Politics
Rivers Guber: Intrigues, Unveiling Of The ‘Battle Axes’
2014 politics in Rivers State
ended not without major milestones in the activities of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the general elections slated for next month nationwide. But what started as gossips, political talk shops, then intrigues among the leadership and top notchers of APC and PDP, however, entered the crucial stage at the last quarters of 2014 when the political parties settled for their respective standard bearers.
First, it was the Rivers APC that unveiled its flag bearer for the gubernatorial race through a consensus arrangement that saw the emergence of Dakuku Adol Peterside, representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency at the House of Representatives.
Unlike PDP in Rivers State where no fewer than 20 aspirants are known to have indicated interest in being Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s successor, it was a rumour mill sort of in the state APC of who had his eyes at the Rivers Brick House after the incumbent occupant. The rumours centred around Dakuku Peterside and Senator Magnus Abe majorly, but both of them or any unknown pretender(s) incubated their governorship ambitions, perhaps for fear not to incur the wrath of “Oga at the top.”
The visit of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to Rivers State to solicit the support and votes of Rivers APC delegates to the party’s presidential convention/primary, however, provided the opportunity for Governor Amaechi and leader of APC in Rivers, to open the lid on the choice of APC’s governorship candidate and the lot fell on the Opobo-born politician, Dakuku Peterside. The consensus choice of Dakuku Peterside was ratified at the APC’s ‘yes-vote’ primary that followed days later.
Dakuku Peterside’s choice and his emergence as Rivers APC governorship candidate sparked protests by youths in some major streets of Port Harcourt. The youths believed to be of the Ogoni extraction had protested over what they called ‘dumping of Senator Magnus Abe for Dakuku Peterside for the APC gubernatorial ticket in Rivers State” and the alleged reneged of Governor Amaechi in his purported promise to the Ogonis to use their son (Abe) for the ticket.
Though, the protests did not record any casualty, it was a day the police and other security operatives would not forget in a hurry of how they worked assiduously to prevent what would have resulted in a major breach of peace around Government House, the seat of power. Acting in a manner that all was well, the camp of Dakuku Peterside promptly exonerated the Ogoni youths in their involvement in the unfortunate protests, but the dust generated is yet to settle. Political observers argue that it may never be the same again between APC and the Ogonis despite moves to reconcile the irreconcilables arising from the choice of Rivers APC governorship candidate.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial aspirants in Rivers did not hide their ambitions right from onset. They came in their numbers and when the whistle was blown for the intent and nomination forms, over 20 aspirants applied for the governorship ticket of the party. The screening committee that examined all the aspirants for the job gave its verdicts; clearing the former Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike and a few others and disqualified the bulk of the aspirants. Those cleared alongside Wike were Lee Maeba, Pawariso Samuel-Horsfall, Dumbari Ben Dimkpa and Atamuno Atamuno.
Nothing beats like politics but the losers did not allow the undercurrents of politics to carry them away just like that. They trooped to Abuja and protested to the appeal panel that subsequently gave them a clean bill of health to contest the governorship primary of PDP in the state. Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Tonye Princewill, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Nemi Walson-Jack, Bernard Mikko, Don Baridam, Dein Ajumogobia, Lancelot Ayanya and Sampson Ngerebara were among the aspirants cleared by the appeal panel to try luck at the primary.
At the Rivers PDP gubernatorial primary held at the premises of community secondary school, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, 16 of the governorship aspirants boycotted the primary on December 8, 2014, alleging that processes leading to the primary were faulty and unacceptable.
But the boycott did not in any way invalidate the result of the primary that saw the former minister of state for education elected overwhelmingly as the PDP battle axe for what the party called ‘rescue mission.’ Rivers PDP explained that it was determined in every legitimate electoral means to recover its lost mandate to APC following the defection of Governor Amaechi and the state apparatus to APC, hence the need for a rescue mission.
Wike, a two-term chairman of Obio/Akpor local government council and former chief of staff to Governor Amaechi determined to change the direction of the political wind in the state, he and the Felix Obuah-led PDP leadership in Rivers, however, adjusted the political seat and sails, apparently to reach the destination point of recovering Rivers State from APC. That prompted the setting up of peace committees across the three senatorial districts to go all out and mend fences with the aggrieved members towards enhancing the party’s electoral chances. though a hard nut to crack, the Rivers PDP is optimistic that it would overcome its challenges as it did in the past before the general elections proper.
Even as the PDP leadership has not given any thing to chance to keep its house in order before the d-day, protest is still far from over. Only recently, Chief A.K. Horsfall-led Kalabari elders’ forum reopened the old wound when it gave a seven-day ultimatum for the national working committee (NWC) of PDP to substitute the governorship candidature of Wike with any Kalabari candidate in the interest of justice and fair play.
The reaction of Rivers PDP leadership over the ultimatum was prompt and understandable. In a press release, Obuah in an unmistaken terms accused Horsfall’s forum of playing the script even as he said what the forum asked was not feasible going by the transparency of the primary.
Barring any last minute somersault which many believe is not likely to happen, both the PDP and the APC appeared set to go into the governorship contest having baptized their candidates – Wike (PDP) and Peterside (APC) for the battle of Rivers Brick House.
As Wike and Peterside secured the driving seats of their respective parties, they also chose co-pilots or better put running mates for the governorship race. While Wike presented a female from Degema-Kalabari axis of Rivers State, Peterside unveiled a male from the Orashi area of the state.
Presenting Dr. Ipalibo Gogo Banigo , in a bold attempt at wooing women in the state, Wike explained that he decided to choose a woman as his running mate because of his desire to create room for women to play active role in the political and economic development of the state.
Though, the task of choosing his running mate took Wike some time because of what he described as “rot in the governance in the state,” the PDP guber candidate said the history of the state was awash with the input of women, but regretted that none had been given the opportunity to hold an office as high as that of the state deputy governor.
The time, according to Wike, has come to give women the chance to play active role in the politics of the state, and this informed the choice of Dr. Banigo whom Wike described as a rare breed and a leader with uncommon traits to join in the task of rebuilding the state.
“The Rivers PDP is determined to move away from the primordial era of treating women with disdain and indignity. We want to move away from the acts of our opponents, who relish giving out token to women. As a step, the Rivers PDP decided that a woman should occupy the post,” Wike said, while presenting Dr. Banigo – a senior medical practitioner, ex-permanent secretary, former Head of Service in the state and Secretary to the State Government.
Banigo, in his acceptance speech, expressed gratitude to the party and Wike for picking her as his running mate. The smile at her face did not betray her loyalty and commitment to drive along with Wike to Government House, God’s willing.
Pleasant luck came the way of Honourable Asita who hails from Okaki in Ahoada West LGA of Rivers State as he was picked as Peterside’s running mate. Asita, a former commissioner for youth development during Dr. Peter Odili administration, is currently a member of the lower chambers of the National Assembly.
Adjusting to political realities, Buguma-born prince, Tonye Princewill did not allow the blow of political faith lie him low when he lost out amongst others at the PDP guber race. He moved on: this time to the Labour Party (LP) where he subsequently edged out other contenders in the race and secured the LP guber ticket.
Now that the coast is clear of who and who are contending for Amaechi’s shoe, it stands to reason that the acceptability of the political party in the state, the meaning the contenders bring into play and of course, the candidate’s grassroots support will largely determine which party and governorship candidate that will carry the crown of glory at the end of the day.
Samuel Eleonu
Dakuku Peterside, APC Guber Candidate and Nyesom Wike, PDP Guber Candidate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun deploying non-sensitive materials to the zones as it prepares for the 2027 general election.
Acting Chairman of the commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday at a bench-marking meeting with a delegation of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“Right now, all non-sensitive materials are almost ready. In fact, today as we speak here, the non-sensitive materials have been lifted to some zones now,” Gumus said.
She said the commission had completed nine of its scheduled activities and was preparing for the next phase.
“We are preparing for the election next year and we have activities lined up. So far, we have been able to complete nine activities and we are still preparing for the next level of activities,” she said.
Gumus said the commission’s leadership had just concluded a tour of the country’s six zones to assess their level of preparedness.
“The purpose was to go round the zones to see how prepared we are, assess what the zones have put in place, their challenges and what to do. We concluded last week and we can see from our tour that we are really going towards the election proper,” she said.
On Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the acting chairman said production had been completed and distribution to the states was well advanced.
“As of today, we can say that PVCs have been produced and the first, second batches, most of the states have received them. Their PVC collection is ongoing. All those who are supposed to be the voters are supposed to receive their PVCs, and if they don’t have them, it is also another challenge,” Gumus said.
She added that capacity building was under way for staff at the headquarters and in the states, and that the procurement and deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS devices were also ongoing.
On diaspora voting, Gumus said the commission could not proceed for now because the law did not provide for it.
“Here, because we go by the law, in our electoral law, it is not included there, so we cannot go on for the diaspora voting for now until we amend the electoral law,” she said.
The acting chairman said the commission had arranged for its directors to hold an interactive session with the Kenyan team and present papers on the work of their departments.
Leading the delegation, the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina, said the IEBC team was in Nigeria to benchmark ahead of Kenya’s general election in August 2027.
He said the team was studying how Nigeria handled its diaspora population and special voting groups, as Kenya sought to widen voting rights for citizens living abroad.
“Currently we have about 12 of them who voted in the last general election, but there is intention to expand to around, I think, 26,” Parashina said, referring to the countries where Kenyans abroad vote.
He said the expansion was a constitutional requirement backed by Kenyan court rulings, and would be enforced progressively.
Parashina said Nigeria’s election, which he noted would come in two rounds, would be closely watched across Africa.
“Everyone is looking at what Nigeria will do because it is the biggest democracy in Africa. The success of Nigeria remains a great success to Kenya and indeed to the continent,” he added.
The High Commissioner thanked INEC for receiving the team despite a tight schedule and wished the commission success.
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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