BRICK HOUSE 2007: Amaechi,  Austin Opara Their new fears

Though actual campaigns for the race to take over the plum job of the Rivers Sate governor are yet to properly take off as the perceived contenders in the dominant People’s Democratic Party are waiting for the party’s guidelines, there have been nocturnal meetings amongst various groups as they strategise towards the forthcoming general elections. Despite the perceived silence by the major aspirants who would prefer not to go against the orders from above, one issue of serious concern which many may wish away is the issue of the Upland/Riverine dichotomy which seems to be the mantra of some of the aspirants and their supporters especially those of the Riverine stock. Amongst the earliest contenders who have somewhat made their intentions known are Senator  Ibiapuye  Martyns-Yellowe, Chief David Briggs, Alabo Paworiso Samuel-Horsfall who come from the Kalabari-speaking area of the state. Though, the constitution makes provision for rotation of powers among the senatorial zones, in which case the present occupant of the Government House (Brick House), Gov. Odili belongs to the same senatorial zone with the Kalabaris, these crop of aspirants are leaving no stones unturned in their clamour for power to shift to the Riverine area. They argue that Odili’s home, Ndoni in Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area is upland and at the expiration of his tenure, the upland would have occupied the position for eight years. As such they are putting up a spirited fight, thus making the battle fierce for the duo of Austin Opara and Chibuike Amaechi who both hail from the Ikwerre stock, an upland ethnic group considered the largest in the state though have never had a shot at the exalted position. Amaechi, a student of the Odili political school of thought and a two-time Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, adjudged the best under the present dispensation, is supposedly leading the campaign for a governor from the Ikwerre ethnic nationality. He is not alone in this battle, though having succeeded in re-positioning the Ikwerres who in the past were inclined towards the opposition.

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I will retain EFCC, If Elected – Atiku Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reiterated his commitment to the war against corruption when he said that if elected into power in 2007, he would retain the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), having been one of those who mooted the idea and sourced for funds and loan for the initial take-off of the Commission. Atiku whose political future has been on the decline said this while speaking on the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Commission (BBC) that he was not perturbed by the alleged investigation of his accounts by the Nuhu Ribadu led EFCC. He said, “I am in support of EFCC investigating me; I am not ruffled by EFCC’s investigation because I have nothing to hide and have not done anything incriminating”. Continuing, he said, “if I become President, I’ll retain EFCC, definitely. If you observed, I was one of those who assisted in the establishment of EFCC. Because, when EFCC was established, there was no take-off grant. I went to source for money and gave them as loan for them to take-off without waste of time”. The Vice President who also spoke on his presidential ambition said he was not going to step down for neither of the two former Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babahgida and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari both retired, despite the mutual understanding he has with both men. Atiku also said he would soon make known the party platform on which he would contest the 2007 elections. He admitted having his supporters in the Advanced congress of Democrats (ACD) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and many other parties. The Vice President also threatened to expose a lot of things once he formally declares his intent to run. According to him, the disclosure would send shock waves through the nation and the entire world, “When I come out to contest the Presidential election, I’ll reveal a lot of things. I’ve been patient. You know in Islam, patience is of paramount importance. I feel it is only with patience that we will not say had I known. Have you ever heard someone say, ‘had I known,   I would have not been patient?”. Atiku who also took time to explain the reasons behind  his frosty relationship with President Obasanjo said that the situation had not improved and he is not worried about Obasanjo’s highhandedness and victimization, citing the frequent dismissal of his personal aides by the President, at the slightest opportunity in the past seven years. “Our relationship has to do with two or three things: in relation to work, we work together moderately. Any work he gives me, I do in my capacity as the Vice President. I have no work unless the one given to me by the President. We have no problems in this aspect; secondly in politics, we differ a lot in carrying out our political activities”, he explained. The Vice President said he was not bothered and would not solicit the President’s support for his election, since it would depend on the people to choose who becomes Obasanjo’s successor. While re-acting to the allegation made by Sokoto State governor who said the Vice President and the nineteen governors of the North should be held responsible for the under development and backwardness of the North, Atiku said that he could not be blamed since he does not have any constitutional power to award contracts or influence any decision in favour of the region. Rather, he recalled his spirited efforts to turn around the fortunes of the North when he organized the education, agriculture and industrial summits which did not yield the desired results due to the failure of the northern governors to co-operate.

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South-South will lose in 2007 If…  -Tony Anenih The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the leader of the South-South caucus of the party, Chief Tony Anenih has exercised fears that the Presidency may elude the South-South zone in 2007 if the leaders of the zone and the politicians failed to unite. Anenih spoke at a meeting of the South-South elders and leaders of thought held over the weekend at Uromi, Edo State. He said there was “high tendency towards mutual suspicions and recrimination, which lead to unnecessary quarrels, often conducted in the public domain”, adding that “the greatest hindrance, which we are likely to confront is our lack of unity and suffocating individualism’. Anenih regretted that the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA) was being bedeveiled by petty personal clashes rather than playing a role like Afenifere, pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Arewa consultative Forum (ACF), and even Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE). The man popularly known as Mr. Fix it said, “ the only goal which should consume all of us from now on is on how the South-South will reverse the injustice which has been its lot since independence and take its rightful place in Nigeria’s political life”. He urged that all court cases between the South-South brothers and sisters be withdrawn. Continuing, he said, “As a long term measure, I wish to suggest that we focus our minds on the possibility of establishing common services, agencies and institutions, which will be the fulcrum of our efforts at integration”. He stressed, “we must, therefore, subject our partisanships and loyalties to a wholesome South-South agenda and identity. My desire is that, from today on, all the leaders of the South-South will bear a common banner and speak with one voice”. Chief Anenih lamented that the zone had not been able to produce a President or Head of State, either military or civilian since independence in 1960, despite the zone’s contribution to the economy. He commended President Obasanjo for his concerted efforts at accelerating development in the Niger Delta area. “We should thank him and members of the Federal Executive Council for the recent establishment of the Presidential Council on Socio-economic Development of the coastal states, in addition to the Niger delta development Commission (NDDC)”. Similarly, the leader of the South-South Peoples Assembly, (SSPA), Ambassador Mathew Mbu has said that some state governors in the zone have sold out on the zone’s quest to produce Obasanjo’s successor in 2007. He accused the governors of sabotage as they have already struck a deal with the Northern Presidential aspirants to serve as running mates.   back to top^^