenting more trouble in future and not overly advisable by your analysis?

Prince Frank Ukonga: Nigeria and Nigerians is not a victim of time. This contemporary nescient political dispensation is young and vibrant and less than 14 years old..we should not be in a hurry to take win the elections at the centre but rather we should be committed to developing the political institutions that has presence already and expanding them as variants and  options to service our multi ethnic and multi nationalism of more than 250 tribes..if we arrived at having 25 banks to service our large population in the Banking consolidation exercise there is nothing wrong in consolidating the political institutions with similar strategy of 25 political parties to be committed the to leadership and service delivery to our great Nation.

Duke Okusun : Will this lead to fusing Nigeria into one strong formidable Nation of one nation , one destiny

Prince Frank Ukonga: The aspect of fusing to one Nation with one destiny of a multi ethnic setting like ours cannot be forcefully induced as Nigeria is a Nation of more than 250 tribes amalgamated 100 years ago by His Excellency Lord Lugard the British governor General, Prior to this each part of the country and some of the tribes had great Nations and governments independent of each other.. like the Yoruba Empire, the Kanem Bornu Empire, the Zauzau Empire, the Hausa Fulani Empire, the Jukun Empire, the Nupe Empire, Benin Empire and more… these were great Nations and they exist till today being headed by traditional rulers who still kept tenaciously to the tenets of their own traditional sovereignty, mutual suspicions and détente of being dominated and marginalized in the schemes of things. To solve this the federal government came up with the federal character in allotting appointments, funds and investments on state/ regional basis.. this have worked for a while…and this is expected to collapse with time into the new height of a true nationhood, were it doesn’t matter where you come from you can aspire and lead any part of the country…  this will take time but can be achieved… it can be aided by adequate legislations as in what the Senate are proposing to replace in the constitutional amendment the issue of State/ place of Origin with that of new requirement of state or place of residence…if this new constitutional amendment goes through then you can contest election in any part of the country irrespective of your tribe.. so it is possible with this new amendment for a Hausa Man resident in Lagos to become the Governor of Lagos State, a predominately Yoruba speaking peoples, and it will be possible for an Edo man to become the governor of Kano state or an Ibo man becoming the governor of Adamawa state or a Fulani from Sokoto becoming the governor of Anambra or Abia state who are predominately Ibo speaking peoples.. That will also take time but can be achieved…Just like the united States President Obama is an indigene of Alaska but resident in Chicago in the state of Illinois and he contested the Senate in Illinois state and won. And contested the presidency from Illinois state and won.. We can achieve such nationhood in Nigeria but it will take time.

Duke  Okosun : Your Excellency , thank you for sparing time out of you busy schedule to coming to our studio at ITV the best television station in Nigeria. We wish God to grant you wisdom to be able to lead your great party in Edo state and Nigeria to making a difference in service delivery to the masses of Nigeria and Africa in generality…

Prince Frank Ukonga: We are most grateful at SDMP to be part of your great success of satellite compliant policy trust of news gathering , processing and dissemination to reaching the entire nook and cranny of human civilization and we shall continue to support your great efforts in providing quality interviews and events for you to showcase to the world and on a secondary basis we promise to support your expansion on a global scale through funding and logistics when we come to power in Edo state and in Nigeria. Keep the flag flying…

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Frank Ukonga: Chairman SDMP, Edo State of Nigeria: Media Chart: / Interview held in Benin to Mark the 2ed SDMP State Congress @ the National Youth centre on the 8th February 2013

Frank Ukonga: Chairman SDMP, Edo State of Nigeria: Media Chart: / Interview held in Benin to Mark the 2ed SDMP State Congress @ the National Youth center on the 8^th February 2013

Prince Frank Ukonga - elected Edo state SDMP Chairman on media chart with the media

Preambles: On the 8^th of February 2013, SDMP- Social Democratic Mega Party held its State Congress in Edo state to elect the state EXCO as well as the elect and ratify candidates to contest the Edo state Local Government Election of April 20; 2013, for the posts of Local Government Chairmen and Councilors into the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo State of Nigeria.

Prince Frank Ukonga was elected the Executive Chairman of the SDMP in Edo State for a Four years Term addressed to Lead the party to contest the Local Government Polls of 2013 and to contest the 2015 general elections in Nigeria and the 2016 Governorship elections in Edo state.

The Media took time to interview Prince Frank Ukonga on State, National as well as on international issues-

Observer Newspaper: His Excellency: You have just been elected the chairman of your Party, congratulations- what are your programs like:

Prince frank Ukonga: My first task is to rejig the party and build a formidable political structure that will make a difference in the delivery of dividends of democracy to the teaming masses of Edo state and to Nigerians in generality who have become a simile of the parsonages of the great Elizabethan classic of George Elliot as in the “Weaver of Ravelor” who improvised about the coming to creation hopeless and miserably wandering men and women who are unfortunately remnants of a disinherited Race and that she was predicting the coming to being of our case in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa is to say the least…our destiny at SDMP is to re humanize and empower these great negroid Bantu stock of the Black Race of Sub Saharan Africa presently… .

The Guardian: His Excellency: How do you intend to go about these lofty goals?

Prince Frank Ukonga: First I am committed to opening more offices of SDMP in the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo state addressed to get closer to the grass root and secondly we shall emback on accelerated membership drive to make SDMP a house hold political party in the state. We shall also Endeavour to bring in to the party credible money bags in the case of funding while we are resolutely committed to embracing the women and youth vanguard of Edo state becoming members of our great party and to empower them as the engine of SDMP policy thrust in Edo state. The dilemma of these great women and youth of Sub Saharan Africa has been well improvised by the great Russian writer Turgenev in his greatest classic ‘the Hunters’ sketches’ where he observed young men and women with great talents and youth to the marrow who simply stupidly jokes away their lives out of indiscretion and mediocrity, as a wasted generation as improvised by Prof. Wole Shoyinka…Our prerogative at SDMP is to empower these class of people and make then useful to subsequent creation.

Sahara Reporters-Dr Isibor: His Excellency, What’s your assessment of State of the Nation?

Prince Frank Ukonga: The Nation has being dragged into stagnation, ruins and decay by the fifth columnists of the Etat, the unseen powerful ruling hands of viciously and dangerously calculating cabals..who tenaciously insists on violating our birthrights through commissions and omissions to eternity…as improvised by the Russian celebrated classic of Tolstoy in his celebrated expose of “The power of Darkness’ where he improvised about the contradictory course of rabid exploitations and slavery of man by man and the magnitude of wickedness that man can inflict on fellow mankind through larceny of state and public funds, depravity and denigrations…as contradictory course of historical and dialectical development and the inevitable catastrophe this portends for humanity…

Vanguard: His Excellency, What Solutions do you proffer to this?

Prince Frank Ukonga: The advent of democracy and universal adult suffrage give the power to the people to chose their leaders and that is the great beauty of democracy..the choice is yours; either to continue to live under denigrations, unemployment, hunger, poverty or to vote into power the right people that will guarantee you three meals a day, jobs for all, electricity for all, industrial revolution, agricultural revolution, free education at all level, security and safety of lives and properties etal which are the key points of SDMP… so the choice is in your hands.. as improvised by  Dostoyevsky in his classics  “The Brothers Karamazov”- that power belong to those who have the courage to stoop down and pick it up… and not until when the Nigerian peoples and the peoples of sub Saharan Africa muster the courage to pick up the power to vote genuine democrats into office  then the situation will continue ,. But if voted into power the government of SDMP will be resolutely committed to the empowerment of all and sundry in the polity and guarantee peace, love, security and above all take the country to the promise land of progress and prosperity…

Edo state Broadcasting Service-  EBS-Radio and TV: His Excellency: Is your political Party part of the Merging Political parties of Mega- APC

Prince Frank Ukonga: The Social Democratic Mega Party- SDMP is not part of the new emerging merging parties of APC. The parties involved are CAN, CPC,ANPP etc but the SDMP was the first Nigerian Mega party of merger of 25 political parties to be legally consummated in the history of Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa and we are here to make a difference and our door is still open to absorb other political parties into our fold… currently we are negotiating with some political parties and you shall be the first to know as soon as our new mergers come to fruition addressed to make a difference in the 2015 presidential election.

The Punch Newspaper: His Excellency, what’s your opinion about mergers of political parties

Prince Frank Ukonga: Most countries of sub Saharan Africa have weak political institutions as well as economic, educational and weak industrial capacity utilization  In as much as we subscribe to accelerated economic and industrial development of sub Saharan Africa it is important to note that developing strong political institution is the panacea to keep the military at bay from coups de Etat that has been replete in the past six decades of the affairs of Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa; and in this context we support mergers and acquisitions of political parties but then this should be done curiously by marrying political parties of similar ideological orientation so as not to lay another problem for the future of Nigerians.

The Navigator: His Excellency what’s your stake in the forth coming Local Government Polls of Edo state

Prince Frank Ukonga: At SDMP we have been promoting the bill for the autonomy of Local Government in the constitutional review exercise and we at on same page with the President of the Nigerian Federation His Excellency President Goodluck Jonathan,,, but then the Governors Forum under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Rotimi Ameachi has a different opinion  as the governors wants to continue to lord it over the Local Governments… we also hold as truth self evident that the Local Government is the first tier of federating Units of the Nigerian Federation in a collegiate beauty with the state structures as colligating federating units but then the governor forum share a different view.. Any way our prerogatives as regard the Edo Local Government elections id in all the Local Governments of Edo State and the Nigerian Polity in generality addressed to capture political leadership of the country. And in this context we intent to retire His Excellency Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to his town of Iyeamho and take over the realms of leadership of the state starting from the LG Polls of 2013.

SDMP Edo state EXCO

Nigeria News Direct Newspaper: His Excellency: The question of mandatory deposit of 100 thousand Naira for chairmanship candidates and 50 thousand Naira for counsellorship  demanded by Edsiec, as well the aspects of alleged 450 thousand Naira demanded for tax clearance and 780 thousand for chairmanship tax clearance is seem by many as could pose  obstacle to candidates what’s SDMP doing about this

Prince Frank Ukonga: We are still consulting about these stumbling blocks to the attainment of free and fear polls in Edo state.  We may eventually challenge the edict in court. The INEC ,the federal electoral body does not charge money from candidates and there are court rulings to that effect stopping state and federal electoral bodies from charging fees from candidates, but how these strange apocalypses suddenly crept into the Edo state election requirement is suspect as a ploy to alienate a large majority of credible candidate as well as political parties from registering its presence in Edo state. This will have negative backlash on the development of democracy in Edo state as well as in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa.This potent grave dangers to the growth of democracy on a universal basis and must be checked.

 Peoples Daily: His Excellency,  But you are viewed as part of the progressive coalition in the 2012 Governorship polls that worked assiduously together with the comrade governor to earn the tremendous success of the Edo polls , adjudged the best so far in Nigerian History, how come you seem at daggers drawn presently..

Prince Frank Ukonga: You are right that the progressives came together in the Edo governorship polls including my political party SDMP to work with comrade Adam Oshiomhole and his subsequent victory. Without our coming together the votes of the progressives would have been split into fragments including that of the comrade governor and non of us among the progressives will emerge the winner so the victory when progressives hunt alone separately and differently, inadvertently goes to the PDP as in the case of Adamawa gubernatorial polls, Korgi governorship polls etal ,so we did not want this to manifest in the Edo polls… but that is as far as we can go.. I was a governorship contender in the Edo polls and His Excellency Comrade Oshiomhole is my friend but then political institution transcends friendship and sentimentality. And to tell you the truth National EXCO of SDMP has given me only two options on the issue of Edo polls as regards the alien strange nihilist features that it suddenly enveloped itself and the two options are that either we go the court or we boycott the election. That was why I told you that we are still consulting. And we are not alone in this, the NCP state and National EXCO hold same opinion and perhaps the PDP.

The Pointer: His Excellency which of the two options will you prefer either court action or boycott

Prince Frank Ukonga: I told you already that we are still consulting. It would have been a great opportunity to firmly anchor SDMP into Edo state if not for these strange edicts of the comrade governors Edsiec that has become the albatross. In many states of Nigeria that conducted Local Government polls such laws and mandatory deposit and prohibitive sums of money were not charged for tax clearances. So it is perceived in some quarters as a hegemonistic totalitarian ploy by the incumbent party to completely dominate the Edo political landscape for ever..which if not quickly addressed to return to the status quo anti bellum will kill the growth of democracy in Nigeria, Africa and threaten the entire globe…like in some other states of Nigeria in Niger State the governor of Niger state His Excellency Aliyu Babangida extended the olive branch to other political parties gave them money and vehicles to deepen the growth of democracy in the state during their local government polls. As the chief executive officer of the state you are governor to all… same the Delta state governor His Excellency Oduagan did as well as the Kaduna state governor the late Patrick Yakowa did by being supportive of other political parties in the state in order to have an even level playing field.. As in coming to equity with clean hands… these set of governors are matured and advanced in politics. They never hiked the tax clearances nor did they ask candidates to pay a sum of mandatory deposit.Why should we in Edo state adopt satanic alien methods that will kill democracy for ever in the state…

Prince frank Ukonga in cap with SDMP Women leaders of Edo state of Nigeria

National Peoples News: His Excellency, what would be your programs when elected to power?

Prince Frank Ukonga: SDMP is a social democratic party and we as social democrats subscribe to the polished tenets of Marxist philosophical frontiers in the aspect of political ideology and philosophical argumentum: which translate to the fact that we believe as adamantine that human beings determines consciousness which begin to invigorate enterprise from whence emanate production and its subsequent production relations that gave rise to class struggles in its dialectical and historical instances based on evolutionary theory of ontology of the homo sapiens out of which evolved the necessity and sufficiency premises of Maxim Leninism ideology resolves that holds adamantine as truth self evident and scientific and dialectical the following observations:

That all human being are born equal and are equal before the law and the state….

Education: That we believe in free and qualitative education for all at all levels as adamantine rights for all the citizens of a polity ruled by Social Democrats…..

Employment: We believe in Jobs for all, empowerment of all citizens of the state and country as imperative for a truly democratic progress addressed to galvanize the social and economic entropy of the polity toward the attainment of rational eudemonia….

Industrial and agricultural revolution: SDMP will be resolutely committed to industrial and agricultural revolution addressed to create jobs and raise the gross domestic product of the state and Nigeria in generality…

Healthcare: At SDMP we are committed to deliver good and well equipped hospitals, maternity centres throughout the State addressed to provide healthcare to the majority of the peoples…

Housing for all: We shall provide a policy thrust that will deliver cheap and affordable houses to the people…

Electricity for all: We shall partner effectively with the federal Government to provide electricity to all and sundry 24/7 in the state….

Development of Strong Political and other institutions: We shall provide an even playing field for all to participate in the governance of the polity through a policy thrust of developing strong political institutions in the state which will translate to supporting all political parties in the state financially and otherwise to build formidable structures addressed to deepen the development of democracy in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa…. This will include support for NGO’s, Civil Right groups, the Police, Para Military as well as the military institutions located in the state and also support the Legal commission, the civil service commissions, the recreation and tourism industry, the cultural development institutions, the Traditional rulers institutions would be empower to play active role in the governance of the state while the youth, sports and women development department would be given maximum support…etc

Conclusion: We thank you all for attending this our celebrated milestone of the  Second Congress of SDMP in Benin City and we at SDMP promise resolutely to deliver the dividends of democracy to the teaming population of Edo state when voted into power..Thanks and God bless

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Prince Frank Ukonga thank EVI for their Support to Becoming the SDMP Chairman Edo State as well as for their Endorsement of his 2015 Presidential Ambition-thanks for your greatest support...

Aisha Lovable and the DG of EVI and other board members of the Ebira more than 70 million peoples strong Nation of Nigeria.

Prince Frank Ukonga thank EVI for their Support to Becoming the SDMP Chairman Edo State as well as for their Endorsement of his 2015 Presidential Ambition-thanks  for your greatest support...

 i appreciate your resolute determination to put an Ebira son in Aso Rock come 2015 presidential election in Nigeria and by the grace of God our great dreams will come to manifest...i appreciate the Evi and its leadership and dexterity to reposition the more than 70 million peoples of Ebira Nation in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa to its rightful leadership position as the 3ed largest and most important Nation of Africa and yet highly marginalized in the schemes of things... our time is come... 2015  is our date with history when we shall win the presidential polls and rule the entire Africa from Aso Rock...with the endorsement of the Presidential ambition of our great son His Excellency Prince Frank Ukonga....We thank the EVI and all our supporters in this greatest quest and we shall continue to be indebted to you till the end of time....thanks  and keep the flag flying.... Prince Frank Ukonga- 

chairman SDMP Edo State

 and Presidential Hopeful of the Nigerian federation 2015 election...

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