Rivers 2015: Between Wike and Pidomson: The matter of who will be the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the gubernatorial election in Rivers State in 2015 is certainly going to be a major headache for the party. The reason is simple: Rivers State represents ‘mini Nigeria’ in the sense that Nigerians from all parts live here and it is the epicentre and bedrock of oil and gas operations in the country. The second reason why the choice of PDP candidate is going to be tough is because any mistake in this critical exercise can be catastrophic, given the fact that the state is currently under the rule of All Progressives Congress, APC, with all the advantages that go with incumbency. It follows, in my view, therefore, that the candidate to fly the party’s flag must be someone acceptable to the majority of the electorate at the general election, must not carry any ‘baggage’ or, in any way, associated with any skeleton in whatever form or shape. In writing this piece I decided to take a trip to Port Harcourt, even though I had lived and worked in the oil rich state for six and half years as a correspondent. For the race to the Brick House Port Harcourt, an acronym for the seat of power in Rivers State, there are over 14 persons at the last count who are interested in governing the state from 2015. They include Barrister Nimi Walson-Jack, Barrister Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, Senator Lee Maeba, Hon. Gabriel Pidomson, Chief Barrister Lulu Briggs, Professor Don Baridam, Major Lancelot Anyanya, Engr Beks Dagogo-Jack, Engr Sampson Ngerigbara, Hon. Pawariso Samuel-Horsfall, Mrs Abie Bob Abbey-Hart, Hon. Tonye Princewill, Hon. Georgewill, Brigadier-General Remeo Obene (rtd), Comrade Ateke Tom, Dr. Silva Opusunju, Captain Nwankwo, Hon. Bennard Mikko and Hon. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja. While all the aspirants may be qualified in their own rights, the sample opinion from all shades of persons showed that two aspirants are prominently chasing each other in the race for their party’s ticket and ultimately for the Government House. They are Hon. (Engr.) Gabriel Pidomson and Barrister Nyesom Wike. What then are the factors going for the aspirants, what are the odds that are in their favour or against and who is likely to blink? Some of the factors that will determine who bears the flag in the multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic state may include the old zoning arrangement between upland and riverine sections of the state, influences external to the state, party loyalty, etc. In the case of Chief Hon Barrister Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, the Honourable Minister of State for Education is a lawyer by profession, who went into politics in 1998, even while undergoing the one-year compulsory National Youth Service. After service, he moved straight into politics and is said to have abandoned law, his chosen profession and opted for politics. We can therefore say, without any fear of contradiction whatsoever that Wike has been in politics since 1998. His starting point was as the Chairman of his Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of the state, and from there became the Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, from where he was nominated by Governor Rotimi Amaechi to become a minister of the Federal Republic. Barrister Wike had been minister since 2011, and this appears to be his major credentials. Another important portion of Wike’s credentials is that he wrestled and succeeded in snatching PDP structure in the state from Governor Rotimi Amaechi, when an Abuja High Court ruled that Mr Felix Obuah, Wike’s crony is the State Chairman of the party. By this, Wike easily seized the party structure in Rivers State and has never concealed that he would put this structure to solid political advantage in future. And that is what he has done. Also touted as an advantage for Wike is the story that Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, ‘appears’ to tacitly prefer the minister as the next governor of the state, perhaps in appreciation of what is erroneously regarded to as ‘fighting her fight’ with Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Many, however, believe that what is considered Wike’s strength is, at the same time, his albatross, because of the circumstances that surrounded the emergence of Felix Obuah as the Chairman of PDP in the state. Many party faithful in Rivers State are still waiting to know what happened to the State Congress that produced the now abandoned Chief G.U Ake’s Executive Committee. The other problem Wike has, and this is really disturbing his Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI) camp, is the nagging issue of zoning. Several leaders of the PDP in the state are vehemently opposed to a situation where Wike, who is from Ikwerre nationality group as Chibuike Amaechi, will succeed him as soon as he vacates office in 2015. This is why till today, no other Ikwerre person has shown interest in the race for Rivers governorship in 2015, and this goes to confirm that Ikwerres as an ethnic group do not share in Wike’s ambition. A known and highly revered Rivers State elder, Chief Anabs Sara Igbe, former Special Adviser to former Governor Peter Odili on Security Matters said. “It will be injustice of the highest dimension for an Ikwerre man from the Rivers East Senatorial District to succeed his kinsman from the same District. Chief Sara Igbe will prefer either an Ogoni candidate from the South East Senatorial District or a Kalabari candidate along the line of upland/riverine dichotomy”. Alhaji Asari Dokubo is said to share the sentiments of Chief Sara Igbe on the issue. Similarly, the famous Human Rights activist, Ms Annkio Briggs, is vehemently opposed to an Ikwerre man taking over from Amaechi who is from Ikwerre. All these wise counsel are not likely to be ignored by all the political parties. Also agreeing with Sara Igbe is Mr Cycril Okey Nwakanwo, a Port Harcourt-based entrepreneur who said: “If PDP makes the mistake of giving Wike the governorship ticket, the party would reap inestimable protest votes from greater part of the state including the Ikwerres where Wike comes from. In fact, Governor Amaechi has vowed not to allow any Ikwerre son or daughter to succeed him. I believe we will not take the position of a greater number of Ikwerre people that Wike’s ambition is not an Ikwerre agenda for granted.” Wike’s chance is now very slim with the decision of PDP headquarters on Adamawa, where Nuhu Ribadu and others were unequivocally told to jettison their ambition for the simple reason that the governorship this time around is not for people from their zone. The meeting where this was conveyed to the aspirants was presided over by Senate President, David Mark while party Chairman, Adamu Muazu, the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and other members of the National Working Committee were in attendance. Hon Gabriel Pidomson is a former Secretary to Rivers State Government and a former lawmaker elected into the State House of Assembly (1999 to 2003), a graduate of the prestigious University of Warwick, where he bagged a Masters degree in Programme and Project Management with merit. Prior to studying at Warwick in the United Kingdom, Hon Pidomson, a quantity surveyor, had obtained two other masters degrees in Engineering Management (Civil) from the University of Port Harcourt as well as another Masters degree in International Management from the University of Liverpool. Certainly preparing himself for service to fatherland, Hon Pidomson added to his kitty, a Diploma in National Security from Galilee International Institute, Israel in 2013. With these intimidating credentials, little wonder why members of Rivers Vanguard for Good Governance travelled all the way to Bodo City, the home town of Hon Pidomson, to request the young and dynamic politician to deploy his wealth of experience in political engineering and management for service to fatherland. Hon Pidomson is currently a doctoral student of the famous Walden University USA where he is concluding his programme for a PHD in Management Information System. Apart from being adequately prepared for service, Hon Pidomson is ready to provide quality and transformational leadership in River State, provide sustainable rural infrastructure development, engage in building multi-disciplinary competence in industry and contribute to sustainable political development of Rivers indigenes by collaborating and cooperating with the Federal Government and other international organisations in changing the state and its people for good. Why should Hon. Pidomson be preferred over and above other aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? Comrade Dum Barile Nwibani provided the answer: “It is because Hon Pidomson is a bridge between the old and the young, and therefore properly positioned to deliver the state to PDP in the general election. He is young and dynamic. He is experienced just as he is ready to learn. He is respectful to elders and at home with the women and youths of the state. It is all these qualities that make him the choice of the electorate in the state.” Investigation revealed that the zoning arrangement favours him because he is from the Rivers South East Senatorial District that has not produced governor, from Ogoni with four local government areas. It is also on record that the Ogonis have not produced Deputy Governor or Speaker of the House of Assembly or Chief Judge of the State since the creation of the state in 1967, and the return of the present democratic dispensation in 1999. Pidomson’s advantageous position, which his close rival lacks, has created upset for those who believe they have party structure that guarantees for them the PDP ticket. In addition to the desire of PDP to adhere to the zoning formula in selecting who bears its flag in 2015, Hon Pidomson submitted to a mammoth crowd that accompanied him to the South-South rally organised by Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in Port Harcourt when he said, “I will operate a transparent and accountable public service that will respect and strictly adhere to all budgetary provisions, which I honestly believe constitute the beacon of good governance.” While Wike is swimming against the strong tide of unfavourable zoning arrangement, Pidomson enjoys a smooth sail because his senatorial district, Rivers South-East, is the bride of all the political parties in the state because it is the only zone or district whose turn it is to produce the next governor for Rivers state in 2015. Hon Pidomson’s ethnic group of Ken Saro Wiwa’s Ogoni people, are united in their determination to actualize their dream of producing the next Rivers State governor in 2015. •Adekoya, a Current Affairs Analyst, writes from Port Harcourt. Original link Read More goo.gl/shQynD (y) ✍comment ☏share
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 11:14:35 +0000