Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The recent endorsement of the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs by the religious leaders and traditional rulers in Rivers State is allegedly giving serious headache to the governorship candidates of the two major political parties in the state, Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Arc. Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
TPCN learnt from a reliable source that the camps of both Wike and Cole see the endorsement of Lulu-Briggs by the religious leaders and traditional rulers as a signal that the people of the state may go for Dumo in 2019, given the goodwill he seems to be enjoying everywhere coupled with his philanthropy.
An insider in Wike’s camp revealed to TPCN that the governor is not taking the endorsement lightly and is doing everything possible to counter it by getting all the Christian bodies and the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers to endorse him, though on various occasions.
According to the source: “Governor Wike is not comfortable with that endorsement for Dumo Lulu-Brigs and very soon, you will hear that CAN, PFN and the state council of traditional rulers have adopted him. As for Tonye Cole, he is worried that the people of Kalabari are more comfortable with Dumo because they believe he has been with them and knows them very well unlike Cole who has been living abroad. So that adoption of Dumo by Kalabari traditional rulers is a message to Tonye Cole and he seems to have understood it clearly.”
On what makes him think that Christian bodies and traditional rulers, who are not supposed to be partisan, will endorse Governor Wike’s re-election, the source said: “Look, most of them are already backing him; he used to give them money to support them, both CAN and PFN, and also the traditional rulers. They’re supporting him secretly but what he wants to do now is to make them to declare that support openly just as those bishops and traditional rulers openly endorsed and adopted Dumo.”
Recall that the gubernatorial candidate of the Accord Party, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Sunday, received special prayers and endorsement from some religious leaders in Rivers State ahead of the 2019 elections.
Reverend Patrick Dandy of the All Souls Christian Centre and Bishop Prince Okparanta of the Power Generation Church International, showered blessings on the Accord Party Governorship Candidate during separate church services.
The clergymen described Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs as a modest governorship candidate, admonishing Rivers people to vote for credence and decency in the 2019 governorship election in the state.
Speaking to newsmen, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs emphasized the importance of religious leaders getting involved in enthroning good governance in Rivers State and Nigeria.
In a related development, Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs’ governorship ambition recently received a major boost as traditional rulers, chiefs and leaders of Kalabari adopted him as their choice.
The Kalabari traditional rulers made the endorsement after a crucial meeting in Port Harcourt.
In the resolution read by the Acting Regent of Ogurama Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Chief Dumo Johnny-Oruobu, and Chief Apadikiari Horsfall, the Kalabari leaders described Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the man that best suits the aspirations of the Kalabari people.
Chief Johnny-Oruobo added that Dumo Lulu-Briggs is the only candidate with a better understanding of the needs of Rivers people.
Responding to his endorsement, the Governorship candidate of Accord Party, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, said his decision to seek election into the office of the governor of Rivers State was not motivated by personal ambition but was about Rivers people and the desire to secure the future of the state.
The Amanyanabo of Okpo, His Royal Majesty, King Diamond Tobin-West, was the chairman of the august gathering and moved the motion that unanimously adopted Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the only governorship candidate known to Kalabari people.
