BY FRED ODU
Senator Ned Nwoko has said he is passionate about doing the things the average normal person will not want to do.
The Senator, during an interactive session with journalists at his country home, Idumuje-Ugboko, in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, added that he was not the kind of politician that would sacrifice the interest of his people for self aggrandizement.
He said he single-handedly engaged some developed countries of the world in a legal battle for the Paris Club refund, a fight he roundly won and substantial funds illegally deducted from Nigeria on account of foreign repayments were refunded.
Senator Nwoko said he was highly fulfilled by the legal victory because the funds that were refunded helped the states of the federation to impact more on the lives of the people.
In another rare feat, the Distinguished Senator told newsmen how he picked interest in becoming an explorer, which took him to the most difficult part of the world, Sao Paulo, Antarctica, with a land area of 14 million square kilometers and no permanent residents.
According to him, there was a stop over at Cape Town, South Africa, in the course of the journey, where the 17 explorers, among whom he was the oldest, engaged in physical fitness exercises and were taking through health talks by medical doctors to be able to cope with the rigours of the adventure.
Senator Nwoko said when he nursed the idea of establishing a university, he decided that it should be something beyond the ordinary and went for a sports university, the first of its kind in Nigeria.
He pointed out that when the issue of approving the university came up, the National Universities Commission (NUC) was at a loss because there was no template for deciding the eligibility of the institution for the approval sought.
The Senator explained that he had to sponsor officials of the NUC to visit countries where similar institutions had been established before the Sports University, Idumuje-Ugboko, currently with second year students in session, was approved.
On politics, Ned Nwoko said he was elected by the people of Delta North to serve and would not sacrifice their interests on the alter of concerns for his personal life or re-election considerations.
He said, “I have been elected to serve as Senator for Anioma people and I am not going to sacrifice the interests of Nigerians and Anioma people on the alter of concerns for my life, a re-election or anything else.
“If you consider my education, exposure and experiences abroad, you will appreciate that I am not like the normal politician. Infact I hate to be called a politician.
“That is why today I can talk about Anioma state without fear or favour because I know that I am doing what is right. I know I am carrying on from where our forefathers stopped and I know that Anioma state is good for Deltans.
“When Anioma state is created, it will bring one more state to the present Delta; we will have two governors, two deputy governors, six Senators, more House of Reps members, more local government chairmen and councillors, many political appointments, many job opportunities and government will be closer to the people”.
