Politics
Amadi: end Of An Era
The death of Chief Hon. Boniface Kinikanwo Amadi
signifies the end of an era in Rivers State.
BK as Amadi was fondly called needed no introduction in the politics of Rivers State. He came to public consciousness in 1983 as the arrowhead of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) that withstood and survived the arsenal of the ruling party then, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He was elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly which was then dominated by the NPN, making him the only lawmaker elected on the platform of the NPP in the House.
Although his tenure as a State lawmaker lasted for barely three months, from October to December 1983, he brought poise, discipline and elegance to politics. To cap it all, nature blessed him with a captivating colour that stood him out among others and fetched him the nick name, “White man.”
BK showed unalloyed empathy for grassroots politics; this motivated him to form Good Friend Association that groomed and brought many young politicians to national and state limelight. He did not end there; he tried his best to bring succour to the less privileged in his area.
From a humble beginning at Nkpolu Orogbum in Rebisi, Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State where he was born on 27th December, 1948, the late lawmaker attended Saint Paul Primary School and Asa Grammar School, Aba, now in Abia State for his primary and secondary education, respectively. He later enrolled for part time in the University of Port Harcourt where he bagged a Diploma in Political and Administration.
He started his political journey in 1976 when he aligned with late Dr. Obi Wali and others to agitate for the creation of Port Harcourt State. It was the belief then that the Ijaws were marginalizing other ethnic groups in the old Rivers State, hence some ethnic groups decided to agitate for Port Harcourt State.
At the formative stage of a new political arrangement in the country in 1978, BK became the Port Harcourt Local Government Area Youth Leader of the NPP. He worked with others to deliver the party in the local government specifically in Constituency Three of Port Harcourt Local Government Area where late Hon. Mark Okpara was elected in 1978 into the Rivers State House of Assembly.
As a youth leader of the NPP, BK mobilized and galvanized the youths of Port Harcourt to embrace the doctrine of the party. By the next general elections in 1983, he had built a very strong followership which emboldened him to contest the party’s primary against the incumbent (Opara). He eventually won the primary after a rigorous inter-party election.
The general election was not easy either, yet he defeated the candidate of the then ruling party, NPN.
Although he was one of the politicians barred from politics by the military government, Amadi had some of his boys working for him. He groomed some young men and formed ‘Good Friends Association, a platform he used to ensure the emergence of Prof. Emenike Wami as the chairman and Mayor of Port Harcourt in 1988. He later became the Port Harcourt Chairman of National Republican Congress.
BK served as a political mentor to many people. The likes of Hon. Chinyere Igwe, the present Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning; Hon. Nnamdi Wuche, ex- Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Port Harcourt City Council; Hon. Ken Chikere, former Attorney General of the State; former member, House of Representatives, Barrister Temple Amadi and Hon. Christian Amadi where some of his students and disciples. Today, these politicians are great mobilisers and grassroots politicians.
During the Abacha era, BK was the pivot of UNCP in Rivers State. He later dumped the UNCP for the NCPN. He used this platform to produce a new set of young politicians as councilors in Port Harcourt Local Government Area.
In the race to the Fourth Republic, he joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he and some political icons like the late Marshal Harry; Dr. Peter Odili called the shots.
He later joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was one of the leaders of the party before he kicked the bucket in January, this year.
He had held several political positions and appointments including the membership of Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority, coordinator of PH NAPEP and member, Governing Council, University of Sokoto, amongst others.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.