A front line former All Progressive Congress APC) leader in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Rivers state, Sir Collyns Owonda, has given reasons why he left his former party – APC to joined the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Sir Owonda, maintained that his adventure back to PDP gives him another opportunity to sits back and take a retrospective angle about everything regarding his political life, stressing that his decision for leaving his former party was well thought out for him and his supporters.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Towncrier crew in Port Harcourt, Sir Owonda, who is an Estate Surveyor by profession, said he left his former party for good because the only thing that remains permanent about life is change, adding that he left when he realised that staying in APC was not the best for him and his numerous supporters especially when approaching such an election were no of his former party members care.
The former APC leader, hinted that what is funny about politics in the country is that, he has learnt is that not how popular a candidate is in a political contest that determines one’s victory, adding that from what experience has taught him in the course of his political life on earth, is that, it is God that gives power.
” I have found out that, is not how popular you are in politics that determines your victory” the former PHalga APC leader said.
He recalled that going by all his experiences in politics as far back as the Abacha era, that he had also discovered that the political system in the country is rough and tough and therefore, there was need for him to reconsider some steps backward to introspect if he was making progress or not.
Asked again why he defected just two days to the supplementary rerun? He responded thus: ” well, what is constant about life is change. I have been in the PDP, so I can better be with my Governor. I have been spending my money as the leader of my former party and nobody has asked how I managed. And the only reward is gossip and propaganda. He explained bitterly.
Sir Owonda, insisted that from his own perspective, election shouldn’t be seen as a do or die affairs because power is given by God, but, said if power has been the other way round, then he said he could have been the best man for the national Assembly position.
On the speculations, that some of his reasons for defection is because he was pursuing for a chieftaincy position in his community, the Estate Surveyor turned politician refuted thus; ” that if there are things I doesn’t like, it is Chieftaincy titles and being called Honorable”
“Let tell you guys the fact about me. if there are things I don’t like, it is being called all this title Chief or Honourable. I like being address with my name, exception of the one given to me by church as a Knight, besides, I am from a royal family and my family holds the chieftaincy tittle of Eze-Ugo in Rebisi kingdom. The PH born Estate Surveyor turns politician explained.
Asked when did he realised that the Obidient movement and other factors was going to affect his chances in Phalga Federal constituency 2?
Sir Owonda said “let me tell you in honesty. Nobody ever thought of what happened, after all, the labour guy nobody knew him. He never campaign or run the kind of campaign we had, but that is God for you” He said.
He maintained that outside political offices one can still give service to his people through other ways, while stressing that the problem of the society is that sometimes, mediocre finds their ways to the corridors of power.
On the insinuation that he was offered #40 million dollar to quit his former party, the Rivers born, Estate surveyor responded thus: ” this is laughable, saying that by his level, he cannot defect simply because he want money or solicit for contract.
