The concern of every politician all over the world is to win the next election. Politicians plan and strategize ways of winning elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega has informed Nigerians that the next year election would be held in January 2015. The pronouncement of INEC to organize general election in the first month of the first quarter of next year has propelled politicians to remain awake and plan on how to succeed in the forthcoming polls.
Information that just came to our newsroom has it that no fewer than twenty (20) aspirants might indicate ambition to contest the gubernatorial seat in Rivers come 2015. The names of these intending aspirants are: Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, Chief Barr. Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, Chief Hon. Ibinabo Michael West, Senator Magnus Abe, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, Senator Thompson Sekibo, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), Dr. Biobele Diboye-Suku.
Others include: Prince Tonye Princewill, Barr. Dumo Lulu Briggs, Barr. Nimi Walson-Jack, Chief Ebenezer Isokariari, Chief David Briggs, Tonye Cole, Chief Paweriso Samuel Horsfall, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree, Hon. (Arc.) Eniye Braide, Engr Tele Renner Ikuru and Richard Victor.
Some of these aspirants as we rightly gathered have began secret campaigns and making consultations. They also organize clandestine political meetings with supporters on how to outsmart other political opponents. Careful investigations have revealed that each of these aspirants has their stronghold politically and weak points. Our political analyst after scrutinizing their political profiles exposes their strengths and pitfalls.
DR. TAMMY WENIKE DANGOGO. He is a Kalabari born politician, and a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was a chairman of Akuku-Touru Local Government Area, and a former Commissioner in charge of the Ministries of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, and also Urban Development. Of recent he quits the Amaechi’s administration for reasons best known to him. He has built a considerable political structure in the Kalabari kingdom. He is one of the brains behind the existence of a group of politicians under the auspices of Delga, Akulga and Asalga (DAA). Dr. Dangogo is a grassroots mobilizer, but his political tentacles have yet to spread to other areas of the state, except the Kalabari speaking Local Government Areas.
CHIEF BARR. EZEBUNWO NYESOM WIKE. He is a grassroots politician and a Grand Patron of the Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI). Wike was a council chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, and currently serving as the Supervising Minister for Education. Chief Nyesom Wike could be best described as, “a political high tension wired politician” that has the capability to destroy any unprepared gubernatorial aspirant in the state. He is well known in every part of the state, before even he decided to carry out the crusade for change in the state. Wike’s major challenge is that he cannot be a governor since his kinsman, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been in Government House in the past seven (7) years. Another problem facing Wike is the clarion call for Kalabari governorship in 2015. As an Ikwerre man, Wike might be crashed though he controls the leadership of the state chapter of the ruling PDP under the watchful eyes of Bro. Felix Amaechi Obuah.
CHIEF HON. IBINABO MICHAEL-WEST. Here is a politician that has all what it takes to become a Governor of Rivers State in 2015. Chief Hon. Michael West represented the people of Asari-Toru Constituency II in the Rivers State House of Assembly from 2003-2011. He performed creditably. His constituency projects speak volume. As a former House of Assembly member, he is well known at the State level but his problem is lack of resources to mobilize for support. He is a frontline advocate for a Governor from Kalabari extraction in 2015.
SENATOR MAGNUS ABE. He is a politician from the Ogoni axis of the state; currently he is in the National Assembly and has nursed the intention to defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Senator Abe was a minority leader in the Rivers State House of Assembly on the platform of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP), before he moved to the PDP. Therefore, defection is not new in the dictionary of Senator Abe. Though he has the backing of Governor Amaechi, but the hurdle before him is that he has been rejected by the Ogonis, because he is not protecting their interest and aspirations.
HON. DAKUKU PETERSIDE. He is a former Commissioner and a close political associate to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. He made so much cash while serving as a Commissioner in the state, before proceeding to the House of Representatives. He has recently declared for APC. The Opobo/Nkoro axis of the state is dominated by the ruling PDP, therefore Dakuku, as he is fondly called, may face a rock that will stop him from realizing his ambition of becoming a Governor in 2015. Hon. Dakuku has no political cloud to face the wind of change in the state; hence his governorship ambition is being threatened. Moreso the Opobo has the least voting units in the state.
SENATOR THOMPSON SEKIBO. He has been in politics for over thirty (30) years. A former council chairman of Okrika/Tai/Eleme Local Government Area in the old Rivers State. A former member of the Federal House of Representatives. Currently he is in the upper House of the National Assembly. He has a very high political profile that could intimidate his opponents. The wife of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan is backing Senator Sekibo to take over power from Gov. Amaechi in 2015. His shortcoming is that he is a “timid politician” that has little or no muscle to face the forces of the opposition in the state. Though he has much resources to play with, but lacks the strategy to confront his political opponents.
PRINCE TONYE PRINCEWILL. He is a biological son of a respected Kalabari Monarch, HM King (Prof.) T.J.T) Princewill, Amachree XI. Politically, Princewill came to limelight in 2007, when he contested for the gubernatorial seat in Rivers State on the platform of the defunct Action Congress (AC). Princewill has a local political platform known as Princewill Political Associates (PPA).
This political association cuts across the twenty-three (23) Local Government Areas of the state. But one major challenge confronting Princewill is that his political platform (PPA) is weak and has no financial muscle to face the intrigues of 2015.
BARR. DUMO LULU BRIGGS. He was a one time gubernatorial candidate on the platform of the defunct National Democratic Party (NDP) in Rivers State in 2003. Lulu- Briggs disappointed Rivers people when he withdrawn from the race which cleared the coast for Dr. Peter Odili. Since then Rivers people have lost confidence in Lulu-Briggs. Moreso he has no formidable political structure that can challenge the forces of other opposition within the PDP. He is a son of a multi-billionaire business mogul, High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs.
BARR. NIMI WALSON-JACK. He was a member of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), and hails from Abonnema in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. He is very new in Rivers politics, despite his advocacies in the non-governmental activities across the state, because of non-availability of strong and viable political structure, Walson-Jack might not scale through. Information has it that Walson-Jack anchors his hope on his wife who is currently working in Bayelsa State as the Chief of Staff (COS), Government House.
CHIEF EBENEZER ISOKARIARI. He was a former Director-General of the Ministry of Lands and Housing in the old Rivers. He later became Secretary to the State Government. Chief Isokariari was a one time chairman of the Caretaker Committee, CTC in Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
He contested as a Governor in 1999 under the umbrella of All Peoples Party (APP), but lost to ex-Governor Peter Odili. Since then, Chief Isokariari has been in a cooler, but has recently bounced back to eye the Brick House. Doubtlessly, Isokariari has lost most of his supporters then to other available politicians. He may not scale through even in the primaries of the party. However, Chief Isokariari has the conviction that he might be favoured by the power that be in Aso Rock.
CHIEF DAVID BRIGGS. He was a Commissioner for Works and also a one time Commissioner incharge of the Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources. He was a former chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. Chief David Briggs contested for Guber primaries in 2007, but defeated by Gov. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Since then he has been living a quiet life and refused to utter a word regards to the happenings within and outside the political circles. Of recent he has bounced back like a football, with the aid and assistance of the Grassroot Development Initiative GDI. Chief David Briggs now active roles in some of the programmes and the activities of GDI.
Information reaching us had it that he has developed the ambition to contest the 2015 gubernatorial election. One of the major forces moving against David-Briggs is that, he is standing alone. He has no political team. Though sometime ago, he identified with a socio-political group known as Kengema Unity Forum (KUF), which advocates for a Kalabari governor in 2015.
TONYE COLE. He is business associate of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Tonye Cole hails from Abonnema Community in Kalabari kingdom. He is relying on Governor Chibuike Amaechi to adopt him as a consensus governorship candidate. He is new in politics, therefore cannot create any positive impact.
CHIEF PAWERISO SAMUEL HORSFALL. He was a governorship aspirant, and a pioneer Commissioner for Environment and Ecology in Rivers State. He hails from Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area. In the 90s Chief Samuel Horsfall represented the people of Asalga in the Federal House of Representatives. He is an active politician. He has recently convened a meeting, where he declared his intention to gun for the Brick House come 2015. Though a grassroots politician, but has no political structure that spreads across the state. With this he cannot go far in the next year gubernatorial election, irrespective of the political party he will join to contest.
RT. HON. OTELEMABA DAN AMACHREE. He is a controversial speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He is a native of Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area. Dan Amachree has been in the Rivers State House of Assembly Since 1999 to represent the people of Asalga Constituency I. On several occasions he has been tipped to contest the 2015 gubernatorial election. Last year a total sum of N9bn was budgeted to kick starts his campaign. He has the support of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Rt. Hon. Dan Amachree may be crashed because of his poor performance as a legislator. He performed below average on his political score card. Based on this the people of his LGA might reject him and go for a better candidate.
HON. ARC. ENIYE BRAIDE. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and also an advocate of a Kalabari Governor in 2015. To realize his gubernatorial ambition, he found cover in a group known as Kengema Unity Forum (KUF). The KUF is headed by a repentant militant, Comrade Soboma Jackrich, alias Egberipapa. KUF is yet to spread its tentacles outside the Kalabari region, therefore backing any gubernatorial aspirant might not yield any positive fruit.
ODEIN AJUMOGOBIA SAN: A former Federal Minister and also a one time Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General Rivers State. He is a true son of Kalabari Kingdom. He is very humble and honest. On several occasions, Ajumogobia has been tipped to indicate ambition to step into the Brick House in 2015. Though he has recently commenced consultations with some Abuja based politicians, but Ajumogobia is not so strong politically at the home front. He has no political structure that could work for him to actualize his gubernatorial ambition.
ENGR TELE IKURU: A serving Deputy Governor of Rivers State. He has toed the line of his principal, Governor Chibuike Amaechi to join the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC. Having been on the corridor of power since 1999, he has so much financial resources to confront any political enemy. He has headed the following Ministries Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development.
The hurdle staring at his face as he is eyeing the Brick House, is that he has fell out with his political godfather, Prince Uche Secondus. He has no good political structure that will deliver him.
DR. BIOBELE DIBOYE-SUKU: He is a America based politician. He hails from Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area. In 2007 he contested the governorship position on the platform of Labour Party (LP) but lost to one Hon. O. J. J. Braide. As an America based medical doctor, he is not conversant with the complexity of Nigerian politics. Moreoever, he has no formidable political group to sell him out to the other members of the party.
RICHARD VICTOR: He hails from Ataba in the Andoni Local Government Area and was the leader and co-founder of the defunct Action Congress, Rivers State which later metamorphosed into the All Progressives Congress.
From recent assessment made, it is likely that the Andoni extraction of the state may produce the next governor of the state. The country’s searchlight is now beam on who could meet the populace interest to fly the Peoples Democratic Party’s flag from the Local Government come 2015.
Further assessment reveals that Victor was a neutral fellow during the Dr. Peter Odili’s days even in the current administration of Governor Amaechi. What this implies is that Mr. Victor Richard was not involved in the administration gains and losses of the previous administration.
Investigations also reveal that the Israeli, United Kingdom, United States of America, South-Africa, France and Russian Governments are likely behind him occasion on their interest in investing in the various trades in the state, as he (Richard Victor) tranverses and does businesses with these governments.
If linked to his history, Richards belong to NADECO and the only Rivers citizen as member.
In the year 2000 he was in alliance with Middle Belt in the search of a South-South Presidency. His meeting with eminent Nigerians like Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Late Chief Solomon Lar, Professor Jerry Gana, Gov. Jonah Jang and several others brought about the South-South-Middle Belt Alliance launched in 2005 at the Rock View Hotel in Abuja.
Sources close to Richard Victor posit that his candidature in the expected Guber race in the state would guarantee confidence, stimulate active grassroots politics in the state as well as bridge the current gap between the state and other states.
Richard is the founder of G6 Movement, a socio-political pressure group that cuts across the six geo-political zones of the federation.
What can he do for the teeming Rivers people, eyes are watching even as he comes up with his formal presentation and declaration to occupy the Brick House. His greatest challenge is that he does not have any strong political structure that spreads across the length and breadth of the state.###
