Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was on Wednesday screened for the Delta South Senatorial Primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a five-man committee, chaired by Mohammed Babaginda.
Other members of the panel were Dr. Frank Okafor, Mr. Mike Ewausia, Rev Yakubu Abudullahi with Dr. Kabi Illelah as secretary/member.
Dr Uduaghan who appeared before the committee, which sat at the PDP Secretariat in Asaba, told journalists that he was confident of victory at the primaries because he was the most qualified to represent the Delta South Senatorial District.
He declared that his level of experience as governor, exposure, contacts, among others, placed him far above other persons in the race for the party’s ticket in the senatorial race.
“I believe that I am the most qualified of the candidate to represent my senatorial district, the legislature is about making laws that will affect the lives of the people positively, I believe that a lot of laws have to be put in place to ensure the development of the district,” Dr Uduaghan said.
Governor Uduaghan who was beaming with smiles, exchanged pleasantries with other aspirants who came for the screening, explained that it was customary for him to appear before the committee.
According to him, there was no discrimination when it comes to appearing before the screening panel, adding that every aspirant for elective position in the PDP must appear before the screening committee.
The governor who said that there were three areas he would concentrate on when elected into the Senate, observed that there was the need to put in place laws to improve the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region, guarantee equity participation of the oil producing communities in oil companies and for the protection of investments and the environment.
“Having been in the Executive, I want to go to the National Assembly to represent Delta South Senatorial District to enable oil producing communities gets 10 percent equity participation in oil companies operating in their areas. This will open up the area and stop all agitations, if the communities have equity participation, they will ensure the protection of the pipelines, companies, property and lives of the staff.
“There is the need to provide legal framework for investments in the country so as to attract investors. Nigeria is not the only country with crisis, but because other countries have legal framework to protect investors, investors still flock to those places, we need to put up laws to protect investors in our country, this is what I want to go and pursue in the legislature,’ he said.
He noted further, “you know my emphasis on the environment and green economy, I will carry that campaign to the National Assembly, our degraded environment need to be cleaned up and protected, I will ensure that laws are in place to do just that”.
