BATTLE FOR RIVERS UPDATE: WIKE GOES FOR BROKE, ABE AWAITS ENDORSEMENT... by ANDYBRIGGS REPORTS Yesterday, October 15, Nyesom Wike the junior minister of Education, the Rivers PDP strongman and its leading and most controversial governorship aspirant resigned from the Federal Executive Council to focus on his gubernatorial campaign, putting an end to every speculation about whether he might run or not. He had boasted, some weeks ago that he would beat every guber aspirant in the PDP, if he decides to run. Now that he has decided to run! It is time to prove that he was not making an empty boast. In the rival party, the man perceived to be the antidote for Wike’s guber-grab, Senator Magnus Abe who also co-incidentally probably wielded almost as much influence as Wike in Governor Amaechi’s first term administration awaits Governor Amaechi’s endorsement to hit the campaign trail. Governor Amaechi is expected to back Abe or Peterside for the APC gubernatorial ticket. Unlike Wike and Peterside, Abe had not been stealthily building a network of loyalty, all over the state to advance his gubernatorial ambition. As far back as Amaechi’s first term Wike and Peterside had used their influence in the administration to entrench their men in the system while Abe to his detriment had limited himself to his senatorial responsibilities. Abe’s reluctance in the past to spin a network of loyalty all over the state by entrenching his people in the Amaechi administration is revealing especially as he no doubt had always been endowed with the intellect and creativity to do it better than his rivals. Was it as a result of his transparent relationship with the governor which entailed that he put the governor’s interest first in all political considerations? Though these principles have cost him quite a bit in popularity, it has entitled him to one of the most respectable record of service among Amaechi stalwarts. Hailing from one of the big ethnic groups in Rivers has been a major factor in Wike’s electoral calculations. He is definitely banking on the factor that his controversial governorship ambition would be very popular among the Ikwerre. This makes an Abe candidacy a necessity because his kinsmen the Ogonis are hell-bent on producing the next governor. Unless the PDP should present an Ogoni candidate, it would be a mistake for the APC not to seize the opportunity presented by having a high achieving Rivers candidate who happens to hail from Ogoni.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 11:49:29 +0000
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