Rivers State Deputy Governor and the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District in the upcoming elections, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has said that Obuama community was blessed beyond measures by the Almighty God.
Banigo made this assertion during the Ward-to-Ward sensitisation and campaign organised by the Degema PDP in Ward 14,Obuama, last Wednesday.
The deputy governor, who expressed gratitude to the people for their support and massive turn out, assured that the Kingdom Mandate, which was ordained by the Almighty God, would offer to them an erudite and effective representation at the Upper Legislative Chambers.
According to her, Rivers people would continue to enjoy righteousness, peace and joy, when they give the PDP their mandate, and urged the people of Degema Local Government Area to vote Sir Siminialayi Fubara, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Cyril Godwin Hart, and Abbey Peter, for the Gubernatorial, Senatorial, House of Representatives and the state House of Assembly seats.
However, with 39 and 53 days away to the 2023 General Election in Nigeria, members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, have flagged-off their Ward-to-Ward campaigns, to woo electorate to vote for candidates of the party, vying for various offices, both at the state and national levels.
The party’s campaign train, led by the projects-oriented Chairman of DELGA, Hon. Michael John Williams, kicked off the campaign from Degema Consulate, the administrative headquarters of the LGA in Ward 11, and thereafter, proceeded to Degema Town in Ward 12.
Speaking to the people, Williams stated that the PDP had not come to campaign to them, but to celebrate the party’s victory with the people ahead of the polls.
He said the achievements of the PDP in the area were so enormous that the people would not think it twice to cast their votes for the party that had done so well for them.
While promising to bring more dividends of democracy to the people, the council chairman also assured that his administration would address the water challenge of the people of Ward 12 in the coming days.
Williams also announced the immediate appointment of four indigenes of the community as special assistants, two of whom were decampees from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP.
He assured the decampees of inclusion in the party, calling on the leadership of the ward to fully integrate them and carry them along in all activities of the party.
Also speaking, Leader of the PDP and former Chairman of DELGA, Hon. Pleasant Braide, who pointed out the various giant strides of the PDP in the area, stated that the party’s numerous achievements were enough to campaign for it, as against those opposition elements, who make bogus promises and fail to keep them.
He enjoined people of the ward to obtain their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), in order to vote for candidates of the PDP, and be ready to defend their votes, adding that the days of ballot box snatching and stuffing by opposition elements were gone for good.
In his speech, candidate of the House of Representatives for Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Warisenibo Cyril Hart, thanked the people of Degema for what he described as a brotherly gesture, in zoning the position to Bonny, where the lot fell on him to fly the flag of the party.
He noted that though the seat was meant for both LGAs, without the magnanimity and brotherly consideration of the Degema leaders, Bonny would not have stood a chance at the seat, considering the numerical strength of the former to the latter, adding; “thanks for caring for your brothers.”
Hart, assured the people Degema of quality representation at the Green Chamber, when elected into office, stressing that the National Assembly was not a place to send mediocres, who do not understand the peculiarity and challenges of the people of the Constituency.
The House of Representatives hopeful, who is also a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Bonny LGA and Board Commissioner, Universal Basic Education (UBE), while commending the chairman of Degema LGA for his monumental achievements in office, stated that he and other candidates of the party would be riding to victory on the successes of the administrations of Governor NyesomWike and Hon. Michael John Williams.
On his part, Chairman of the PDP in DELGA, Chief Taribo Benson, who encouraged members of the party to see the forthcoming elections as an opportunity to work for themselves, added that the party was well entrenched in the area, and would win overwhelmingly as it had been doing since 1999.
Also in their contributions, Leaders of Ward 11 and 12, Chief TonyeTyger and Dr. Emily Solomon, assured the PDP and its candidates of the continued support of their people to the party that has done so much for them.
Highpoint of the campaign was the reception of scores of APC members into the PDP in Ward 12,Degema Town.
Explaining the reason for their defection, leader of the decampees, Alhaji Hart Inumibolmubo, said that it was due to the failure of the APC to carry their members along, as well as the sterling performance of the DELGA Sheriff in projects’ execution as well as human capacity development.
The campaigns were well attended by the crème de la crème of Degema politics, including; the Council Chairman, Hon. Michael John Williams; his Vice, Mrs. Maureen Obuba Harry; Leader of the PDP and former Chairman of DELGA, Hon. Pleasant Braide; former chairmen of DELGA; Hon. Tony Philmoore; and Chief Betterland Davies; as well as member representing Degema Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Hon. Anthony Soberekon.
Others were; Commissioner for Power; Hon. Damiete Herbert Miller; former caretaker committee chairmen of DELGA; Chief TonyeTyger; Chief OmboBenebo; and Hon. OkoriteAdiele; former chairmen of Rivers State Civil Service Commission; Chief Ben Orugbani; and Sir Ngo Martyns-Yellowe; as well as Chairman of DAA-3 Cluster Development Board; Hon. MpakaBotoye.
The rest include; Amanyanabo of Ke and former member, House of Representatives, King AbokoAgolia, OmoniBenebo XII; Chairman of DELGA PDP, Chief Taribo Benson;Second Republic politician and former leader of old Degema LGA; Chief Levy Bealnut Pedro; member of State Executive Council of the PDP; Hon. Alalibo Graham; and former Deputy Mayor, Port Harcourt City LGA, Hon. Alphine Whyte.
Others were; Leader of the Degema Legislative Assembly, Hon. Alapuye Duke; and his colleagues across the 17 Wards of the LGA; House of Representatives Candidate for Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Warisenibo Cyril Hart;state House of Assembly Candidate, Hon. Peter Abbey; pioneer Commissioner for Special Duties in Rivers State, Dr. Emily Solomon; former Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman of Ogurama, Comrade Harmony Douglas; and Dr. Tobin Owuso, amongst others.