By Zika Bobby and Dickson Okafor

Rita Orji, a member, representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to remain in the opposition no matter the pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), calling on the party leadership to avoid the mistakes of 2015 where imposition and impunity were the order of the day if the PDP is to regain power in 2019.

The Orlu, Imo State born human rights activist and lawyer said her victory at the poll, as ‘Omo Ibo’ is a divine mandate.

When you decided to go into politics as a non-indigene in Lagos, what drove your motive or have you contested election before 2015 in your constituency?

I started as a human rights activist and I had my Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Growth for Women in Nigeria (GOWIN) and the NGO later translated to Youth Empowerment. I run the two NGOs and had it registered in Georgia, USA. I have been on humanitarian job for a couple of years. Growing up in Ajegunle gave me the feel of what life is all about in a ghetto. That is why I referred to us as suffering and smiling because those things that make other people get angry, don’t annoy us. So, that was where I started as an activist and a lawyer. I ventured into entrepreneur too and with that I brought a lot of companies to Ajegunle and a lot of women and youths were empowered. My decision to venture into politics was borne out of the desire to do things differently from what is obtainable.

For instance, in 16 years I set my eyes on the House of Representatives member that represented Ajeromi/Ifelodun and I only saw one bore hole as the only project he attracted to Ajegunle. Going by what I know about lawmaking, the job of a legislature is to make law, attract project through legislation to your constituency. The former representative came when government was allocating money for constituency project but now it is no longer so. I came into PDP through Pan Ndigbo Foundation (PNF) and it was an umbrella body that supported former vice president Alex Ekwueme’s presidency that later metamorphosed into PDP. I was a zonal executive member and I served four years. I also served as ward executive in Ojo Road for six years, before I was elected Local Government Adviser where I served three years. I won in the state congress to become state legal adviser under the PDP.

2007 was the first time I contested for the House of Representatives and the “Omo Ibo” factor came in, that an Igbo person cannot be allowed to represent them. Their understanding was because I am Igbo, the people will vote against me. I was asked to step down for a Yoruba man and I obliged. On Election Day, I was the only one that delivered my ward while our candidate lost his ward. I progressed politically and in 2011 they approached me to come and contest but I rejected the offer and told them that I had less time. I told them that I don’t want to work and have someone else take advantage of my effort. So in 2015 they came again and said my face alone and with what they heard about me they believed that whatever I tell the people they will believe. When they wanted to destroy Ajegunle, I was among those who fought the battle to stop it without collecting one Naira. Couple of incidents that happened in Ajegunle such as intimidation I came out as a lawyer without asking for a kobo. So, in 2015, some political leaders, opinion molders, youths and women came again to appeal to me to contest the position of House of Representatives. And I obliged.

What made you believe you could win as a non-indigene? 

Before then there was divine intervention, which I think should not be hidden. I never wanted to contest for any position again after my last experience but I had a dream where there was a very bad road and people couldn’t move around, innocent people were being killed, women were raped and I saw in that dream where I was repairing road. The dream occurred twice and I called somebody and told the person about the dream. Why was I repairing a bad road in Ajegunle? I’m not an engineer? The person revealed to me that there was a message God wanted to pass to me. I dreamt the same dream again that I was at 3rd Avenue market, FESTAC town in Lagos where I went to pick some stuff for my children and somebody approached me and said he saw the Nigeria Coat of Arm behind me and that there was celebration. Later, a six-man delegation from Badagry, Ojo, Amuwo and Ajeromi/ Ifelodun  local governments came to my house and they told my husband that they need me to contest for the House of Representatives.

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My husband said no, reminding them that it would be terrible for them to later realise she is “Omo Ibo” after I must have worked for them. They vowed to my husband that it would not be the case again. So, my husband asked for time for us to think about it and get back to them. Three months passed we didn’t get back to them. When the sale of nomination form was about to close, they came again and I told them that I was not interested. The issue of coat of arm came up then I told my husband that it is like the Lord wanted me to run an election again. Finally, I bought the form. I called and prayed to God that if He is really the one sending me, He will make things work. So, I went to my Reverend. Finally, I bought the form and went to the Blessed Sacrament ant I told God that, ‘Daddy, you know how strong and weak I am but I’m strong in faith believing whom you are. If you are the one behind this vision, go to all parts of the world and raise people to buy into this vision.’ And I went back home and started with one bus. Suddenly, people started coming from different areas with different ideas. They would just come with one idea or the other and we began to move from one place to the other. Suddenly, it became a movement. In fact, before the election, the statistics and all records showed that I was going to win. But some were telling us that if I win they would rig it. That was what the opposition was telling my supporters. Some of them called my husband and said: ‘Your wife will win but how we wish she was with us, but since she is in PDP, we will rig it.’ I told my husband to allow them be, that this battle was not mine but the Lord’s.

How did you finance the election knowing that in politics, money play vital role?

If anybody tells you that money does not play greater role in politics, the person is a liar. Nobody is ready to do anything for you without money. You can’t even send somebody an errand without giving the person transport fare. My husband and I and were ready for it because we knew what was involved. The battle was tough but because whenever I’m convinced about anything I don’t care, I go ahead to actualise it. So, we moved ahead and the election came and at the end of the day God took the glory. 2015 general elections were the only election people came out en mass and I scored 75 percent votes against a sitting House of Representatives candidate.

How have you impacted on the common people in your constituency?

I will tell you about the ones I remember because they are numerous to mention. In my first 300 days in office, I built a 12-room clinic at No, 29 Tony Agbode Street, Ajegunle. I bought the land before I became a lawmaker. I saw the health challenges the common people are faced with and  that made me very uncomfortable. We have more than 30,000 people in that area without health facility. I built a clinic there where people go to get treatment free of charge irrespective of party affiliation. Before then, I sunk 11-bore holes at Ogbowankwo, Uzor Street, Ojo road, Amukoko, Ojora, and Alaba. These are some of my pet projects not through constituency allowance.

Also, I took it upon myself to do the only road that leads to the expressway from Ajegunle and that is, the road behind Berger yard/ Otto wharf. The road was so bad that people and vehicles could not access it. Remember that my job is not to do road as a lawmaker. What do I do to save lives and help the people gain access to the expressway, having promised during campaign that I would use my connection to do the road even if I need to kneel and beg. I approached the House leadership under Speaker Yakubu Dogara and I asked for the favour. Knowing that I don’t have allocation for this, he was able to speak to Julius Berger, as I suggested and I got the job running. I flew some staff of the company from Abuja to Lagos who came and inspected the road and agreed to assist. Some started to play politics with the road, saying it was not my job to do road but I stood my ground and with the support of Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola we were able to do the road. I was surprised when I came back few weeks after the road was done I saw a sign stating: ‘This road is done by Lagos State Government’ but I know it was not the governor that directed them to put that signboard the governor knew that he was not the one that did the road. Governor Akinwumni Ambode won’t belittle himself to that level. It was the handiwork of APC members in Ajeromi.

Any hope for the PDP in 2019?

There is hope for PDP. Nigerians have married two husbands and they now know the difference. PDP is not propaganda as the whole work done by former President Goodluck Jonathan was not on the pages of newspapers. Just like me, I don’t publish my achievements. If there will be crisis in PDP it won’t be as worse as the one we have surmounted because the last one was meant to bury PDP but God brought us out from that quagmire and I believe that PDP will regain power in the centre in 2019. On the December convention, this is the first time the party is saying no more imposition of candidates no matter who you are even if you are former president you must go to the field. This is democracy. Don’t shut anybody out. Imposition and impunity were the reasons we lost in 2015.