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#ReporterDiaries: “These Rivers elections are do or die”

by Godwin Akanfe


This reporter arrived Port Harcourt on an early afternoon flight from Lagos, and after the usual traffic made it to his hotel. Check in and settlement completed, it was on to the next appointment, with a local politician who for reasons that will become clear in this report, does not want to be named.


What is at stake in the Rivers State elections goes beyond just who will be governor. It is about two huge egos, who were once best of friends, and who have now become the worst of enemies.


Nyesom Wike, who is running for governor on the platform of the PDP, was Chief of Staff, and former hatchet man to the governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who’s tenure ends in May. Mr. Wike was also at a time, the chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, the richest in Rivers State. With this position and his influence, he was able to secure the loyalties of the other LGA chairmen, and their successors. Our politician friend called him, “the Tinubu of Rivers”.


However, a few years ago, Wike and Amaechi fell out. The fallout was at first unseen by Wike, who was at the time, Chief of Staff to Amaechi. Our friend says that Mr. Wike did not know that Amaechi had gotten tired of him.


“Wike always wanted to be governor,” our friend said, “and he had an understanding with Rotimi that he would be the one to succeed him. So when Rotimi edged him out of the Government House, he saw into the future, and decided to react.”


How did Mr. Amaechi edge Mr. Wike out of the Rivers Government House?


In 2011 when Mr. Amaechi got a second term, he told Mr. Wike that he wanted to nominate him as a federal minister, so that Wike would get more influence. Wike felt it was a good idea, and acceded to it. This gave Amaechi room to appoint Tony Okocha as his Chief of Staff with Wike’s blessings. So imagine Wike’s shock when Amaechi nominated Sahara Group boss, Tonye Cole as a minister instead.


Luckily for Wike, Mr. Amaechi had offended a formidable person, the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan. Wike thus appealed to Mrs. Jonathan, who saw the use of having her enemy’s enemy as an ally on the ground.


In double quick time, Mr. Cole’s nomination as a minister was rejected, and Wike found himself as a federal minister, albeit a junior one because he came in as a late replacement. Nevertheless, it was good enough for him to gain more contacts, and influence, and as a result raise his profile within the PDP, both in Rivers State and nationally.


Fast forward to 2015, and the race for the Government House. Wike is simply pursuing his dream of becoming governor, while Amaechi, who in the intervening period defected from the PDP and became a powerful member of the APC, is backing Dakuku Peterside.


The first shots were fired a long time ago, and the current body count is almost thirty dead, mostly Amaechi supporters. This was simply because until March 31, federal might was behind Wike, so he had direct access to the security forces, an access that he made use of.


Since the results of the Presidential elections were announced, the dynamic has shifted a little in Amaechi and Dakuku’s favour, but Wike and his supporters have sworn that the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election will the simple: a victory for Wike, and third place for Dakuku. The aim, to effectively humiliate Amaechi.


Yesterday, the APC lodged a formal complaint with INEC regarding the display of Result Sheets at Polling Units across the state. The party also complained about Gesila Khan, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state.


Our politician friend admitted that Khan is a “friend of the house”, and went further to tell us that how INEC reacts will determine the fate, and peace, of the elections in Rivers on Saturday.


“If INEC removes Gesila, and then the new REC insists that result sheets be at the polling units, we won’t have a choice but to send the boys out,” our friend says, referring to paid thugs who go about intimidating voters. “So any which way you look at it, na PDP go win on Saturday because na we get boys pass.”


Already, rumours are making the rounds in Port Harcourt about arms being offloaded at the Waterside area.


YNaija will investigate these stories and let you know if there is any truth to those stories. Whatever happens, the elections on Saturday will be interesting, and very hotly contested. Such is the bad blood between the gladiators.


The post #ReporterDiaries: “These Rivers elections are do or die” appeared first on YNaija.


#ReporterDiaries: “These Rivers elections are do or die” Reviewed by Olusola Bodunde on 05:58 Rating: 5

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