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.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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