By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Since Nigeria returned to democratic governance on May 29, 1999, she has witnessed an unbroken progression of six republics. The present republic, which is the sixth, will expire next year, precisely on the midnight of May 28, 2023. It will bring to 9 the overall total of Nigeria’s republics since 1963. Towards the end of each republic or political dispensation, elections are held to elect officers that will run the nation’s affairs at the state and federal levels. At the state level, the focus is always on the office of the governor, which is the apex position.
Already, activities towards next year’s general elections have commenced, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releasing the election timetable, registration of voters ongoing and some political parties fine-tuning plans for their state and national congresses. Those interested in contesting for governorship positions in various states have also started declaring their intentions while some are still consulting.
In Rivers State, the story is not different as declarations have been made in some quarters while posters have appeared in some others. Also, the body language of some politicians in the state is giving political analysts an inkling of where their interests could tilt in next year’s elections. As part of its contribution to public enlightenment and healthy political development in Rivers State, TPCN, in this analysis, objectively looks at the chances and challenges of the various individuals who have either declared their intentions to run for the 2023 governorship election in the state or are expected to do so in the next few months.
Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs
From 1999 when he cruised into the political scene by contesting for the senate, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs has remained in the political limelight of Rivers State. However, after the failed senatorial bid in 1999, he shifted his gaze to the governorship and from 2023 till date, has been in the race. But his aspiration usually ended at the primaries until the last dispensation of 2019 when he emerged as the governorship candidate of the Accord Party and fully contested in the governorship election that was later won by the incumbent, Nyesom Wike.
Roughly five weeks ago, Dumo, again, declared his intention to run for the 2023 governorship election. He made the declaration while speaking to journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. On paper, Dumo is one of the brightest governorship aspirants given his well-articulated, holistic development-focused manifesto which he presented to Rivers people the day his party handed him the flag to contest in the 2019 governorship election. If during his campaign rallies, he is able to communicate his ideas – as detailed in his manifesto – to the people in the language they understand, he could garner more support. His popularity in Rivers State, especially among the youths many of whose lives he has allegedly touched through his Foundation, could prove to be another support booster if well explored.
In Nigeria, today, running for an elective office requires money and Dumo Lulu-Briggs can boast of having it. He is the chairman of Platform Petroleum. Moreover, his riverine roots could be an added advantage if current agitations for a riverine governor receives official consideration. But the challenge here is Governor Nyesom Wike’s insistence that he will not anoint anybody as his successor just because of the person’s ethnic background, which means that being a riverine governorship aspirant will not be a guarantee for a ticket to the Brick House. This implies that a massive campaign to win the support of Rivers people and residents will be very essential and this might pose another challenge to Dumo who some believe does not have a strong structure. He has often been accused of concentrating most of his campaigns in Port Harcourt while some claim that his campaigns appear more like roadshows rather than real field rallies that political campaigns are known for.
Without a strong structure with branches in the various LGAs, such field rallies will be difficult to hold. Perhaps the DLB, Dumo’s support group, needs to brace up to the occasion.
Dr Tammy Wenike Danagogo
If there’s any living Kalabari man who has enjoyed a robust political career – having passed through some of the essential executive cadres of governance – it is Dr Tammy Wenike Danagogo.
Presently the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr Danagogo has served as chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, commissioner for urban development and minister of sports before his appointment as SSG in 2019 by Governor Nyesom Wike. As soon as he was appointed SSG, rumours started making the rounds that he could be the next governor. Although the rumours have died down, the fact remains that Dr Tammy Danagogo is a possible governorship aspirant in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Rivers State. Should he decide to contest, one good factor that will brighten his chances is his experience. It is not in doubt that he has got that in abundance, given the offices he has held in the course of his political journey. In terms of personal qualities, his intelligence, humility, loyalty and enlightenment speak volumes and could be explored as selling points. Also, his riverine roots might add to his advantages by swelling his support base. However, one factor that might pose a challenge to his ambition is his people’s perception of his impact. TPCN gathered that many of them believe he has not done much in terms of empowering them in the area of human capital development. But they will quickly admit that it was under his reign as SSG that key projects, including the long-desired Trans-Kalabari road, were attracted to Kalabari Land. Another factor that might prove to be a hurdle is his popularity rating among other ethnic groups in Rivers State. Many believe he is not making enough inroads to other areas apart from the Kalabari-riverine axis. To this school of thought, having a strong structure that subtly reaches out to both the riverine and upland grassroots with one programme or the other would have been a good strategy to create more goodwill for Dr Tammy across the 23 LGAs of the state, given his position. This school of thought regrets that the Kengema Se-Kobiri, which should have played that role, is not doing enough.
Bro. Felix Amaechi Obuah
Aptly nick-named Go Round because of his prodigious, merry-go-round giving habit, Bro Felix Amaechi Obuah is one of the most popular politicians in Rivers State at the moment. This places him in a vantage position to run for the office of governor in 2023. A general view of most Rivers people is that the ONELGA-born politician has what it takes to pull massive support if he decides to run. Quick pointers are his achievements as chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which include leading the party to two consecutive gubernatorial victories in 2015 and 2019 and successfully working with Gov. Wike to reposition the PDP as the strongest and most influential political party in the state. Bro Obua’s philanthropic gestures in his native ONELGA (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area) and other parts of Rivers State are usually cited as one of his greatest selling points.
He is said to enjoy a lot of goodwill among Rivers people irrespective of their ethnoreligious and political differences because of his non-tribalistic disposition. Political pundits see that goodwill as an asset that could speak volumes if Bro Felix Obuah decides to run for the office of governor in 2023.
Another edge the tall, dark-complexioned sole administrator of the Rivers Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) seems to have over other would-be PDP governorship aspirants is his stake in the party. Some of his supporters argue that he deserves to be accorded the right of first refusal when deciding who gets the party’s governorship ticket, given his contributions to the party. How tenable that argument is will be seen in the events leading to the 2023 gubernatorial battle. His stake in the PDP notwithstanding, Chief Felix Obuah also has the experience, having been chairman of ONELGA, chairman of PDP and IPAC (Rivers chapters), current sole administrator of RIWAMA and a successful businessman. All these, including the fact that he is very rich, underscore his rating as being on top in terms of capacity, compared to other possible aspirants.
However, despite his favourable rating, the greatest challenge the soft-spoken Mbaanabaragu 1 of Orashi Region might face is how to convince the riverine people, who believe it is their turn to produce the next governor of the state, to support him. If that hurdle could be crossed, the race will simply be a ‘carry go’ for Go Round.
Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside
Known for his gentle appearance and peaceful mien, this Opobo-born Rivers State University of Science and Technology (now Rivers State University)-trained Engineer has, in recent times, carved a niche as the strongest voice of opposition in Rivers State, keeping the ruling PDP on its toes with harsh criticisms on regular basis. Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, a former works commissioner and House of Representatives member during the administration of then-Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State Chapter, in 2015. Not long after losing that governorship election to his PDP opponent, Barr Nyesom Wike, he was appointed Director-General of NIMASA, a position he held for about five years. There is no doubt that Dr Dakuku’s five-year stint at the top echelon of NIMASA has increased his administrative capacity, an achievement considered as one of his strongest points. This is coupled by the leadership experience he is believed to have acquired from his former positions as commissioner, governorship candidate and House of Representatives member.
Coming from a riverine background also gifts an advantage to Dakuku. Opobo is purely an island surrounded by water. At a time agitation for a riverine governor seems to be on the high, the APC could use that as bait to lobby for votes from riverine members of other political parties should they decide to choose Dakuku as their 2023 governorship candidate.
If that happens, that is, if Dakuku emerges as the APC governorship candidate, the money with which to finance the project will not be a problem, as he is believed to be financially buoyant. As one analyst put it: “You can’t head NIMASA for five years and not be rich.” As boosting as financial buoyancy could be for a gubernatorial project, it might not have the same impact that could accrue from federal support. Termed in Nigerian political parlance as ‘federal might’, insinuations are high in some quarters that anybody the APC adopts as its governorship candidate will enjoy such support. Peddlers of this insinuation cite the 2019 scenario in Rivers State when the federal minister of transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led APC, despite not contesting in the election, adopted and mightily backed then-candidate of the AC, Engr Awara. The support allegedly enabled little known Awara to give the PDP a run for their money. If an already popular Dakuku Peterside is availed with similar support in 2023, his opponents will need extraordinary to scale through. Besides this, a grey hair in his governorship quest will be his scorecard to Rivers people deemed by many as poor. The general opinion among the people is that his headship of NIMASA did not rub off on the economy of their state, especially in the maritime sector. And the opposition has severally used this to counter his criticisms. Therefore, how to convince his people that Governor Dakuku will not be like a Director-General Dakuku could be his challenge of the century.
Senator Magnus Ngei Abe
One of the finest politicians to come out of Rivers State in the past three decades, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has defied all odds to continuously demonstrate, uphold and preach politics without bitterness once advocated for by Alhaji Waziri.
Given the circumstances surrounding his emergence as a factional leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State and the lingering feud between him and the minister of transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, keen watchers may have thought that raining abuses on his former boss would become a daily routine for Senator Abe as it would have been for some other politicians. But the Gokana-born former federal legislator decided not to toe that path of bitter politics. When he criticises, he does it constructively. This display of maturity has endeared him to many, earning him goodwill even among the opposition. Any politician that enjoys the goodwill of the people will always give his opponents a run for their money in an election. This could be a plus for Abe. Another thing going for him is experience. Like Obuah, Danagogo and Dakuku, Sen. Magnus Abe has, no doubt, acquired leadership experience through the various positions he has held in the past. Being a state legislator, a commissioner, a secretary to state government, a red chamber federal legislator and a factional leader of a political party with thousands of followers has surely exposed him to the dynamics of public office administration. A multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious state like Rivers, with a cosmopolitan city as capital, will require an experienced leader as governor and the electorate know this. This puts Sen. Magnus Abe in good stead if he decides to run for the 2023 governorship.
Another advantage he could leverage on is his people’s support. The Ogonis have always agitated for their fair share of the governorship slot, reminding those who care to listen how they have been marginalized and oppressed despite contributing immensely to the economy of Nigeria and Rivers State. That agitation has not waned and Abe could cash in on it to seek for sympathy support although it risks being dwarfed by the riverine agitation, as the governorship race progresses. Thus, contending with the riverine aspirants and convincing their people to support him instead of their own sons, will not be an easy task for Abe.
The emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a presidential aspirant under the APC platform is seen as a good omen for Sen. Magnus Abe. Both men are said to have a father-son relationship. With Tinubu reportedly having enough funds to execute his presidential project, Abe might therefore not need to look far for financial support as Tinubu’s war chest could extend a cover for him. However, while Abe’s chances emit some modicum of brightness, his factional party leader status and inability to resolve his differences with his former leader, friend and now factional party leader counterpart, Chibuike Amaechi, could be a light dimmer to those chances. This is because the Amaechi faction reportedly has more members and it is usually suicidal to go to war with a divided house.
But there’s a glimmer of hope in some quarters that a reconciliation between the two factions might not be totally ruled out since nothing is impossible in politics. The setting up of a committee charged with the responsibility of reconciling all aggrieved members of the party has been described by many as a step in the right direction. Rivers people are watching.
Architect Tonye Dele Cole
Generally perceived as an untainted greenhorn in practical politicking then, Architect Pastor Tonye Dele Cole’s first shot at a governorship race exposed him to the realities of rugged, rural Rivers politics. That was in 2018, when he vigorously campaigned in the rural areas for his governorship ambition, going as far as Kula and its surrounding towns, including shipping ports located near their borders with Nembe. These campaign trips to the hinterwaters, made with speed boats, proved Tonye to be a true Rivers home boy contrary to previous opinions about his being a township “Ajibo” boy. Rumoured to be a confidant of transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Abonnema-born Co-Founder of Sahara Group, a Lagos-based multinational, was to fly the flag of the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 governorship election. But his dream could not materialise, as the APC ended up not fielding a candidate in the election – a fallout of the rugged Rivers politics. After that botched first attempt, the tall, handsome businessman returned to his Eko base and has virtually remained in the coolers politics-wise ever since. Whether Tonye Cole will resurface to try his luck for the second time in the 2023 governorship race is what TPCN is yet to fathom. Should he decide to, his riverine background, robust relationship with the leader of his faction of the Rivers APC, his ability to communicate with the people in the common language they understand -Pidgin English – (he spoke more of it during his campaigns in 2018), his rumoured financial buoyancy, assistance to traders whose shops were gutted by fire at the Ogbunabali Fruit Garden Market, his seeming untainted status and personal charm, are factors that might provide him with a soft landing and help push his cause far.
However, recoiling into one’s shelf and being in political limbo for close to four years after a first attempt does not speak well of a governorship aspirant who wants to be taken seriously. This, and the inability to maintain a personal political structure in Rivers State might end up being Arc. Tonye Dele Cole’s gubernatorial ambition’s albatross.
Hon. Austin Opara
A 4th Republic Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chief Austin Opara has, since leaving office in 2003, sustained his reputation as one of the most respected politicians in Rivers State. His character, consistency and civilised, mature style of politics in an era marked by a proliferation of defections, hate speeches and do-or-die politicking have not only expanded his influence and goodwill among his PDP family but have also helped him to maintain a pedigree higher than those of his peers. For a governorship hopeful, that is a potential advantage.
His loyalty to the PDP and his superiors in the party is said to be unequalled. For instance, the records have it that in 2007, he was the most popular PDP governorship aspirant in Rivers State and was expected to clinch the party’s ticket during the primaries before being forced to step down at the eleventh hour for then-Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Staying put in the party after such a heart-breaking, last-minute denial is seen by many as a sign of great loyalty. A home-bred politician, Hon. Austin Opara is said to have a very strong structure that is always available whenever he needs its services. The imperativeness of a good structure in the promotion of its principal’s cause, especially in a governorship quest, is incontestable. If he decides to run for the 2023 gubernatorial election, one major setback he will have is the Ikwerre/Upland Factor. From 1999 to date, the Uplanders have produced four governors, three of who are Ikwerre. And this has been a bone of contention in the state and the basis of the agitation by the riverine people. An Austin Opara Governorship Project will therefore not strike a sweet chord in the ears of the riverine people. Winning their support and votes is a ‘feat’ that will require Rivers journalists going for hunting in the thick forests of the English Dictionary to search for the right adjective with which to describe it.
Mr Victor Fingesi
An epitome of the middle class though no longer in his middle age, Mr Victor Fingesi still has the muscle to run for the 2023 governorship. Silent for a while, the Okrika-born politician may have been fine-tuning his strategies while waiting for the appropriate time to launch out, that is, if he decides to contest, notwithstanding his disappointing outing in 2019. Although his party, the Action Democratic Party (ADP), had some challenges in the immediate past dispensation, indications are rife that he is still in charge and may still clinch ADP’s guber ticket.
Fingesi is needed in the Rivers governorship race even if his chances look slim. He bridges the glaring wide gap between the elderly and the young, the conservatives and the progressives and represents the harmony between the old and new schools of thought. Thus, the clean-shaven, simple-looking, 2nd Republic nostalgia-evoking politician provides the much-needed balance that appears to be missing in Rivers politics in recent years. This is where he holds an ace and is likely to have an edge over the other aspirants.
If he eventually joins the race and begins his campaign, remnants of the middle class, senior citizens, civil servants and youths raised from these backgrounds will surely give him attention and that could make a difference for him. But political campaigns are funds-consuming and Victor Fingesi is not known to be a money bag. Inability to mobilise resources or get a sponsor to finance the project will put a cog in his governorship ambition’s wheel of progress. His party, the ADP, like most other new parties, has been on sabbatical for three years despite gaining some popularity in the last dispensation. Allowing such popularity to wane soon after the 2019 general election is a dangerous gamble that could hurt his party in 2023. It can also affect Fingesi’s smooth take-off. The riverine agitation is also another factor that will rear its ugly head against his governorship bid. Hence, the earlier he starts dealing with these challenges from this preliminary stage, the brighter his chances of making a meaningful impact in the 2023 governorship election.
Hon. (Arc.) Eniye Mason-Braide
Hon. Eniye Braide reminds one of former US president, Barack Obama in his carriage, charisma and charm. When he speaks about his vision, just like the day he formerly declared for the 2019 governorship election somewhere in Old GRA, Port Harcourt, under the platform of African Democratic Congress, one could easily notice elements of Obamaism in his brilliance, oratory, sound, well-articulated presentation and general simplicity. Meet him dorning a white long-sleeved shirt, black trousers and black shoes to match, coupled with his height and neatness and you will think the Kenyan-born first black president of the United States has a twin brother in Rivers State. Hailing from Degema, a town that has a community named Obuama, adds a mysterious undertone to the coincidence while a report by a Port Harcourt-based Newspaper in 2008 tracing Barack Obama’s roots to Obuama Community lends more curiosity. However, as whimsical as certain coincidence-induced fantasies could be, one glaring fact about Eniye Braide that can neither be dismissed nor wished away is that he emits auras of civility, decency and gentility.
A major challenge during his 2019 governorship race was the lack of a strong structure to promote his cause. The Divine Project Team (DPT), which he leads, may have tried its best in terms of moral and spiritual support but structured as more of a prayer team, its best was not enough, as players don’t win elections. If the DPT wants its leader’s dream to become a reality, it should be ready to do more of fieldwork, the reason being that elections are won in the field and not in prayer houses. Indeed, low publicity and inability to hold campaign rallies limited his reach to the electorate. Still a potential aspirant, it is likely that he will run again for 2023. But if appropriate arrangements are not made to close past loopholes, Hon. Eniye’s involvement in the 2023 guber race might still be fraught with the same challenges. Nonetheless, it is important to point out that the federal lawmaker’s riverine background might present some advantages.
Dr Dax Alabo George-Kelly
Currently, in his second consecutive appointment as Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on Special Projects, Dr Dax Alabo George-Kelly is a likely contender for the office of the governor of Rivers State in 2023. Though one of the youngest members of Governor Wike’s cabinet, Dax is rumoured to be among the hottest brains and part of the engine room of the government. A quantity surveyor by profession, he has continued to discharge his official duties with diligence and a sense of commitment, ensuring that appropriate technicalities are effected to facilitate the execution and completion of projects in record time, thereby helping to sustain the developmental legacies of his boss – Mr Project. Many believe that his recent appointment with the Board of Trustees of Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI), Governor Wike’s pet project and structure, was in appreciation of his efforts. Humble, loyal, unassuming and religiously dedicated to his duty, the Buguma-born politician’s body language has not provided any signal concerning his governorship interest. But TPCN has gathered from reliable sources that many Kalabaris have pencilled him down as one of their governorship hopefuls. Further investigation by TPCN revealed that his demonstration of capacity on all fronts, alleged generosity and willingness to support developmental causes are some of the qualities that endeared him to his supporters. This means that the tall, lanky icon of the George-Kelly Dynasty has a clear coast waiting if he decides to run for the governorship in 2023. He is also said to have a strong structure that is well oiled with regular incentives to its members. But aside from these seeming ‘favourable’, Alabo’s greatest challenge will be how to contend with the towering influence of Dr Tammy Danagogo, seen as the would-be first choice PDP Kalabari guber aspirant. A governorship aspiration by the duo will certainly initiate a healthy rivalry where intra-extra scorecards might turn out as determinants of where the pendulum will swing to, which is, of course, part of the beauty of democracy. But that scenario could also end up splitting the Kalabari PDP into two groups momentarily or throw them into a dilemma of indecision. How such a dilemma will eventually be resolved could make a Nollywood Blockbuster that lovers of democracy can’t wait to watch.
Ambassador Sobomabo Jackreece
A former Niger Delta freedom fighter and beneficiary of the Nigerian Government’s Amnesty Programme, Amb. Sobomabo Jackreece has already declared on paper his intention to contest for the Rivers State governorship election in 2023. His posters have started flooding major roads in Port Harcourt. Though no longer a neophyte in political administration, having once served as caretaker committee chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, many still believe he does not have adequate experience to govern Rivers State, given the plethora of challenges associated with governance at that level. Young, strong, bold, vibrant and courageous, Sobomabo has, in the last ten years, successfully rebranded and transformed himself into a philanthropist, community developer and good governance advocate. TPCN’s checks showed that he has touched many lives through his non-governmental organization, Niger Delta Democracy for Good Governance (NDDGG). These achievements will be his campaign vibes if he proceeds with his governorship ambition. Of late, Sobomabo has championed the agitation for a Kalabari-Riverine governorship and has become the most vociferous critic of the Wike administration after the likes of APC chieftains, Dakuku Peterside and Chris Finebone. In the process, he has attracted more attention and relevance to himself and the riverine cause. Despite the reservations some people might have about him, the former Asalga CTC Chairman is not pretending that he is out for the battle. And the impact such display of courage could have in an electoral race, in addition to the benefits of having a strong structure such as the Kengema Unity Forum, should not be under-estimated. Be that as it may, the governorship race will not be a bed of roses for Sobomabo, being a first-timer. Mobilising the funds to prosecute the project is a challenge he will have to deal with. But, even if he has the funds, getting the Rivers electorate to trust him with their votes will also prove challenging. Perhaps he may have to do more rebranding to achieve that.
Hon. Dr Dawari George
A former commissioner and House of Representatives member, Dr Dawari George comes clean as a fair-minded, easy-going politician. Always a safe player, he has managed to keep away from bitter politicking irrespective of sticking with the Amaechi faction of the Rivers APC. While he has not made any statement or acted in a manner that suggests he will be interested in running for the office of governor in 2023, rumour merchants believe he could be in the race. They are convinced that his loyalty, easy-going nature and peaceful disposition could earn him his party’s endorsement to run for the governorship. If this rumour is anything to go by, then Dawari must brace up for the challenges ahead, the greatest of which is likely to be how to pacify all aggrieved members of his party and, if possible, unify the two factions. Saddled with that mandate already by his party, how to deliver it will surely be his acid test.
Engineer Biokpomabo Awara
Engineer Awara’s sudden emergence as the leading candidate in the 2019 governorship election in Rivers State sent shock waves down the spines of Rivers residents, especially members of the PDP. Hitherto unknown in Rivers politics, Awara’s electoral heroics were only made possible by the heavy backing he received from the minister of transport, Chibuike Amaechi, whose party, the APC, had adopted the Akulga-born greenhorn as its candidate, despite the latter representing another party, the AAC, as the APC had earlier been knocked out of the race by the court. Those in the know suspect that Amaechi’s decision to use Awara to give the Rivers PDP a scare during that election was in fulfilment of his earlier warning of a titanic showdown with the PDP, given at the Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta, during a historic APC rally, and driven home with the singing and dancing of the famous but rare Igbo warriors’ song of “Onye Abiala Ng’anyi Eji Aw’anya; Onye Ujo Abiala Ng’anyi Eji Aw’anya.” The rest is now history. But permutations are not yet clear on whether Engr Awara will have a similar luck smile at him in 2023. Rivers residents are keenly watching as events unfold. The fact remains that unpredictable occurrences cannot be ruled out in politics.
Conclusion
We plead with all potential governorship aspirants to understand that politics is not a do-or-die affair but an exercise that should be geared at promoting development, peace, progress and harmony in society. As Rivers politicians file out for the 2023 guber contest, we urge them to remember Former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s historic, globally applauded statement:
“My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.”
We implore Rivers governorship aspirants to kindly domesticate this statement thus:
“My ambition is not worth the blood of any Rivers man or woman.”
TPCN wishes all the would-be 2023 Rivers governorship aspirants well.
