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By Chidiebere Onyemaizu
Prince Nixon Okwara is vying to represent Oshodi- Isolo Federal Constituency II of Lagos State, at the National Assembly.He tells Daily Sun that he believes the incumbent has not given the constituency quality representation and challenged him to lay bare his achievements, impacts and scorecard to the people for scrutiny to enable them make informed decision.
Some politicians claim pressure is being mounted on them to contest elective offices. Are you also being pressured by the people to go to the House of Reps or is the decision wholly yours?
As a matter of fact, some time ago, I threatened my people that I wasn’t interested but they started begging me. I gave excuses. In fact, the call to service has been on for a long time. I’m the one running away. It happened in 2023 but I asked someone to take the ticket, the person turned it down. Now in 2025, they’re calling me again. I’m like a golden fish, I can’t hide. All of them calling me know I have the social capital which cuts across all the social classes. Personally, I would have preferred to remain in activism and advocacy. But when the people see that you have done more than enough and could not see anyone that match you among the people that have thrown their hat in the ring and insist you must represent them, you have no option than to bow to their demand. My political aspiration has no tribal undertone. Most of my supporters are non- Igbo but the Igbos are massively in support too. So it’s a real call from my people, and I want to answer that call.
What is the current representative isn’t doing well that you intend to correct?
Representation in Oshodi – Isolo Federal Constituency II, has been muted for the last two years. It almost does not exist. That is what the people say and what I have seen too. There are so many federal government intervention programs going on across the country, but it doesn’t happen in Oshodi – Isolo, the people don’t even know what is happening. They’re locked out of governance. The primary role of a representative, a parliamentarian isn’t only to make laws but also to bridge the gap between the people and the government. However, as we speak, the masses in Oshodi-Isolo are in a different edge of the world while the government is on a different edge. The man is not in existence. The representation is not in existence. Why were you given a constituency office? The government funds constituency office for every representative. The essence of it is for sensitization, to bring government policies, intervention and every other good things the people are meant to benefit close to them. Ask the people in Oshodi- Isolo 11 how many government intervention programmes they have they benefited in almost three years. Is it NelFund, is it MSMEs and other incentives? They have benefited nothing! The awareness is not even there. Go to social media, you won’t seen the Oshodi -Isolo 11 representative giving an explanation or a directive on how to gain all these dividends and benefits of having a representative and how students can benefit from all these. What about Palliatives ? Where are they? The people don’t need to chase after you. But I want to lead a people that I will have to come to them. I’ll be on the ground. They don’t need to chase me. The essence of government is to bring governance closer to the people, but what we have today is making government farer from the people. It’s the opposite that we have gotten from Oshodi- Isolo 11 for the past 3 years.
What informed your choice of APC as a vehicle to actualise your ambition?
I’m one of the strong advocates of President Bola Tinubu. Some people before 2023 thought I was one of those of those politicians driven by stomach infrastructure or what they stand to gain, but today, the truth has been told. I saw Nigeria drifting, I saw Nigeria in a big mess. I looked at our situation and as a political scientist, I understudied Nigeria’s problem and discovered it’s “an elites problem”. I was one of those who advocated that amnesty should be given to some of the Niger Deltan agitators but I tell you this, some of our leaders need amnesty too.Let’s give them some amnesty to bring back our loots to Nigeria and create jobs because if you want to imprison all those that have stolen, you will virtually put 90% of our political class in prison. Let’s be realistic. So I discovered that the problem of our elites is our problem. So what do we need? We do not need someone who would be produce by the same elites and they will have firm control over him like what happened during the Buhari time. You could see Buhari became weak, almost overwhelmed by a cabal, and we as are talking of an ex- soldier. And I said in 2022, that if President Tinubu does not emerge then we look for a soldier to take over Nigeria.At that time, we needed a man who understands the politics of Nigeria, a man that would not be brought in by people who have held us captive, but a man that would bring himself to power and take that hard decisions to reset our institutional framework.
So Tinubu saved Nigeria from calamity. He hasn’t disappointed me nor Nigerians. But you know what, we have the political class – those who feels they’re the owners of Nigeria. They control everywhere. Let me give you an instance, the dollar regime was a business of the few, it went for so long and it destroyed us, it didn’t start with this president, but when the man took that hard decision, do you know the number of people who were beneficiaries of the dollar regime Tinubu has. now put out of business? A lot of them are out and these people have billions, they are the ones controlling the financial sector including the banks. Look at the fuel subsidy, we all know what it’s all about in this country. So he decided to use simple policies to check corruption. When you go to the church, do you find rats in the church? You can’t find rats because there are no food or leftovers in the church. Rats do not exist there, this man removed food from the system, so these people can’t eat anymore and corruption is gone. It’s a proactive approach in fighting corruption instead of a reactive approach.
The INEC chairman , Prof Amupitan is in the eyes of storm. Do you think he shou be sacked as being demanded by some members of the opposition?
Did they not see from the beginning that INEC is supposed to be independent? What do they want President Tinubu to do? Violate the constitution and tamper with INEC’s independence by pronouncing the INEC chairman removed?
What is your unique offering ? What are you coming to offer to your constituents?
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I will hit the ground running from day one. I will start from flood control in my constituency. The invert level is lower than the canals. The canal is higher than the topography at the ground level. We are bringing modern city – urban design. We shall use the Newmap, a kind of a World Bank funded project in Nigeria. They give aids and grants for things like flooding and other environmental challenges. I have partnered with them before, I know how to get them. I’m not going to use my personal money, nor wait for constituency project funding, I know how to attract international aids.
I will introduce digital system of distributing palliatives where such offers would come to your doorstep. We don’t treat humans like sub – humans in the name of distributing palliatives. There should be dignity to human beings. We want to bring sanity to the system. Industry standardization is key and that’s what I will push when I get there, I will push for job creation for our people, for the youths.
Most Nigerian people are tired of palliatives..
As an individual, you can only leverage what is already existing in the system to improve the lives of the people. I can only bring sanity and make policies that would affect my people. Till tomorrow, the UK and other countries share palliatives, even pre- post natal packages. Then, look at the technical colleges today, they pay you some stipends for going to school in Nigeria today, go and confirm it. But the problem is the information is not there. I’m looking at a legislation to standardized some of these occupations and artisanal skills in terms of remuneration and job security, it could be pensionable. I don’t believe there are no jobs in Nigeria, actually there are jobs in Nigeria. But the policies do not make those jobs rewarding. The Jobs that are wasting here in Nigeria are the same jobs Nigerians are running to UK and Canada to do, because they have value, and value is about the policies. The first bill I will sponsor in the National Assembly will be a bill for to make artisans, carpenters, bricklayers’ Jobs rewarding and dignified. The government has a duty to put up a standard in their industry. A bricklayer in UK is proud of his job, his wife is hugging him. When you put an internationally -recognized certification and have a minimum wage for them, you standardize their work, give them a policy and a befitting remuneration and security, they would be proud of their jobs. In some advanced countries, a bricklayer is living with a parliamentarian in the same mortgage house. The difference is the policy. So we need a policy that makes their work rewarding. For instance, if there is a standard and certification recognized by the government, before you become a practicing painter, and the minimum wage is known. For crying out loud, if you can’t afford a painter, you go and paint your house yourself. But if you are engaging a painter, you are not engaging him as a poor man, but you are engaging him as a professional. So there are a lot of things we are going to change in that aspect. I don’t want to expose all I have in mind. So they won’t borrow my ideas.
What are the factors you think can influence on your chances?
Let me tell you, because of poor representation, many people don’t understand who president Tinubu is. President Tinubu is one man that wants the best hands. Look at the kind of people he appoints. I know very well that with the kind of things I’m taking to the National Assembly he would call me and say ‘Come go and do this or that.
What challenges do you foresee?
The challenges are not insurmountable. My candidacy is a movement. So much, some people do not understand that Oshodi – Isolo is an egalitarian society. My candidacy would give almost 90 percent votes in the presidential, governorship, and National Assembly elections. I don’t see much challenge because we have worked on them.
How do you intend to overcome the incumbent?
Firstly, the incumbent is not with the people. He is just a product of bandwagon effect. Nobody knows him. Go and ask market women if they know their representative. But ask if they know one Prince Nixon, they will tell you if they have not seen me cleaning up the drainages in community roads during sanitation, they must have seen me clearing the trucks causing traffic some time ago, they must have seen me fighting for their meters from NEPA and electricity or they must have encountered me when I speak of good government in different occasions. That is the difference. You can’t give what you don’t have. He hasn’t such. Secondly passion is everything. Even if you are given N50bn, if you don’t have the passion, you can’t do anything meaningful with it. So talking about me and him is like talking about American and Guinea Bissau. The difference is clear.
Why are you confident of getting the APC ticket?
I’m very optimistic. Getting the ticket would be the highest joker for the APC. APC is sensitive, smart and they understand the times and know what they need. I’m hopeful I will get the ticket.
