Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Bede Ekeh, is a member of the House of Representatives, representing Abor Mbaise/ Ngor Okpalla Federal Constituency. He succeeded Emeka Ihedioha in the House of Representatives in 2015. He has been re-elected for another term. In this interview, he said his attempt to return was faced with serious challenges but God delivered him. He speaks further on the 2019 general election.
You were recently declared winner of the Abor Mbaise/ Ngor Okpalla Federal Constituency contest. How does that make you feel?
I am extremely happy and grateful to God for His unmerited love for me. I thank God and everyone that contributed to making it possible. My church, Restoration Life Assembly celebrated God for His love over me. My pastor, Rev. Udochi Odikanwa, and the entire church were happy for me. Their joy was that prophecies about my victory at the polls and outcome of Imo governorship election came to pass. I am obviously a product of that prophecy and I feel happy and honoured that my own victory was made possible by God and not from human being that might take advantage of me later.
What about your constituents. What does this victory mean to them?
My people were not surprised because that was what they wanted. They stood by me in spite of several monetary and material inducements. They rejected intimidations by state actors, cast and protected their votes. They were extremely happy that their choice candidate was declared the winner of the election. My people believed that God should be number one in the activities of men, so they put God first in everything we do in Abor Mbaise/ Ngor Okpalla Federal Constituency. We obey the Bible injunction that asked that ‘seek the kingdom of God and other things shall be added unto you.’ The fact that God gave us this victory at the polls was an indication that He is on the driver’s seat leading us to greater opportunities for holistic development.
You said your victory came from God. But they say politics is a dirty game. How real is the dirtiness in politics?
Yes. There’s this wide perception that politics is a dirty game and that was why many credible people keep away from politics. It might be true or otherwise. However, it depends on individual’s perception and way of politicking. I am a politician and obviously not dirty. I play my politics with the consciousness that God is watching. He is always involved in all my engagements. In addition to that, I also have a conscience that guide and monitor my activities, politically or otherwise. There’s no doubt that politicians could go any length just to get power. But I don’t do my own that way and I have never seen shame, reproach or defeat. I believe in whatever God said, so mine is to always tell the people the truth even if it is bitter but let it be that it is the truth, God is there to stand for me.
It there any moment in your political career that you had wanted to withdraw lose faith in God?
I never had such thought even at the darkest moment of my political and family life. In fact, my faith and trust in God increase everyday each time I am faced with these challenges. This was because, at any point in life when it seems too difficult and impossible, God will appear and clear the way for me.
What are your plans for your people in this second opportunity?
I must confess that I enjoyed great support from my constituents in my first tenure and that contributed to the great success we achieved together. My people supported my return to the House of Representatives because they saw what I have done for them with the previous opportunity they gave me. My agenda in this second opportunity is to consolidate on the progress made thus far. I will try as soon as possible to attract more dividends of democracy to my people. I am optimistic that the state government will be helpful in that regard. My campaign slogan was ‘reward for good work is more work.’ I use this opportunity to renew my promise that more human and infrastructure development would be attracted to them.
Please share your experience on how this victory was achieved amidst strong resistance from some quarters?
It was a tasking and long torturous journey to victory. But my source of confidence and hope was in God. He always appears at the darkest moment to fight for me. In this past election, who is who in Imo politics and my constituency were determined to distort God’s work in my life. They ganged up against me. In fact, the machinery of the state government was activated against me. INEC officials and Police were orchestrated to work against me. But I remained with God and His Words. I asked Him not to allow my enemies feast on me. At the end, victory was mine. The difference in vote between me and the second person was huge and unimaginable. If I tell you the full story of what I went through to emerge victorious, you will be left with no option but to join me to thank God. I shed tears in my church when I was sharing the testimony. At a point, it looked as if my enemies were succeeding in thwarting the will of the people. Remember, these are strong men who control huge resources and people, and I had no power to fight them. At that point, I called on my God and He appeared immediately and created serious confusion in the camp of my enemies. God truly fought for me and here am I celebrating while they are all crying, and it shall continue to be so. Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha, saw my constituency as very important one that he must grab to humiliate Emeka Ihedioha and that was why he pumped in so much money just to see that Emeka Ihedioha and myself were defeated.
Were there cases of vote buying?
Yeah there several cases of that and they were done in the open. There were reports that my major opponents and several other parties offered voters N4, 000, N5, 000 and above for votes. We at the PDP couldn’t buy because we don’t have such huge resources to engage in vote trading. But at the end, our people surprised me. They collected the money and voted for PDP. It was a clear indication that they want true leadership and representation at all levels of government and that is what they would get under the new leadership in Imo State.
What’s your relationship with the governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha like?
He is a friend and a brother. Remember that I took over from him in the House of Representatives. I was his successor and we had good relationship even while he was out of government. We started this relationship since 2003 when he first contested for House of Representatives and I contested for the state House of Assembly. So that friendship has been there for years. When he left government in 2015, so many of his friends deserted him but I remained with him. Most of his friends even from my local government deserted him but few of us stood by him because we believe in his ideology. It wasn’t about the office but about the friendship we share.
What advice do you have for politicians especially the new set of people that won elections?
Very simple. Hold unto God, work with Him, pray to Him, depend on Him and believe in Him and everything would fall in beyond human imagination.
You said that prophecy from your church aided your electoral victory. Do you also intend to use the electoral victory for evangelism?
That was why God showed himself at the darkest moment. It’s for people to know and regard him as God. I am grateful to God for the gift of my Pastor, Rev. Udochi Odikanwa. He has been a source of inspiration and encouragement for me. However, I had asked God for this victory and I will use my position to spread the gospel. As far as my relationship with God is concerned, I can’t compromise. My trust is in Him and I don’t have any intention of backsliding. I always tell people that my financial commitment to God was not because I have excess money. It was because of my firm belief that He rewards His diligent servants. I said it repeatedly at different fora that each time I contribute financially or otherwise to the work of God, I get the reward in hundred folds within a short time.