‘Peterside’s Choice, A Divine Mandate’

The election of Dr. Dakuku Peterside as the flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2015 gubernatorial election in Rivers State has been described by Rivers APC as a divine mandate.
According to the party, “With the election of Dr. Peterside as our flag-bearer we are now more convinced that we shall set up the next government come May 2015. This is a man whose love for the emancipation and development of Rivers State is infectious as demonstrated by his past records, particularly when he was the Commissioner for Works; adding most of the gigantic and mind-blowing roads in Rivers State were executed under his watch. For him to have vowed to follow the footsteps of our outgoing Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, is heart-warming.”
Rivers APC in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, advised the crisis-ridden PDP to prepare for thorough beating in the 2015 governorship election. “I congratulate our delegates that saw to the election of this great mind to carry our banner in our resolve to salvage Rivers State and our people from selfish politicians whose stock-in-trade is to loot our common patrimony and initiate our people into occult societies alien to our culture and belief as God-fearing State.”
Ikanya said. “I urge all and sundry to obtain their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to ensure that we collectively punish and bury PDP formally next February. I congratulate Dr. Peterside on his emergence and wish to assure him that we shall work day and night to ensure a landslide victory for him and our great party during the 2015 polls.”
The Rivers APC Chairman commended Peterside for hitting the ground running by setting out his vision for Rivers State immediately after his emergence as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election.
“We are happy about our great candidate’s promise to provide a leadership that will accelerate the actualisation of a greater Rivers dream of improved middle class, first class safe environment, equal and more socio-economic opportunities and create a greater sense of community, a Rivers State that will be the pride of Africa. We also wish to commend his humility in extending a hand of fellowship to Most Distinguished Senator Magnus Abe and Engr. Tele Ikuru, our amiable Deputy Governor, who are also very qualified to be our flag-bearer in their own rights but who, as good party men, have graciously accepted the party’s decision in the greater interest of our dear State. We are convinced with all hands on deck, victory is assured,” Ikanya stated.
River APC also commended Governor Amaechi for the strategic role he played in ensuring Peterside’s emergence as the party’s governorship candidate and for saving Rivers State the sum of N12 billion that the PDP-led Federal Government would have deducted from Rivers’ treasury to pay Abia State after ceding Rivers’ oil wells in Etche to Abia.
“The wickedness of the PDP-led Federal Government against Rivers State has made our task easier as we do not need to labour to convince our people that PDP is evil, that it does not mean well for Rivers State and her people and should, therefore, not be allowed anywhere near the Brick House. We heartily rejoice with our ever-reliable Governor, who has once more proved to be a worthy and visionary political warrior,” Ikanya said.
He commended the APC National Electoral Committee led by Prince Austin Eweka for conducting a peaceful, transparent and generally accepted governorship primary election that produced Peterside as the party’s candidate for the 2015 polls.
He also commended Rivers APC stakeholders for approving and granting automatic tickets to all incumbent State House of Assembly members “for demonstrating their love and protection of our democracy which PDP would have truncated in its futile efforts to impeach our God-given Governor for resolutely defending and protecting our common interest.”
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours before the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, elders in the state have expressed optimism that the hierarchy of the party at the national level will yield to their demand.
The elders, who spoke under the aegis of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders’ Council, had demanded that the governorship position be zoned to either the river side area or Ogoni.
Chairman of the council, Chief Albert Horsfall, said on Sunday that though the PDP in the state would conduct its governorship primary on Monday, he was optimistic that the national leadership of the party would do the right thing by zoning the governorship position to the river side area or Ogoni.
Horsefall, who addressed some stakeholders of the party in Port Harcourt, recalled that the group had done all it could by trying to persuade the PDP leadership to zone the governorship position in the state.
Though, the elders did not mention the name of the former Minister of State for Education and governorship aspirant, Chief Nyesom Wike, during their meeting, it was obvious that his continued presence in the governorship race was worrisome to them.
Wike is from the same Rivers East Senatorial District with the incumbent governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.
“We got positive and responsible response after talking to all the appropriate authorities, including the national party chairman. We have held very aggressive press conference in Abuja and I can assure you that we are awaiting a positive outcome to our mission.
“I don’t think any response we get there (PDP national leadership) would be belated. In politics, it is never over until it is all over. Some miracles happen in politics. Celestine Omehia ruled for five months and the incumbent governor did not contest any election then. So, you can see that things will still happen,” Horsfall said.

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi with former Vice President and All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar during a meeting with the party’s delegates in Port Harcourt, at the weekend.