Politics
Wike, Committed To Governance – Emeh
The recent return of former Transport
Commissioner in Rivers State and ex-Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Emeh Glory Emeh, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, has triggered a gale of decampment from the embattled All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
This development has turned the GRA, Port Harcourt, residence of the consummate politician into a Mecca of some sorts for scores of disillusioned’ APC faithful from across the state’s 23 local government areas.
In this encounter with The Tide Political Editor, Victor Tew and Chief Correspondent, Ike Wigodo, Emeh speaks on the development and the Governor Nyesom Wike administration, declaring the APC as dead and buried.
Excerpts:
You have been in the news recently about your return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). How did it happen?
First of all, I left PDP to APC owing to the attitude of some of the people in the party as at that time. But all that is in the past now. A combination of what I found is that the APC is not organised; there is no structure, no leadership and nobody is directing. The second one is that a lot of pressures from my political leaders and mentors. I could not resist them. Barrister Celestine Omehia, Prince Uche Secondus, former Governor Peter Odili, Governor Wike himself, Austin Opara. When you put them together, it was too much for me to resist. I have to return.
Where these the only reasons you left APC?
The APC lack leadership and the party knows that. APC knows that it has no focus and plan. They used my house for six months to do their meetings. Until I brought Sampson Ngeregbara and Chibudom Nwuche to the party, they do not have any qualitative contributions, except people like Lolo Ibienenye. But generally speaking, you can finish an APC meeting without anything to go home with. If they ask you: ‘What did you discuss in the meeting?’ You may not have anything to say.
Do you think that the PDP will comfortably accommodate you, having worked against it in 2015?
I have never worked against PDP, I was not part of the election. I just left the party because one person in the party did not show me love, but when greater persons in the party showed me love, I came back.
Do you think your coming back to PDP will increase its fortune?
There is no doubt about that. I am not supposed to sing my praises. They are doing a write up on my capability, capacity and ability. Those who have worked with me know that I contribute my small quota and my small quota is always adding up. I have the latitude to do what I can do to assist the party. The Governor has said to me to deploy my wealth of experience and assist the party where I can and I will try my best to do so. I believe that my contribution will assist the party one way or the other.
How would you assess the present administration in the state?
For the short period I have followed Wike, you can see commitment in governance, I am not a novice. I had worked with Odili and Omehia; I have been in the corridors of power for a long time. We know when a governor is performing. I visited several project sites, both completed and ongoing. Few days ago, we went to the Ecumenical Centre, a project for all the Christian denomination’s in the state, and you see what he is doing. For the first time in Africa we are seeing an Amusement park that is of a world class. Then the schools, the hospitals, the renovations. Everything Wike has been doing in this town was also noticed by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo when he visited, such that he has to christen Wike Mr Project. Indeed Wike has turned Rivers State to a project site. So, I think, hate him, love him, you can see a man that is desirous to help the people. You can see a man that is working towards redefining the infrastructural development of the state. I am proud that I came at the time I came to embrace him. I hear that by what transpired in the meeting APC held penultimate Thursday, the party has been finally buried in the state. I count myself lucky to have left APC when I did. I am planning to do a thanksgiving that I left the time I did.
Do you think the Pleasure Park project will boost the economy of the state?
It is better to go there to see things for yourself. There is one particular area of the park that will bring people even from Brazil because it replicates what they have there, where water changes to seven colours. So when you go, you see the water changing from blue to red and other colours. It is a site to behold. You will ask: ‘How did Wike come about this’ and the answer is that he is proactive. The government is presently making ways to increase what it has and what it inherited from zero to something bigger. Wike is determined to improve the revenue base of the state.
Given the dwindling allocation to the state, do you think some of the projects will be sustained?
It is only when you take projects like Monorail and Gas turbine without plan that you will talk about shortage of funds. Wike thinks before he leaps and for few times I sat with him, I see him computing-this is what I have and this is how I want to distribute it. This, in financial management is known as financial analysis. You have to look at the cost effectiveness of every project and when you begin to implement them, you would not have any problems. For me, I think he is doing well in managing the little funds his having and by so doing, the like hood that he will complete each project he has ventured on. It is not debatable.
What can you say about Wike’s approach to the development of the state?
Managing the poor situation is more difficult than managing the boom. But Wike has shown that the ability to perform should be the pre condition for putting anybody in power or office. He has promoted fresh commitment to efficient performance and because of the problem of economy and recession, he prescribes solutions to problems within a frame work of more ideological perspectives such that he has to weight the options. His major consideration is what the economists call the cost benefit analysis. So, it is cost effectiveness analysis. No project is taken just because the project is elsewhere. He looks at the cost, the benefits and the interest of our people before embarking on any project.
How can the government and the people of the state consolidate on the peace and level of progress already attained?
The peace of the state is already cemented. The bond of fraternal co existence is being cemented and the barrier of separatism is being fine-tuned by group known as Rivers Elders Consultative Forum and we are happy with what they are doing. I believe by the end of this year they would have put all the warring groups together and we can have a lasting peace in the state.
Since your return to PDP your residence has become Mecca of some sort to many politicians especially from the APC. What is responsible for this?
First, everybody is disillusioned about the poor and lackluster leader of APC. I cannot say they are coming because of me; they are coming because they have also seen in Governor Nyesom Wike a man they can trust; a man that cares for the people. Is not just Emohua, the entire state. I have received people from Khana, Tai, Oyigbo, Omuma, Ahoada West, Ahoada East and Abua/Odua. I have also received APC people from Ogba Egbema/Ndoni, Degema and Asari Toru. I read in the papers that about 220 councilors of APC who are in court against PDP have signed up a paper to debrief their lawyers to withdraw the case from the court. I was told that their reasons is because nobody cares about the case in court. They did not know their counsels and they continue to tell them about the case every day. Meanwhile somebody is telling them unrealizable stories. So, I told them that Wike is not arrogant. He has a listening ear and ready to receive them when they are ready.
What is your message to Rivers people?
To continue to be peaceful and law abiding and appreciate that in Governor Wike there is a leader that they can trust and those of us who did not support him from the beginning regret it. But we thank God. Let’s work together as one state, one destiny. We will not have difficult if we trust Wike to manage us. He has done well so far.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun deploying non-sensitive materials to the zones as it prepares for the 2027 general election.
Acting Chairman of the commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday at a bench-marking meeting with a delegation of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“Right now, all non-sensitive materials are almost ready. In fact, today as we speak here, the non-sensitive materials have been lifted to some zones now,” Gumus said.
She said the commission had completed nine of its scheduled activities and was preparing for the next phase.
“We are preparing for the election next year and we have activities lined up. So far, we have been able to complete nine activities and we are still preparing for the next level of activities,” she said.
Gumus said the commission’s leadership had just concluded a tour of the country’s six zones to assess their level of preparedness.
“The purpose was to go round the zones to see how prepared we are, assess what the zones have put in place, their challenges and what to do. We concluded last week and we can see from our tour that we are really going towards the election proper,” she said.
On Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the acting chairman said production had been completed and distribution to the states was well advanced.
“As of today, we can say that PVCs have been produced and the first, second batches, most of the states have received them. Their PVC collection is ongoing. All those who are supposed to be the voters are supposed to receive their PVCs, and if they don’t have them, it is also another challenge,” Gumus said.
She added that capacity building was under way for staff at the headquarters and in the states, and that the procurement and deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS devices were also ongoing.
On diaspora voting, Gumus said the commission could not proceed for now because the law did not provide for it.
“Here, because we go by the law, in our electoral law, it is not included there, so we cannot go on for the diaspora voting for now until we amend the electoral law,” she said.
The acting chairman said the commission had arranged for its directors to hold an interactive session with the Kenyan team and present papers on the work of their departments.
Leading the delegation, the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina, said the IEBC team was in Nigeria to benchmark ahead of Kenya’s general election in August 2027.
He said the team was studying how Nigeria handled its diaspora population and special voting groups, as Kenya sought to widen voting rights for citizens living abroad.
“Currently we have about 12 of them who voted in the last general election, but there is intention to expand to around, I think, 26,” Parashina said, referring to the countries where Kenyans abroad vote.
He said the expansion was a constitutional requirement backed by Kenyan court rulings, and would be enforced progressively.
Parashina said Nigeria’s election, which he noted would come in two rounds, would be closely watched across Africa.
“Everyone is looking at what Nigeria will do because it is the biggest democracy in Africa. The success of Nigeria remains a great success to Kenya and indeed to the continent,” he added.
The High Commissioner thanked INEC for receiving the team despite a tight schedule and wished the commission success.
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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