2019: Politicians to watch 2019: Wike plans for a comeback to Rivers’ Brick House
Though a first term governor, the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike was fully in the news in the days leading to the contentious national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with many speculating that he wanted a powerful National Working Committee (NWC) for them to work for his vice presidential by 2019. But it seems his target was exaggerated. From Victor Edozie, Port Harcourt
It’s no longer news that Governor Wike, alongside other forces played an unparalleled role in the emergence of the Prince Uche Secondus-led national executives of the PDP.
The initial thought was that Wike wanted to be Nigeria’s vice president at the end of the day but latter events suggested that he still sees better chances in staging a comeback as governor.
“The insinuation from many quarters that Wike is interested in the vice presidential slot is erroneous; he is a first term governor and would be very much interested in his second term,” a source from the Niger Delta said.
“Wike’s main concern before the election was to reciprocate the good gesture Secondus did to him when he (Secondus) was the deputy national chairman of the party in ensuring his emergence as governor, among other privileged things at the national level,” he said.
This assertion seems to be true because by his utterances and actions, as well as the disposition of those around him, the Rivers governor may have started preparing ground to be re-elected as executive governor for a second term come 2019.
Although he has about 18 months to complete his tenure, the governor is not giving anything to chance to retain his plum job.
Recent events in the state have pointed to the fact that Governor Wike, who added a sobriquet, ‘Mr Project’ to his name because of the massive infrastructural projects he initiated across the state, is not taking anything to chance to retain his position as the governor of the oil rich Rivers.
In the last couple of months, different groups and organizations took turns to visit the Brick House, Rivers State seat of power, to endorse the governor for the 2019 governorship election.
The groups, including professional bodies such as lawyers, labour unions, clergies, traditional rulers, former councillors’ forum as well as the forum of former house of assembly members, visited the government house where they “pleaded” with the governor to present himself for the 2019 governorship ticket.
In all the visits, the governor did not make any categorical statement if he actually wants to re-contest for the governorship election, a stand seen as very wise considering that INEC is yet to lift ban on political activities.
All he was telling his visitors was about delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
Last week, the forum of former Rivers State Lawmakers endorsed the governor for a second term in office. The former lawmakers premised the endorsement of the governor in what they described as his ‘state-wide roll out of projects and the excellent implementation of the New Rivers Development Blueprint.’’
The former Rivers lawmakers, who spoke during their solidarity visit to Governor Wike, stated that the forum had passed a vote of confidence on him.
Speaking through their leader, Senator Adawari Pepple, the group said, “We are convinced by the governor’s excellent performance that he should continue to lead Rivers State beyond 2019.
“Therefore, as a forum, we call on the Governor to present himself to contest the 2019 governorship election. We believe that the Rivers State governor deserves a second term,” he said.
He said that the performance of Governor Wike had promoted the image of Rivers State across the globe, leading to several prestigious awards.
The leader also commended the efforts of the Governor in ensuring that Prince Uche Secondus emerged as the national chairman of the PDP.
Governor Wike, in his response, stated that his administration will continue to deliver projects to all communities irrespective of their political affiliation.
He said the mandate of the people is an opportunity to serve, noting that he will always give the interest of the people a priority attention.
“We will never play politics with infrastructure. At present, we have ongoing projects in 22 out of the 23 local government areas. The remaining local government area will witness projects implementation by early next year,” he said.
One of the religious groups that have endorsed Governor Wike for second term in office is the leadership of Eckankar in the state.
The body led by its Nigerian and Regional Eck Spiritual Aide, Ifeatu John Areh, during their solidarity visit to the government house, said Governor Wike will govern Rivers State till 2023 because of what he described as the governor’s achievements.
He said Wike had put smiles on the faces of the people and that the state had experienced good governance under him.
Another group that has endorsed Wike for second tenure is the governor’s Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality.
The group in an address read on its behalf by the President-General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization Worldwide, Professor Simeon Achinewhu during their visit to the government house, stated that the endorsement is premised on his outstanding achievements.
Other Ikwerre Cultural groups that endorsed the governor included Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization Worldwide, Supreme Council of Government Recognized Ikwerre Traditional Rulers, Ikwerre Chiefs and Elders, Ikwerre Gospel Ministers Forum, Iwhuroha Women Association, Ikwerre Daughters National Congress, Ikwerre in Academia, Ikwerre in the Media and Okpo Club.
Governor Wike in his response assured the groups that he will continue to work for the development of all communities of Rivers State. He urged them to always work in defence of their democratic rights despite what he described as the antics of agents of the Federal Government.
Apart from various groups that have visited government house to endorse Governor Wike, he has initiated several developmental projects across the State that will serve as a spring bond for his second term in office.
Having succeeded in installing his political associate, Prince Secondus as the national chairman of PDP, the governor will not have any problem in getting the endorsement of the party delegates to fly PDP ticket in 2019 election.
As it stands, the governor is not likely to have any challenger in flying the PDP ticket in 2019 because all the party structures from the national to the State level is at his beck and call. Event watchers believes that Wike will be retuned unopposed during the governorship primaries.
And given the way the PDP structured its political position, it will be very difficult for Wike to contemplate going for the vice presidential ambition.
For now, Governor Wike’s greatest challenger in his return journey to Brick House in 2019 is the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.
Amaechi is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State; and being the immediate past governor of Rivers State who served for two terms, he is not contesting for governorship position.
But clearly, the former governor is rooting for a yet to be officially endorsed governorship candidate who will challenge Wike in the 2019 election.
But evidently, the APC in Rivers is presently engrossed in crisis over who will flag the party’s governorship flag in 2019. In all the visits, the governor did not make any categorical statement if he actually wants to re-contest for the governorship election, a stand seen as very wise considering that INEC is yet to lift ban on political activities
Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe are presently locked in a cold war over who fly’s the party’s governorship ticket. Abe represents Rivers South East in the Senate.
Dr Dakuku Peterside, the Managing Director of NIMASA was the party’s governorship candidate in 2015 election. When he lost the election to Wike, he was compensated with the NIMASA job. Amaechi seems not to be considering Peterside for 2019.
The names of Dumo Lulu Briggs, a Kalabari born industrialist and Prince Tonye Princewill are believed to be candidates that will get Amaechi’s endorsement.
Abe believes that he is the most popular candidate to give Wike a run for his money in 2019 governorship election and will not accept any thing less than that.
The development has caused a bad blood between Amaechi and Abe. The duo had enjoyed good political relationship in the past but the permutation on who gets the party’s ticket has divided the once political soul mates.
One person that seems to be benefitting from Amaechi and Abe political feud is Governor Wike. Most of Abe’s supporters are presently having secret romance with Wike, a situation that is not healthy for survival of the party as it concerns 2019.
Wike has of recent become a beautiful bride to the APC foes as he has continued to break the ranks of the APC chieftains in the state.
The Governor recently presented brand new SUV jeeps to both the APC and the PDP members of the National Assembly. Governor Wike claimed that the vehicles were given to the lawmakers to enhance their legislative works, but watchers in the state believe that Wike’s benevolence was just a Greek gift to lure the APC members to his side and decimate the strength of Amaechi.