Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election, there are indications that aspirants are monitoring the body languages and dispositions of the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike as well as that of the Minister of Transport and the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi before pressing further in their governorship quests.
Undoubtedly, the forthcoming governorship election is between the Wike’s PDP and Amaechi’s APC. Both parties have their strengths and weaknesses. There is however, more troubles for the APC. Its house is still in disarray despite having a new State Working Committee led by Emeka Bekee.
APC’s major albatross in the state is the irreconcilable differences between Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe. The dichotomy in the state APC was the reason why the party was disqualified from contesting the 2019 general elections. Presently, the Abe group is in court challenging the emergence of the new state executive committee of the APC.
Prior to the national convention of the APC, the state party chairman, Emeka Bekee inaugurated a committee headed by Dawari George to reconcile aggrieved members of the party. While setting up the committee Beke acknowledged the grievances rocking the state APC. He said: “As a political party, a lot of people are aggrieved. You need to reconcile them and that is our primary focus; to make sure that everybody works together as a family.
However, indications that the committee has not made significant progress in its reconciliation task emerged at the just-concluded convention of the APC. The state party spoke in discordant tunes at the event. Abe’s candidate for national vice-chairmanship Southsouth, Worgu Boms, refused to step down for Amaechi’s candidate, Chief Victor Giadom in the spirit of consensus. But Giadom later won through the ballots.
The Rivers chapter of the PDP is undoubtedly in the firm grips of Wike. He calls the shots and when he sneezes, the entire party catches cold. Analysts believe that Wike has mastered the art of negotiation, power play, rewards and punishments propelling him to have his way on any matter with little or no resistance.
From the state to the wards, he controls the PDP structures ahead of the election. But some persons were said to be complaining against the leadership style of Wike. Such complaints however have not done much to create visible division in the party. Therefore, the Wike-led PDP, which has posted significant developmental projects in the state, stands the chance of retaining the state unless there is a major crisis.
Zoning
Another major issue shaping discussions ahead of the governorship poll is zoning. The argument for rotation is strongly being advanced by the riverine parts of the state, dominated by the Ijaw ethnic nationality, which feels deprived from the administration of Rivers. The area has not produced the governor since the return of democracy in 1999.
Already, a coalition of over 40 Community Based Oganisations, (CBOs) under the auspices of the Rivers Unity Alliance (RUA) in collaboration with the Southsouth chiefs, elders and opinion leaders, has commenced a struggle for the emergence of a riverine governor in 2023. The ‘Project 2023 Riverine Governor,’ which was launched recently in Port Harcourt, attracted many important personalities from the State.
The Lead Convener, Charles Inko-Tariah, said the coalition, in conjunction with critical stakeholders were determined to ensure the emergence of one of the qualified persons from the riverine extraction as governor in 2023. He said: “We look forward to a credible, selfless and people oriented riverine governor come 2023. And for the record, we all know that the riverine people have them in abundance. It is only golden and patriotic that Rivers politicians collectively uphold this age-long sharing formula between the upland and the riverine.
Former House of Representatives member and one-time Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) boss Dr. Dakuku Peterside, while speaking on the agitation, said “I have always said that in developing democracies, rotation or zoning is one of the methods to promote inclusiveness and equity in the polity. If you have that at the back of your mind, deliberate effort must be made to give all geo-political zones in a state or country opportunity to participate at the top echelon of government.
“To that extent I believe the agitation of the riverine ijaws have merit just as the agitation for the presidency to shift to southern Nigeria has merit. Traditionally, rivers state have upland and riverine dichotomy. In the past 22 or 23 years, the upland part of the state produced all the governors, somehow to the exclusion of their riverine brothers. Personally I believe competence and character should be the most important factors in electing a governor and I also believe we can find riverine Ijaws with these competencies.”
But the people of Ogoni extraction are also laying claims to the governorship position ahead of the 2023 election. The Ogonis, who dominate Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana, local government areas believe that it is also their turn to produce the next governor of the state.
A monarch, Kadilo Kabari, recently urged other ethnic groups in Rivers State to give Ogoni the opportunity to produce the next governor come 2023. He said a governor of Ogoni extraction would balance the equation of zoning in the state. According to the monarch, “The quest for a Rivers state governor of Ogoni extraction is hinged on a tripod of justice, equity and fairness. It comes in two dimensions. Firstly, Ogoni is in the southeast of Rivers State. Politics in Nigeria cannot be divorced from the inclusive factor of zoning.
“The Rivers south-east has not produced any governor in Rivers state and Ogoni is in that senatorial district. They have not produced a governor, deputy governor, Speaker of the state assembly or even a chief judge since the creation of the Rivers State. While noting that the Ogoni have been marginalised for too long, he added that, “It is for this reason that we call on all other ethnic groups in Rivers state to consider and support us.
The aspirants
Since the PDP opened its doors for the sales of nomination and expression of interest forms, only Dr. Farah Dagogo, a member of the House of Representatives, had obtained the form. Dagogo, who represents Bonny-Degema Federal Constituency, hails from the riverine part of the state.
Other PDP aspirants serving in Wike’s are yet to show seriousness by resigning their appointments and obtaining forms. Others outside the government have yet to purchase the forms. Those, whose aspirations are in the rumour mill, include the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo. Others are Fred Obuah, Dum Dekor, Kingsley Chinda, George Sekibo, Lee Maeba, Austin Opara among others.
Outstanding among those said to have governorship interests in the APC is a former Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, who was the last governorship candidate of the party. Others said to be nursing governorship ambitions in APC are Dawari George, Magnus Abe and Tonye Cole.
Indeed, the governorship election is a make or mar poll for both Wike and Amaechi. While Wike needs to install his loyalist to avoid harassment and persecution after his tenure, Amaechi needs a member of his camp to win to regain relevance in the oil-rich state.