The Kalabari politicians who are jostling for a Deputy Governorship slot on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State have developed cold feet following the recent adoption of Rt. Hon. Evan Bipi, a lawmaker representing Ogu/Bolo constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly as a running mate to Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike in 2015 gubernatorial election in the state. Hon. Bipi has a very close tie with the President’s wife, Patience Jonathan.
Reliable sources hinted this weekly that Hon. Bipi was nominated by the wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dame Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan to deputize the Federal Minister in the next year’s governorship election.
Sequel to the recent development within the PDP circle as regards to the adoption of a deputy governor, the Kalabari politicians who are eyeing the Deputy Governorship seat were not happy with the decision, describing it as a betrayal of the highest order. Some Deputy Governorship aspirants are threatening to decamp to another Political Party.
It would be recalled that Hon. Bipi, a state parliamentarian with five (5) other lawmakers allegedly stayed a “coup deptat” on July 9, 2013 to impeach the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA), Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree, representing Asari-Toru Constituency 1 in the Assembly since 1999. This weekly gathered that Dan-Amachree is also eyeing the Brick House come 2015.
Hon. Bipi’s coup deptat” led to a serious fracas in the State Assembly. There was a free for all fight, some legislators sustained injuries. Since then the State Assembly has never known peace, and moreso the House is divided while its factional speaker, Rt. Hon. Dan Amachree has lost control of the entire RSHA. Thus the Rivers Assembly has stopped to legislate on important issues in the state. With the adoption of Hon. Bipi as the next Deputy Governor, the Kalabaris according to what we reliablly gathered will produce the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), while the Speaker will emerge from the Ogoni axis of the state.
Dependable sources informed this publication that, the ruling Party has imported hundreds of vehicles for electioneering campaigns ahead of 2015 general elections. The campaign vehicles, our sources said have already arrived one of the ports in the country awaiting for necessary clearance. ###
