South-South, a governor on the rise and high stake politics
By Kodilinye Obiagwu and Kelvin Ebiri (Port Harcourt)
THE emergence of Chief Godspower Ake as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Vice-Chairman (South-South) may have ended weeks of intense politicking to replace the slain Chief Aminasoari Dikibo.
However, it has also opened the eyes of Nigerians to the South-South as a place to watch.
One issue is Rivers State Governor Dr. Peter Odili who seems to have emerged as one man to watch in the zone. He proved it quite adroitly in the manner Ake; his Special Adviser on Lands and Survey Bureau emerged as Dikibo�s successor.
How Odili overcame the formidable resistance of the South-South zonal committee and governors is an issue of intense speculations. A source close to the meeting in Abuja said the other governors were simply cowed by the support from top party leadership for Odili after two nights of meeting at the party headquarters.
There was no horse-trading and no deals. It was just a simple act and - the governors should accept Odili's nominee. Ake's choice may be taken as another proof of Odili's growing profile in the zone.
When his daughter, Adaeze, wedded in April, the seat of government literally relocated from Abuja to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, his wife Stella, and Hajia Amina Titi Abubakar, wife of the vice president were there. The roll-call included high profile politicians and dignitaries like Gens. Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, governors, ministers, past and present leadership of the National Assembly, and the PDP leadership. The intimidating, but impressive gathering was a huge political statement, which import was not lost.
That statement was tested on April 6, when Odili and wife were conferred with the traditional titles of Obafunminiyi and Yeye Obafunminiyi respectively by Oba Okunade Sijuade, the Ooni of Ife. Besides the personalities, the political crowd included the who is who in power, power-brokerage and king-making.
President Obasanjo has shown his favour in other ways. For example, of all the states, Odili enjoys the honour of playing host to the president more than any other governor. The President has not been far from the state in both official and unofficial events. He has visited the state on two occasions this year and about nine times since 1999. Apart from his official state visits, the president had been to the state to commission the Eleme Gas Turbine, the Trans Amadi gas Turbine and other projects. He commissioned the building of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) donated by Odili and was there during the stakeholders' forum of the commission. Many people say however, that the president has had no choice but to identify with Odili�s achievements.
Obasanjo shares the same affinity to Rivers and Odili with the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees Chief Tony Anenih. Apart from being present during the wedding of Odili's daughter, he represented the president during the silver wedding jubilee anniversary of Odili and his wife.
The significance of Anenih's support was evident in the role he played in the emergence of Ake. When the governors deferred the meeting to Abuja, it was in deference to Anenih. No one wanted to cross paths with him on the issue.
Odili might not have declared publicly that he wants to run for the presidency or vice presidency in 2007, but the appointment of Ake, is seen as part of the strategies to actualise his political aspiration. For example, he has surrounded himself with his own people like Ake, who is one of the pillars of supports the governor is erecting in the state. One other pillar of support is the Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, who was before his appointment, the Secretary to the Rivers State government. In the House of Representatives, the Deputy Speaker, Austin Opara, remains one of the disciples of the governor. Odili has done this largely with the support of Abuja, which has curtailed the influence of the Abuja politicians and taken care of opposition from within the party.
It is not only Odili who looks like an obvious vice presidential candidate in the zone. For 2007, it is becoming obvious that the South-South will also contend with Attah and Duke.
While Attah has made in-roads in the North, Duke, like Odili is believed to be close to the President. The choice of Calabar as the residence of the erstwhile Liberian leader Charles Taylor is considered as one of the political building blocks for Duke. Then there is the issue of Obasanjo Farms, an ultra modern automated oil mill in Akamkpa local council, which was commissioned last year by Duke. The mill is described as the largest in the country.
For Duke who is jealously guarding his political capital, not much attention was initially given to his absence at the meeting in Akwa Ibom. However, at the end of the meeting, it became obvious that Duke had stayed away to avoid being drawn into the fray that finding a replacement for Dikibo had become.
Playing "Mr. Clean," he did not want to be marked with anything that could be used against him when the time comes to push his political career in any direction.
It is believed that Attah burnt his bridges in his vociferous agitation for the resource control. Because of his "stubborn disposition" and "effrontery," Akwa Ibom is said to have joined the list of marginalised states, and he has not been forgiven for that.
Ake's emergence, like the fight for resource control, has widened the cracks in the ranks of the governors. As the governors became divided on the issue, it became a weapon to infiltrate their ranks. Those who supported the fight became heroes at home, while those who did not, became heroes in Abuja.
Delta State Governor James Ibori whose rather threatening stance on resource control set him on a collision course with the Presidency is contending with a court case.
Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha is coping with the possibility of appearing before the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State is contending with the suffocating presence of Anenih.
The opposition to Rivers for picking a replacement for Dikibo was the question of who will therefore, control the zone ahead of the PDP convention in 2005. Approving an Odili nominee for the post of National Vice-Chairman is politically significant. The line appears drawn in favour of Odili.
As Duke plays a game of hide and seek, Attah, Ibori, Igbinedion and Alamieseigha might have found themselves in the same boat in the zone.
A challenge, the zone faces is reconciling the internal differences and accepting to support anyone. Despite the divergence of interests, Attah had said that at the critical time, which is about 2005, the real persons, formidable enough to give the zone a direction, would be seen.
Despite the seething anger expressed by the governors, the swearing-in of Ake had attracted quiet murmurs back in Rivers. Tonye Long John (Bonny/Degema), chairman sub-committee on Niger Delta Basin Authority in the House of Representatives told The Guardian on telephone, "why should we complain It is what we in the state want. It does not matter who gets it as long as the post remains in the state."
There had been no apparent indications that replacing Dikibo would attract more attention than that associated with an in-house election within a family. However, that was exactly what it turned out to be. The discord worries Akwa Ibom State Governor, Victor Attah, who noted that the late Chief Marshall Harry left the party because of the discord in the house, despite the talk of brotherly love and unity. Now, the replacement of Dikibo had reopened the can of disunity.
The opposition had been subdued in Port Harcourt because according to sources, they could not afford to come out in the open, primarily because the party is firmly in the hands of the governor and others like Ake.
The subtle opposition had been pegged on the fact that both Odili and Ake are from the same council area - Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni. Since Odili and the PDP in Rivers insisted on retaining the office, dissenting voices also suggested that the party in the state should have chosen a successor from another area. They suggested the Kalabari axis, where the late Marshall Harry, the first national vice chairman hails from, or Okrika, Dikibo's area.
The state zoned the position of National Vice-Chairman to the Rivers West Senatorial district. Harry's exit paved the way for the emergence of Dikibo who is from Rivers East. The Kalabari had argued that they should have produced a successor. Nevertheless, the party reasoned that it needed an experienced politician, and altered the zoning arrangement to allow Dikibo to replace Harry.
After the 2003 polls, the three senatorial districts retained their political positions. The state PDP chairman and the deputy governor went to Rivers South East, the Speaker of the House of Assembly and the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives remained in Rivers East, while the governor is from Rivers West. Now with the appointment of Ake the position has returned to the governor's constituency.
But the matter goes far beyond Rivers State. All the talk of the presidency going to the north not withstanding, the South-South will pose a great challenge and Peter Odili is a man to watch.`
The subtle opposition had been pegged on the fact that both Odili and Ake are from the same council area - Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni. Since Odili and the PDP in Rivers insisted on retaining the office, dissenting voices also suggested that the party in the state should have chosen a successor from another area
How Odili overcame the formidable resistance of the South-South zonal committee and governors is an issue of intense speculations. A source close to the meeting in Abuja said the other governors were simply cowed by the support from top party leadership for Odili after two nights of meeting at the party headquarters
