Delegates cry foul...over new list

There is growing tension in Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, even as the Party is set to conclude its congresses ending with that of the governorship which is actually the main reason for the uneasy calm in the State. The recent entrance of some members of the Odili kitchen cabinet into the highly coveted race has not only altered the permutations of political analysts who were of the view that Gov. Peter Odili would anoint his successor. On Wednesday, November 29, 2006, the likes of Sir G.T.G. Toby, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, Chief Austin Opara and Dr. Abiye Sekibo  all considered as the real contenders went ahead to pick their forms of interest for the governorship race in Rivers State. This was after a long period of waiting which had given rise to varied speculations and all shades of opinions by their enthusiastic followers, supporters and admirers. It was said that the governor actually asked them to pick the forms, there is no official confirmation of the report even though it was also expected that these people would be in the race.

This arrangement is said to somehow balance the Upland/ Riverine divide of the state as Amaechi and Opara come from the Ikwerre area which is Upland while Sekibo and Toby are from the Riverine areas of Okrika and Opobo respectively. In all, there are more aspirants from the Riverine area if the likes of Briggs, Horsfall, Martyns Yellowe, Charles Dokubo and Levi Braide are to be taken seriously. The main contention as the aspirants go for screening is on who would step down for the other as they jostle for the votes of 14,000 delegates from the 23 Local Government areas. Meanwhile there are indications that the list of the delegates to vote on Saturday’s primaries has been altered invariably to favor the aspirations of a particular candidate.Rumors making rounds say the delegates are preparing for a showdown if they be shortchanged on the day of the primaries. The Beam checks reveal that a similar scenario which took place during the party’s ward congress if not checked may play itself out again. It was reported that prior to the congress at the ward levels, the State chapter of the PDP under the ‘sole’ leadership of Prince Uche Secondus had gone ahead to publish a list of returning officers allegedly said to be in favor of the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Austin Opara. This was said to have sparked off series of protests which almost resulted to the burning down of the Party Secretariat if not for the timely intervention of the security agencies that had put a call through to the state governor who was already at Ndoni for the congress. The governor who rushed back was said to have been angry with the action of the Party as such he called a meeting of the Local Government Party Chairmen and asked them to act as returning officers for the election. Thus, what would have resulted to a major crisis was averted even though those desperate to manipulate the results devised another strategy which was to cancel the results in areas where their preferred candidate lost grip.

What is most worrisome is that instead of the leadership of the party to create a level playing field and support any candidate who emerges since they all belong to the same party, rather it has resorted to dividing the party along two camps. The Amaechi group is said to be worst hit as reports have it that the Party Chairman is rather disposed towards having Opara as governor as that would be easy for him to plant his cousin, former Commissioner Tele Ikuru as  Opara’s running mate. Ikuru was sacked from the State Executive Council after a long period of six years for an alleged fraud in his Ministry. Sekibo, who before now was larger than life courtesy of his position as Minister for Transport, a more than lucrative Ministry, may not be finding it an easy ride to power as he was initially in support of Opara in a bid to whittle down the influence of Amaechi especially within the Ikwerre bloc. A long time ally of the governor, the medical doctor turned politician may have shot himself in the foot by his earlier support for Opara who prior to now, was not on the cards as being a major factor in the game.Unconfirmed reports say Sekibo has urged Opara to step down for him since he (Opara) does not have much support except in two Local Government areas of Port Harcourt and Eleme. But another supporter of Opara who called in to our office and claims to be his campaign manager countered the report. He told us that Sekibo had endorsed Opara’s form and may finally step down for him since according to him; the questionable circumstances under which Sekibo was removed from the Federal Executive Council may be his greatest albatross if he eventually becomes the flag bearer of the party. Another interesting aspect of the whole saga is the Party Chairman’s alleged switch over of support for Sekibo since the camp became divided. This is said not to have gone down well with the supporters of Opara.

Meanwhile, as they prepare for the screening of the governorship aspirants, there are indications that four of the major contenders may be disqualified on account of their alleged support for cultists in the state. It would be recalled that some of them have been accused of being sponsors of some militia groups like Ateke Tom and Elegam Face which were responsible for series of crisis that engulfed the state in the past. Unfortunately, it was difficult to prosecute the sponsors as they hid under the cloak of government. Reports say that if any of these persons emerges, the opposing parties may raise the matter and use it for the process of having them disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Despite whatever strategies the aspirants and their sponsors adopt, in all, the governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state and as the leader of the party, would be in a better position to choose the right successor who would not only consolidate on his legacies but would be a unifying factor.