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DENNIS NAKU examines the latest gale of resignation by distinguished politicians from Rivers State in addition to defection from the All Progressives Congress and different events to the Peoples Democratic Get together forward of the 2023 normal elections
There isn’t any gainsaying the truth that the failure of the previous Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to safe the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress has affected the fortunes of the social gathering in Rivers State in additional methods than one.
Presently, the power related to the social gathering within the crude oil and fuel wealthy state has waned. Three weeks after he misplaced the social gathering’s ticket to former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, the previous minister returned to Port Harcourt on September 14, 2022, and was acquired by 1000’s of supporters, who joined him from the Port Harcourt Worldwide Airport to the APC secretariat within the capital metropolis amid pomp and pageantry.
Whereas chatting with newsmen, Amaechi referred to as for unity amongst social gathering members within the state. Absolutely conscious of the preliminary resistance that greeted the selection of Mr Tonye Cole, whom he anointed to be the candidate of the social gathering for the 2023 governorship election within the state, he referred to as for unity amongst social gathering members.
“Anytime you might have a transition, you’re certain to have disagreements. I’m speaking about inner rancour amongst us. In a single, two or three weeks, we can resolve what the problems are. The problems will not be concerning the governorship candidate. I would like to sit down with them and say, can we transfer ahead,” he acknowledged.
From then on, the APC chieftains continued to troop to see Amaechi at his residence for one favour or the opposite because the case could also be. At one level, the previous minister was mentioned to have reminded them that he was now not in workplace and requested them to go to Cole, who’s the social gathering’s governorship candidate. He additionally urged them to rally spherical Cole to make sure that the social gathering recaptured the Authorities Home, Port Harcourt, within the subsequent election.
Some prime APC devoted felt peeved and disrespected by Amaechi’s actions. Some might need learn between the traces that the minister, true to his phrases, may not have a lot to supply them as he was now not in workplace and is perhaps unable to wield his standard affect across the corridors of energy on the centre. The result was a myriad of resignation and gale of defection.
The resignation of Amaechi’s ally and businessman, Tonye Princewill, from the social gathering was stunning, as was the resignation of his ex-Commissioner for Info and Communications and former performing Managing Director of the Niger Delta Improvement Fee, Ibim Semenitari. Few days afterwards, Amaechi’s Commissioner for Power and Pure Sources, Dr Dawari George, additionally left the social gathering and is at the moment the governorship candidate of the Motion Alliance.
To this point, the ruling Peoples Democratic Get together within the state has held two mega rallies on the Isaac Adaka Boro Park in Port Harcourt to obtain main defectors from the APC. On September 31, 2021, a complete of 21 politicians dropped the broom and took refuge below the umbrella.
Among the many heavy weights who defected have been three former members of the Home of Representatives, together with the erudite and soft-spoken spokesman for the social gathering, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, in addition to Emma Deeyah and Daimi Akpanah.
On Saturday, September 10, 2022, at an occasion tagged, ‘eleventh hour homecoming reception for defectors from varied political events’, it was one other shocker when a former Board of Trustees member of the APC, Dr Sam Jaja, was acquired into the PDP fold by Governor Nyesom Wike. Additionally acquired formally into the PDP was a former spokesman for the social gathering within the state, Chris Finebone, whose defection many mentioned was stunning as he was the largest critic of the governor and his administration.
Two commissioners below Amaechi as governor, George Tolofari (transport) and Fred Igwe (sports activities), defected to the PDP. Different huge names, who cross-carpeted to the ruling social gathering within the state, have been a former Chairman of the Khana Native Authorities Space, Gregory Nwidam, and a former Commissioner for Native Authorities Affairs, Samuel Eyiba, amongst tons of of others.
Talking on the rally, the state PDP Chairman and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea, Desmond Akawor, advised Wike that it was a symbolic defection, saying there have been about 5,000 defectors who couldn’t all be introduced on the stage.
“Your Excellency, what you’re seeing in the present day is only a symbolic defection as a result of we are able to’t convey the 1000’s to this stage. We’ll preserve receiving extra defectors from the assorted native authorities areas by our native authorities chairmen,” Akawor mentioned.
A faculty of opinion had it that if Amaechi had succeeded in turning into the presidential candidate, the story with the broom carriers would have been completely different. Recall that the APC additionally acquired into its fold some PDP members.
On August 23, 2022, the Director-Common of the Wike Solidarity Motion, Prince Sudor Nwiyor, dumped the PDP for the APC.
Amaechi’s ally and former Director-Common, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Security Company, Dr Dakuku Peterside, at a rally held in Opobo, headquarters of the Opobo/Nkoro Native Authorities Space of the state, on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, mentioned he acquired tons of of PDP members who defected to the APC. Peterside, the governorship candidate of the social gathering in 2015 mentioned in a press release by his media workplace that the rally was organised by a non-governmental organisation, the Rivers Progressives Entrance.
Two former commissioners within the Wike administration, Dr Motive Onya (city growth) and Dr John Bazia, additionally defected from the PDP to the APC after they have been sacked from the cupboard in 2021.
Reacting to the most recent gale of defection to the PDP, the state APC spokesman, Darlington Nwauju, in a press release described the cross-carpeting as a hearsay and state-sponsored. Nwauju boasted that the APC had acquired 300 PDP members from solely two wards within the Ikwerre Native Authorities Space alone in what he termed “grass-rooted defection.”
He mentioned, “Let’s even assume that a few of those that participated in that newbie dwelling video within the guise of defection really revalidated their membership of our nice social gathering and will not be a part of these I might discuss with as hermaphroditic APC members, we’ve no motive to lose sleep as a result of simply yesterday (Tuesday) in two wards alone of the Ikwerre LGA, we harvested over 300 lively members of the PDP, together with individuals who have been serving appointees of the PDP within the Ikwerre native authorities till yesterday.
“In 2023, it will likely be one man, one vote. What magic can most people I noticed within the PDP checklist of defectors carry out? Will they assist the PDP to hack into the BVAS subsequent 12 months? So, I don’t assume we are able to examine a state-sponsored drama focused at psychological warfare to an altruistic, opinionated and grass-rooted defection from a derailed ruling social gathering to our nice social gathering, the APC in Rivers State.”
Nevertheless, the rift between Senator Magnus Abe and Amaechi, with none doubt, can be weakening the power of the APC within the state, with each political leaders refusing to bend although preaching peace and unity at a number of boards. The disagreement between them festered right into a no love misplaced scenario and in the long run, Abe moved together with his loyalists and supporters to the Social Democratic Get together, the place he now holds the governorship ticket to contest the 2023 election within the state.
Not a couple of have opined that cash is a significant component within the latest tsunami that hit the APC within the state, with lots of its members operating below the umbrella of the PDP for succour, solace and sanctuary. Many photographs, which emerged lately, confirmed that earlier than their official unveiling, among the APC chieftains have been seen posing for pictures on the palatial personal residence of the state governor, which prompt that some notes might need exchanged arms although not one of the new PDP members admitted to receiving any monetary inducement.
However some are of the view that having misplaced energy within the final seven years, most of the defectors are operating out of cash and want their pockets to pattern, therefore they’re uninterested in taking part in opposition any additional, extra so, when considered in opposition to the backdrop that they don’t seem to be sure of the capability of the APC and its candidates to make the specified affect in subsequent 12 months’s election within the state.
In the meantime, the APC management within the state has tried to minimize the groundswell of defection from its fold, however the continued silence of the chief of the social gathering within the state, Amaechi, is certainly loud and disturbing. Sources mentioned the previous minister was pained that the folks he had invested in would flip their again on him.
As if to offer vent to Amaechi’s silence, the governor, whereas reacting to a latest remark made by the ex-minister, mentioned, “We’ve got taken all of your folks. No person is in your social gathering once more. Why not handle and keep quiet due to your poor management.”
However the future, as it’s mentioned, is pregnant. The calibre of candidates eyeing the Brick Home in Port Harcourt subsequent 12 months exhibits that none of them is a pushover. Wike’s man and the PDP governorship candidate, Siminialayi Fubara, might be slugging it out with Amaechi’s man and former co-Chairman of Sahara Energies, Tonye Cole. Additionally they have the candidate of the Accord Get together and billionaire, Excessive Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, and former senator and erstwhile Secretary to the Rivers State Authorities, Senator Magnus Abe, to take care of.
There’s additionally the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress within the state, Mrs Beatrice Itubo, who clinched the Labour Get together governorship ticket, amongst others. Because the campaigns begin later this month, extra outings are anticipated within the varied events as they promote their candidates for all positions.
However like Abe mentioned at a latest occasion in Port Harcourt that 2023 can be a watershed in Nigeria, whereas the final elections might be a political tsunami in Rivers State. He mentioned, “I’ve mentioned a number of occasions that the 2023 elections might be a watershed occasion within the political historical past of this nation. In Rivers State, the 2023 elections might be a political tsunami as a result of it’s going to break each recognized bounds and limitations.”
Talking on the problem of defection, a rights activist and Chancellor, Worldwide Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, Dr Omenazu Jackson, mentioned the explanation was based mostly solely on lack of ideology.
Jackson acknowledged, “What I’ll say right here is that it’s unlucky that in Nigeria, those that we are able to describe as members of the political class play politics with out ideology. When you’re into politics with out ideology, it’s straightforward so that you can bounce from one political social gathering to a different as a result of you don’t have anything at stake.
“However when you have an ideology, you’ll stay in your social gathering and construct it irrespective of how tough the ocean could also be. So, I’m not stunned as a result of the political class has proven that it operates on zero ideological frameworks, which is why the Nigerian political system doesn’t develop due to zero ideological attachment to the events concerned. So, it’s excessive time Nigerians started to contemplate that once you get right into a political social gathering, it is rather vital that you just research the social gathering’s ideological framework and know whether or not it suits you.
“In the present day, you possibly can see that most individuals I take into account dry conservatives are within the APC. Among the liberals are within the PDP. And that’s the reason you see the fracas occurring inside the events, as a result of their ideologies don’t movement. So, till they start to play politics of ideology, these defections will proceed.”
Jackson additionally pointed on the problems with starvation and lack of job alternatives, saying, “You possibly can equally perceive that there’s starvation within the land. A lot of the industries within the state have vanished. That’s the reason the best employers and the best folks that may launch largesse are these in authorities.
“So, most individuals are going over there to get their share. It’s not good for the polity in any respect and it demoralises even the political class. I can guess you that when Wike is now not there, most individuals which are operating to him in the present day will abandon him. Most individuals in the present day who’re operating to him have been with Rotimi Amaechi. That’s the reason I proceed to insist that politics with out morality is an amplified criminality.”
A lawyer, Mr Greater King, attributed the gale of defection by politicians within the state to lack of ideology, saying the apply of a two-party system and the supply for impartial candidacy was the best way to go.
King mentioned, “The incessant defection that we’re seeing from politicians has come to remain in Nigeria for now. However it is rather incorrect and unhealthy. It is not going to make our polity develop as a result of it exhibits that the politicians don’t have ideologies; they don’t have imaginative and prescient and haven’t any focus.
“They’re birds of a feather. As soon as they see their mates, they run this fashion and that means. For me, I believe they’re irresponsible and they don’t seem to be critical folks. They’re all the identical. They’re individuals who wish to feather their nest and line their pockets for private aggrandisement. We don’t have politicians in Nigeria. What we’ve are jobbers, folks on the lookout for jobs. Each 4 years, they search for the following job. One other 4 years, it’s the similar factor.
“Nigeria has obtained worse; examine the greenback, the economic system or safety; issues are getting worse by the day. There is no such thing as a energy. The facility sector now could be essentially the most corrupt sector in Nigeria and on the planet. Individuals who offers you darkness and accumulate cash by power, even when the regulation says don’t disconnect clients’ mild, and that they want an order of courtroom to take action. They are going to climb the pole and disconnect your mild with police help.
“They are going to take the cables, transformers and poles you purchased along with your cash. It’s a horrible nation. Nothing is enhancing and no politician in Nigeria has improved something. Anybody that involves energy, by the point he’s going, if he met the greenback at a specific quantity, by the point they’re leaving, it’s larger and so forth. The best way it’s going, the greenback could get to N1,000. It is vitally unhealthy; we don’t have politicians and we don’t have statesmen. We don’t have individuals who have Nigeria at coronary heart. We don’t have individuals who wish to higher this nation.”
On what will be achieved to stem the tide of defection, King mentioned the two-party system and impartial candidacy have been the methods to go.
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