The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Rivers State, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, says he will donate his monthly salary and official allowances to widows in the state if elected governor in 2027.
Mr Lulu-Briggs made the pledge while speaking with journalists in Buguma, his hometown in Asari-Toru Local Government Area, during the unveiling of his campaign manifesto, ‘Reset Rivers State’.
The candidate said he drew inspiration from the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom he described as his political principal.
He said public office should be used to improve the lives of citizens rather than provide opportunities for political leaders to enrich themselves.
“When we have the opportunity to manage government resources, I can promise Rivers people that their every penny will be accounted for,” he said.
Mr Lulu-Briggs added that he would not retain his salary for personal use if elected.
“I’m sure I’m going to be like my principal, campaigning for President, Peter Obi. I will not even be asking for any salary. Every month, any salary will go into assisting one widow or the other,” he said.
The NDC candidate said he would also not depend on a government pension after leaving office, arguing that his private businesses would continue to provide for him.
“The way we have gone, there will be no need to even pension me because I’m sure that my businesses will still be running,” he said.
He said his proposed ‘Reset Rivers State’ agenda would focus on rebuilding public confidence, improving government institutions and ensuring that residents could access government opportunities without political connections.
Mr Lulu-Briggs criticised what he described as the excessive concentration of government activities and contracts at the Government House.
He promised to decentralise government operations and strengthen ministries so they could perform their responsibilities effectively.
He also pledged to introduce a system in which access to government programmes would depend on merit rather than political affiliation or connections.
The candidate said his administration would place greater emphasis on young people, human capital development and innovation, rather than relying heavily on the state’s natural resources.
On healthcare, Mr Lulu-Briggs promised to rehabilitate and equip Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across Rivers State and make them functional.
He said his administration would introduce incentives, including accommodation and hardship allowances, to encourage doctors, nurses and other health workers to accept postings to rural communities.
“If I have a doctor work in a primary health centre in Buguma or Abonnema or anywhere in the state, for instance, the doctor will have the reason to want to go there to work,” he said.
He added that the incentives could make rural postings more attractive to health workers than working in Port Harcourt.
“Indeed, we might make it attractive in such a way that you might find it more attractive to go and work in the rural areas than to stay in Port Harcourt,” he said.
While acknowledging the contributions of tertiary health institutions, including the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Mr Lulu-Briggs said the state needed to expand access to quality medical care and increase its nursing workforce.
He urged Rivers residents to support his campaign, promising to run a transparent administration and use the state’s resources to improve the welfare and living conditions of its people.
