Politics
Amadi: end Of An Era
The death of Chief Hon. Boniface Kinikanwo Amadi
signifies the end of an era in Rivers State.
BK as Amadi was fondly called needed no introduction in the politics of Rivers State. He came to public consciousness in 1983 as the arrowhead of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) that withstood and survived the arsenal of the ruling party then, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He was elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly which was then dominated by the NPN, making him the only lawmaker elected on the platform of the NPP in the House.
Although his tenure as a State lawmaker lasted for barely three months, from October to December 1983, he brought poise, discipline and elegance to politics. To cap it all, nature blessed him with a captivating colour that stood him out among others and fetched him the nick name, “White man.”
BK showed unalloyed empathy for grassroots politics; this motivated him to form Good Friend Association that groomed and brought many young politicians to national and state limelight. He did not end there; he tried his best to bring succour to the less privileged in his area.
From a humble beginning at Nkpolu Orogbum in Rebisi, Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State where he was born on 27th December, 1948, the late lawmaker attended Saint Paul Primary School and Asa Grammar School, Aba, now in Abia State for his primary and secondary education, respectively. He later enrolled for part time in the University of Port Harcourt where he bagged a Diploma in Political and Administration.
He started his political journey in 1976 when he aligned with late Dr. Obi Wali and others to agitate for the creation of Port Harcourt State. It was the belief then that the Ijaws were marginalizing other ethnic groups in the old Rivers State, hence some ethnic groups decided to agitate for Port Harcourt State.
At the formative stage of a new political arrangement in the country in 1978, BK became the Port Harcourt Local Government Area Youth Leader of the NPP. He worked with others to deliver the party in the local government specifically in Constituency Three of Port Harcourt Local Government Area where late Hon. Mark Okpara was elected in 1978 into the Rivers State House of Assembly.
As a youth leader of the NPP, BK mobilized and galvanized the youths of Port Harcourt to embrace the doctrine of the party. By the next general elections in 1983, he had built a very strong followership which emboldened him to contest the party’s primary against the incumbent (Opara). He eventually won the primary after a rigorous inter-party election.
The general election was not easy either, yet he defeated the candidate of the then ruling party, NPN.
Although he was one of the politicians barred from politics by the military government, Amadi had some of his boys working for him. He groomed some young men and formed ‘Good Friends Association, a platform he used to ensure the emergence of Prof. Emenike Wami as the chairman and Mayor of Port Harcourt in 1988. He later became the Port Harcourt Chairman of National Republican Congress.
BK served as a political mentor to many people. The likes of Hon. Chinyere Igwe, the present Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning; Hon. Nnamdi Wuche, ex- Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Port Harcourt City Council; Hon. Ken Chikere, former Attorney General of the State; former member, House of Representatives, Barrister Temple Amadi and Hon. Christian Amadi where some of his students and disciples. Today, these politicians are great mobilisers and grassroots politicians.
During the Abacha era, BK was the pivot of UNCP in Rivers State. He later dumped the UNCP for the NCPN. He used this platform to produce a new set of young politicians as councilors in Port Harcourt Local Government Area.
In the race to the Fourth Republic, he joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he and some political icons like the late Marshal Harry; Dr. Peter Odili called the shots.
He later joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was one of the leaders of the party before he kicked the bucket in January, this year.
He had held several political positions and appointments including the membership of Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority, coordinator of PH NAPEP and member, Governing Council, University of Sokoto, amongst others.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.
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