‘Rotimi Ameachi would win the Rivers State Governorship election’

• Alabo Graham-Douglas, accused of pandering to ethnic sentiments for cheap relevance
• Source discloses that Ameachi is popular with the youth of Rivers State
  

Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, would win the Rivers State Governorship election, according to a well-placed source in Rivers State. The source said that Rotimi Ameachi is in the catbird seat. It comes on the heels of demands for power shift from the Riverine area of the State who insist that it is their turn to hold the highest post.


The source said that the House Speaker is popular with youths in the State and is on course to a landslide victory in the April 2007 , Rivers State Governorship election. The Upland and Riverine dichotomy - the clear blue water of Rivers State’s politics - threatens to shake Nigeria’s largest oil-producing State, accounting for 40% of Nigeria’s oil revenues.


Rivers State has experienced great militant activities. ‘People are disillusioned; graduates do not have jobs, there is no medical service and good roads. People pick up guns out frustration,’ the source said.


Many see Ameachi as Peter Odili’s yes man. Both of them are embroiled in a corruption stew of N200 billion. Since 1999, River State has received more than N500 billion as well as more than N200 billion in internally generated revenues but the State Governor, Speaker and Local Councillors have been accused of siphoning State funds meant for development.


Governor Odili has been accused of wasting away almost eight years in Government; - he is the longest serving civilian Governor since the State was created in 1967 - he allegedly gave loads of money to titled traditional heads in 24 states. EFFC - a body instituted to fight corruption and other vices - reported that Odili spent millions in renting hotel rooms in Abuja during the primaries that saw Rotimi Ameachi emerge as the PDP flag-bearer for the Rivers State Governorship election.

According to the source, the decimal Upland and Riverine dichotomy would not in any stand in the way of the young Governorship aspirant who enjoys a groundswell support from youths in the oil-producing state. ‘Ameachi’s ethnic group, the Ikwerres, are the single most largest group in Rivers and they would provide him enough votes to cruise to victory.’

Rotimi Ameachi hails from the prolific oil-producing Ikwerre ethnic group who are native to Port Harcourt. Opponents of his candidacy say he hails from the Upland, therefore unfit to be Governor. They say that since Peter Odili comes from the Upland, it would be inappropriate to concede leadership to another ‘Uplander’.

The source played down speculation that the State would descend into a dog breakfast if there is no power shift. People from the Kalabari ethnic group have stressed strongly that it the turn of the Riverine area to produce a governor.

‘Because they have guns they feel they can be threatening,’ the source said.

The Odili Government has said in the past that it has put to death the rancorous Upland and Riverine dichotomy.

‘Everywhere in Rivers State is Riverine, there is no where, you do not find water, so this Upland-Riverine issue is nonsense,’ the source said. ‘Besides, Peter Odili comes from the same area as the Kalabaris… in the West.’

The source said that people hampering for power on the basis of ethnicity or region are mischievous. He said that Douglas was a political failure, - irrelevant in the scheme of things in the State and avoided by progressives - in the State, whose only tool for relevance is pandering to ethnicity, despite his political exposure. The source that Douglas was using it to manipulate the people.

‘I would have thought, he would be moderate but he has chosen to introduce the divisive the issue of Upland and River Dichotomy. In 1999, people from all ethnic groups came out enmasse to vote for Odili, there was no talk of ethnicity nor region. He is injecting this lethal substance to the State.’

Ijaws in Rivers State have alleged marginalisation in the State. ‘All the ministers who have served in Abuja have been Riverine’ the source said. ‘Ijaws have had two Governors, since the State was created and they have produced lots of ministers.’

In the last Rivers State primaries six Governorship aspirants: Senator Martins Yellowe, Chief Parowiso Samuel-Horsfall, Chief David Briggs, Chief Chris Oriyi, Mr. Kio Bestman, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs and Mr. Isaac Nwowu walked out of the election citing irregularities.

One January 15, 2006, leaders of the Rivers State Consultative Assembly, wrote a letter to the President asking him to grant the Ijaw ethnic group the Governorship slot. Members of the Assembly include former Minister of Aviation, Alabo Graham-Douglas, Alabo T. J. Sekibo, Chief D. E. Tobin-West, Dr. M. P. Okonny, Chief Ombo Isokrari, Prof Dagogo Fubara, and Chief E. E. Ogodo,

Bonkoo Tombari Tobby writes: ‘…Finally, if the governor and the speaker are not made to be accountable for all the billions garnished away, they will unleash uncouth vituperations and compound absurdities that may send the hard-earned fragile peace down the abyss of oblivion.’