Wike and 2015 Governorship Race Though the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, is yet to declare his intention to contest the governorship election in Rivers State next year, many people know he wants to join in. Davidson Iriekpen examines Wike’s chances should he choose to run With less than one month to the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, aspirants are seriously jostling for the soul of the party and scheming to secure the party’s ticket. Though the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has not officially announced his intention to contest the governorship election in the state, it is now an open secret, going by his body language and the endorsements he has received, that he wants to vie. For Governor Chibuike Amaechi and other stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state, Wike’s participation in the governorship race seems to be a great nightmare. Expectedly, they would be willing to do everything in their power to stop Wike or ensure that he does not win if he contests. Contestants About 17 aspirants have so far indicated interest in the governorship race on the PDP platform. They include Senator Lee Maeba, former commissioner on the board of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr. Nimi Walson Jack, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Leyii Kwanee, Mr. Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Prince Tonye Princewill, and Mr. Emmanuel Georgewill. However, analysts this say this governorship set are in the race to either to cause confusion or for negotiation. ‘The Man the Cap Fits’ Wike is widely seen as the most suitable person that can steer the ship of PDP to success in next year’s governorship election. To many political observers in the state, as the director general of the Amaechi campaign organisation in 2011, and his Chief of Staff, Wike understands the workings of a successful election. Besides, he has been a rallying point for PDP in the state since after the internal crisis that resulted in the exit of the governor and some stakeholders of the party. While many of those now seeking to contest on the platform of the party were afraid to challenge Amaechi, Wike took up the challenge to stabilise the ship of the party through the instrumentality of the courts. The second step was the setting up of the Grassroots Democratic Initiative by Wike for grassroots mobilisation. Many people, including those in the state PDP, believe that the GDI has become more popular and better organised than the PDP itself in grassroots mobilisation. Today, the formidable nature of the political organisation is widely seen as a reflection of Wike’s leadership potentials. This, no doubt, explains why the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, decided to throw her weight behind his candidature. The first lady had at the marriage reception of a member of the House of Assembly, Hon. Evans Bipi, held at the Alfred Diette- Spiff Civic Centre, recognised Wike as the political leader of the state. She also pronounced Wike as the man that the cap fits in terms of the governorship post. Present in that sprawling hall where the event took place were political juggernauts in the state, like former governors Peter Odili and Rufus Ada-George, Chief Sergeant Awuse, former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives Austin Opara and Chibudom Nwuche. Endorsement To add to the minister’s political strength, virtually all the ethnic nationalities in the state have endorsed him for the 2015 governorship election. From Ikwerre to Ogoni, extending to Kalabari and other nationalities like Orashi kingdom, the minister undoubtedly enjoys enormous support among the people of the state. More than that, he does not seem to be resting on his oars. He believes that rather than anybody craving for allocation of political offices at the moment, people should imbibe the spirit of building a strong and virile party. Recently, the chairmen of PDP in the 23 local government areas of the state endorsed W ike for the party’s ticket. In a resolution signed by the 23 chairmen, under the platform of the Forum of PDP Local Government Chairmen, Rivers State, the group, however, said it recognised the constitutional right of every qualified PDP member to contest the governorship and other primary elections in the state. While analysts feel that the snag before Wike’s governorship ambition could be the fact that he is from Ikwerre like the incumbent governor, most people in the state tend to feel otherwise. The people believe the situation in the state currently is peculiar. PDP is not in power and if the party is to win the 2015 elections and take over the Government House, Port Harcourt, then it must field its best and most competent governorship candidate, irrespective of where he hails from, many in the state believe. Going by the governor’s explanation, if Ikwerre and other three local government areas alone can produce 1.1 million votes, with Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt controlling the swing vote, it means if Wike features in the election he will, no doubt, win. Challenge While addressing journalists recently at his Port-Harcourt residence, Wike dared all the governorship aspirants seeking to get the PDP ticket in the state, saying none of the aspirants can defeat him in their various wards. He said, “I read a lot of things where people say it is our turn to produce a governor. Assuming what they are saying is correct, does is stop another person from running? What it means is that you should face the person in an election. That is the important thing. Most of them who say it is zoned to them, can they win in their local government areas? “I can tell you that if I declare to run today, nobody, of all those that are clamouring that it is their turn, can defeat me in their wards. So, if you can’t beat me in your ward, which person’s zone do you want to use to win the election? For example, in Ogoni where we have Tai, Khana, Gokana and Eleme, those who want to run under PDP, which of them can beat me? “Come to the riverine area, those who want to run there, I hear one retired Major Anyanya, which one? He won’t beat me in his ward if I want to run. Come to Opobo, who wants to run? Come to Bonny, who wants to run? Come to Akuku-Toru; I read Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack says he wants to run; Walson-Jack, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Tonye Princewill, one Emmanuel Georgewill; which of them will beat me in their various wards if I want to run?” Experience Wike further said, “This is my game; I have been chairman since 1999. There is nobody that I don’t know in the various wards. You know that I headed the campaign of Amaechi in 2011. Is there any ward, any local government that I cannot call the politicians in each of the wards? I am not talking about the local governments, in each of the wards.” To give fillip to Wike’s political prowess, an elder statesman and chieftain of PDP in the state, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, recently cautioned those castigating the minister’s leadership role in the state. Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, Alabraba said, “Without Wike, the PDP would have been gone in the state. Amaechi practically took the structure of the PDP with him to the APC. When it happened, most members of the PDP felt dejected but did nothing until Wike rose up to keep the PDP intact in the state. “Most of those who are angling to run for the ticket of the party in 2015 are identifying with the party today because of its popularity in the state. But it is sad that they have chosen not to identify with the running of the party. It is not feasible to run for a party position when you do not identify with the running of the party. “How can you show interest to run on the platform of a party without contributing to its growth and development? They forget that we are running party politics. And for anyone to run on the platform of the party, he or she has to identify with the party. How can they achieve their ambition if they do not identify with the party?” Alabraba said concerning the aspirants on the PDP platform, “My advice to them is to come close to the party, identify with the party, contribute to the party, mobilise support for the party so that the party could be stronger to actualise their respective ambitions. They should also support the leadership of the party as it is today. Clearly, Wike has demonstrated unparalleled leadership that has taken the PDP to where it is today in the state.” ‘No Zoning’ Alabraba also expressed support for the decision of the PDP not to zone the governorship ticket to any section of the state, stating that it would aggravate, rather than douse, the tension in the state. He said, “If you zone it to the Kalabari area, what about the Ogonis, the Etches and other areas asking for the same ticket? We must realise that the PDP, as it is now, is going through a very peculiar situation which was unexpected by its members. We never expected that a governor elected on the platform of the party will defect to the APC. Therefore, what the party needs to do is to present the most saleable candidate at the gubernatorial polls in 2015. “I make bold to say that it is not in the best interest of our party to zone or limit the selection of a governorship candidate to any zone or senatorial district or ethnic nationality for that matter.” The choice of a governorship candidate is the biggest challenge PDP faces in Rivers State ahead of next year’s general election. How it handles this challenge may tell its fortune at the poll.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 07:14:02 +0000
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