If the word ‘betrayal’ as used by the Ogonis against governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is worth not ignoring, then the nickname for the governor may be link to such since he is not the maradona or field Marshall of this time, judging from how he undermine his deputy, Engr. Telenyem Renner Ikuru, political pundit posits.
The Ogonis in their strong terms condemned the governor’s decision for ceeding the chances of his successor to the Ibanis other than them having led them in several fora to believe he loves the Ogonis, only to disappoint them.
While the language describing the actions of the state governor is being weighed in some quarters, the Ogonis who earlier noted that they would not play second fiddle in their one day submit held at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area called on the Senator representing the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe to consider retaining his seat at the National Assembly.
It would be recalled that it was the same Ogonis who described Hon. Dakuku Adol Peterside as ‘more of Ogoni, having grew up and attracted several developmental projects to Ogoni land, than the sons of Ogoni in political positions.
Would it be consider as laughable that the people who would not play second fidle and never gave their total or one hundred percent support to their gentle, sound and intelligent son, senator Abe are now calling on him to recontest for the senatorial seat. The question that many ask is, “who is the real betrayal?
The truth is that the Ogonis knew that they never supported senator Abe from inception of his senatorial ambition in 2011. Infact, senator Abe and Hon. Peterside respectively failed going by the votes from their areas, Ogoni and Opobo but it was the Andonis that made them who they are.
However, for senator Abe he remains loved and cherished by the Andonis as he did not forget Andoni people throughout his stay, even as he repeatedly and publicly attested to that fact, but the huddle now is his defection from his original family, the PDP to APC.
Truth is constant, therefore there is no gainsaying the fact that APC cannot win any seat in Andoni, so it would be a hard nut to crack for senator Abe though he is loved by the people to scale through in Andoni, acknowledging that the Ogonis who are calling on him to re-contest would abandon him on the cross road.
Pundits say, another word more derogatory than ‘betrayal’ to describe the governor’s antics and decision that so pained the Ogonis would have been preferable seeing that others are also receiving same treatment from the governor.
The deputy governor Engr. Tele Renner Ikuru is also receiving the same treatment meted to the Ogoni ethnic nationality from his boss, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, top ranking officers of the APC in Rivers revealed.
The impeccable source within the Brick House laments the level of castigation, betrayal and disgrace meted against the deputy governor by Governor Amaechi and Peterside at the just concluded party primaries, saying that all is not well within the APC in the state, expressing doubt of the party’s anticipated victory with the level of injustices against certain persons.
According to the insider source, Dakuku Peterside, Magnus Abe and Tele Ikuru were top contenders for the APC plum job, but while the money and power game favoured Peterside, Senator Abe was allegedly compensated by the governor when he was directed to pick the senatorial form, produce five houses of Assembly candidates as well as two houses of representatives candidates. In similar direction, it was learnt that the deputy governor was equally directed to run or produce his constituency’s House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates.
But in a swift power twist that could be taken as a deceit or betrayal the primaries for these two slots given to Rivers deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru was never a smooth one compared to those of Khana/Gokana, Tai/Eleme constituencies of the APC rather turbulent as it was characterized with serial and several doctored lists of delegates of the eleven wards of Andoni LGA as allegedly perpetrated by APC State Chairman, Davies Ikanya and specific order to the Opobo LGA delegates to undermine the governor’s directive for Andoni.
The story has it that the deputy Governor who like his brother Senator Abe, never declined their leader’s directive projected a candidate in the person of the immediate past caretaker chairman of the Andoni LGA, Hon. Sampson Gilbert Egop in his stead.
Egop, according to the source was further presented to the APC flag bearer, Dakuku Peterside who without objective okayed that candidate.
What political pundits wonder was why and how, Dakuku who accepted Egop’s candidature would further direct Opobo’s delegates against the same candidate he certified.
To APC ranking officials who never wanted their names on print recalled how Dakuku Peterside was presented to Tele Ikuru to be delivered in 2011 house of representatives election, are now questioning what price is Dakuku paying back to Tele Ikuru under the watch of governor Chibuike Amaechi.
It would be recalled how governor Amaechi publicly testifies Tele’s humble and loyal nature, especially during the governorship adoption not primaries held at the main bowl of Alfred Diete Spiff Civil centre.
If all that were not mere flattery, under normal working condition, could it be said that a deputy governor would not have slots in his party structure?
Meanwhile, the Ogonis should take consolation in the fact that the deputy governor of Rivers State is also facing similar embarrassment and coasting home with virtually nothing.
With all the impositions, and happening in the APC, it is time to remark that an Africa maxim “that a she goat has given birth in the public is certainly crowing the extinction and ofcourse burial of the self acclaimed change agent without a proof.
However, the rescheduled house of Representatives primaries at the Port Harcourt city council hall that allegedly produced the immediate past chairman of Andoni, Oron Ereforokuma has also been nullified occasioned on falsification of delegates lists and other issues therefore given rise to the emergence of Hon. Sampson Gilbert Egop as the APC house of Representatives flag bearer for the Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency.
It would be recalled that the House of Representatives election originally scheduled penultimate Sunday 7th December at Ngo was marred with irregularities as group loyal to APC State Chairman, Davies Ikanya took the election materials to the private residence of Ikanya’s Senior Special Assistant, coupled with several doctored delegates lists.
It was learnt that, the governor, Rt. Hon. Amaechi has however yielded to intense pressure from certain quarters in the Andoni chapter of the APC to pronounce Hon. Gilbert Egop the party flag bearer.
This however has brought relative calm to a section of the APC and hinders the purported winner, Orom Ereforokuma from his various radio sponsored news. ###
