In this interview with The Sun, Eghosa Asemota Agbonifo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Oredo West constituency speaks on the plans for his people people.
Eghosa Asemota Agbonifo better known as Etek Notions also speaks on life as a successful business cum politician.
Excerpts
Can you tell us more about sir?
My name is Eghosa Asemota Agbonifo, a businessman cum politician. A father, with three lovely kids and an adorable wife.
You are planning for House of Assembly Membership in Edo State, what inspired you ?
My going into the house is to create awareness. And play a positive role to impact my people. There is so much neglects and am moved by love and compassion for my constituents. A leader must first love , without loving your people u can’t deliver for them . So I will say my love for my people is the reason am contesting so I can uplift them positively
As a successful business man, why did you delve into politics?
You see, that is where our society is getting it wrong. To be ruthlessly sincere with you, politics slows the pace of one’s private business. Ask anyone that is doing his business and politics. Aside from the time-consuming nature of politics, people tend to take advantage of you as a politician when dealing with you from the business angle. Let me give you a practical example. I run a fashion business (clothing line) in several locations in the state, with my business name (Etek notions). One day, sitting at the Akenzua junction branch, along Airport Road, a customer came in, and my sales representative was attending to him. As he was haggling price with the lady, he saw me and walked towards me. The price he was bargaining for was far below the cost price, that was why the sales rep had refused to seal the deal with him. With me in the picture, he started talking about how he has been buying drinks for people on my behalf to promote my political interest. He kept on talking about politics, and my chances of winning, trying to use that means to cajole or coerce me to sell the commodity he was bargaining for, at such a giveaway price. I thanked him for the political update and told him if I am giving him the commodity for free is better than selling it at such a price. To cut the long story short, he got upset. But before I got involved in active politics, such things do not occur. So is it right to say I want to use politics to promote the business? I leave that for your conscience to answer.
What is life like as an entrepreneur and politician?
Life of an entrepreneur involves everyday brainstorming. An entrepreneur is that man that can improvise and daily finds solutions to critical areas to Grow the business. For me politics is part of humans existence so we can’t not separate it from our lives. Those that do is as a result of fear and intimidations . Because we are all political animals.
Can you clear the rumour flying around that you are not legit?
See, my ability to wrestle the party ticket with the men that once run things in the council made people start saying all that. My little political progress and the goodwill I enjoy from people is what is giving my distractors sleepless nights, so they had to cook up stories to tarnish my growing sterling personality. I have never defrauded anyone locally or internationally. If they want to learn my line of business, they should simply ask me, how? I started trading as a very young boy. So many people don’t even know that I lost my father at a very tender age. And as the only son, I had to grow up real fast to be a man! In my youthful days, I had the reputation of being able to sell anything, that earned me the name Mr Property. Business is my only source of livelihood. Clothing line, Real estate, Cars, etc.
Some believe you don’t have a manifesto, and that you’re just floating with the “I am a youth, vote for me. And then together we can” narratives. What will you say to that?
I have a people-centred manifesto. Let me tell you something, I am a new breed politician, and cannot be cajoled into doing things as it has always been done. My manifesto is not mere political rhetoric as many of them do out there.