By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The reappointment of Dr Tammy Wenike Danagogo as Secretary to the State Government by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, has continued to generate mixed reactions among the people of Kalabari ethnic nationality.
Danagogo hails from Abonnema, an ancient city in Kalabari Land and current headquarters of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
Many Kalabari indigenes have so far applauded his reappointment as SSG and have commended Governor Wike for the gesture. They see it as an attestation of the governor’s confidence and belief in their son’s ability to deliver as a technocrat and key partner of the New Rivers Vision.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo and Akuku-Toru Local Government chairman, Rowland Sekibo, are among the Kalabaris who have hailed the reappointment of Dr Danagogo as SSG.
However, there are some Kalabaris who do not seem to be impressed with the reappointment of Dr Danagogo as SSG.
Rather than see it as a good omen for the Kalabari Nation, they are reading a different meaning into it. They suspect that 2023 politics could be the reason for the reappointment of Danagogo and not the need for his administrative service.
A legal practitioner from Abonnema, who chose to speak under condition of anonymity, described the reappointment of Dr Danagogo as insignificant.
Speaking to TPCN on Sunday in Port Harcourt, in reaction to the reappointment of Dr Danagogo, the lawyer said: “I’m not impressed. I know some people are commending his comeback and thanking the governor, but for me it’s insignificant because it’s all politics. Why wait till now before reappointing him since after the primaries? I mean, if his services are considered very important, why wasn’t he returned immediately after the primaries? Why wait till two or three months after the primaries even when some persons have been appointed commissioners more than a month ago? If they value his contributions and the experience he has brought to bear in government since the past eight years, he shouldn’t have been treated the way he was treated.
“We all saw what transpired at the primary election where somebody of Dr Danagogo’s calibre got no vote outside Akulga delegates whereas he was the most popular contestant. And those nobody knew about got all the votes because they were anointed. We all saw it. Now, because they have seen that their candidate is not popular among our people, they have remembered to bring our best back into government in order to appease us and get our votes next year. For me that’s what informed this reappointment. This is my view and I stand to be corrected.”
Asked if he believes that Dr Danagogo’s reappointment will swing Kalabari votes to PDP’s favour in 2023, the lawyer said: “You see, Dr Danagogo has great respect among our people. He’s the most experienced and most decorated Kalabari politician alive today. And we respect him for that. Besides, he’s intelligent; he’s enlightened and he’s a seasoned grassroot politician, a one-time local government chairman, two-time commissioner, one-time minister before he now became SSG. And don’t forget that he’s a lawyer and PhD holder from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A man who has such intimidating credentials will naturally command his people’s respect. That’s the story of Dr Danagogo and his people – Kalabari people. So he can leverage on that relationship with his people and make things happen in an election and they know it. But we’ll see how it goes.”
In his own reaction, Mr Wiley Briggs, a business man, said the circumstances surrounding Dr Tammy Danagogo’s reappointment made it look like a politically-motivated after-thought.
“First, there was the clamour for a Kalabari-riverine governor and everybody saw Dr Danagogo as the best choice. But during the PDP primary, he was almost disgraced if not for the votes of delegates from Akuku-Toru. He didn’t get a single vote from any delegate outside Akuku-Toru, not even from Asalga and Degema delegates. What do you call that?
“Then, as new State excos were being constituted, he was not among the first to be recalled despite his wealth of experience. Maybe he wouldn’t have been returned if not for the negative impact they fear it could have on their party in Kalabari Land. That’s why I concur with those who say it’s an after-thought. I think the whole thing is political,” he said.
Although Dr Danagogo’s reappointment continues to generate mixed reactions among his kinsmen across the various political parties in particular and Rivers citizens in general, information at TPCN’s disposal indicate that he could fully resume work this week.
