From the length and breadth, the nooks and crannies of the local government area, the faithful and sympathisers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema Local Government Area Council converged at the headquarters of the council, Degema. They milled out in their multitude from the towns, villages, the fishing and farming settlements. They even came from the cities and the metropolis across the state. They came in their numbers. They came in their colours. They came with jubilant drum beats.
They came singing songs of celebration and trumpeting tunes of inspiration and hopes of victory.
They traversed the tributaries and the rivulets. They crossed the creeks, the rivers and the seas, riding upon the storms and the waves to the consulate and erstwhileprovinvial headquarters to galvanise themselves into action, electoral action that is. They came under the umbrella to take back messages of hope, of new visions and of renewed commitments to deliver democratic dividends. They gathered knowing it is their election, their government, the one that is closest to them. The occasion was the party’s campaign flag-off at the local government area. The date was Thursday, April 1, 2021. And the venue was the Rt Hon. Tonye Harry Sports Complex, Degema.
In attendance were the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Her Excellency Ipalibo Harry-Banigo in representative capacity, other top state government functionaries from the local government area, incumbent chairman of the council, Dr Tony Philmoore, Chairman of the party in the LGA, Mr Peter Abbey, Chairmanship candidate, Mr John Williams, the councillorship candidates in the 17 Wards, traditional rulers, chiefs, and opinion leaders of the LGA.
Describing the PDP DELGA Chairmanship flagbearer as tested, tried and, trusted the Rivers State Commissioner for Power, Hon. Damiete Herbert-Miller who represented the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo at the occasion said that the choice of Mr Michael John Williams would usher in a new dawn in which the people of DELGA would be mobilized for a greater future.
Hon. Herbert-Miller described the PDP chairmanship candidate as detribalized, focused and coolheaded, affirming that “Michael John Williams, no doubt, will perform beyond expectation. He is a shining light and emerging good leader.
In his own address, the chairman of Degema Local Government Council, Dr Tony Philmoore who outlined his achievement in the nearly three years in office amidst cheers remarked that he had implicit confidence in the ability of Mr Williams in developing the LGA.
The council boss expressed hope that the PDP candidate would continue the projects initiated by his administration for the benefit of the people, adding that “John Williams is capable of providing innovative leadership where service in humility would be the hallmark”.
Dr Philmoore declared his total support for the party’s standard bearer and urged the people to continue to drum support for the “incoming administration”, while imploring the party faithful to deseminate the message to all the wards as his government was prepared to provide the logistics required to reach all the units in the council area.
In his own contribution, the chairman of PDP in Degema Local Government Area, Hon Peter Abbey opined that Mr Williams would replicate the legacies of Governor Nyesom Wike in Degema and called on the people of the area to vote massively for the PDP and its candidates come April 17 for them to have a taste of the Wike project experience.
“Michael John Williams will turn DELGA into a construction site as Wike turned the state into a projects’ site”, the LGA party chairman enthused.
In his own address, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema Local Government Area, Mr Michael John Williams pledged to reward all the communities in the LGA with people-oriented projects if elected into office on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
Mr Williams enjoined the people of Degema Local Government Area to go out enmass and vote for all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, assuring that his administration would ensure a paradigm shift in service delivery where the people’s interest will receive priority attention over and above any other consideration.
“Projects must be executed in all the communities that make up DELGA. The councilors will be integral part of the projects execution. The people must be carried along in consultation during policy decisions and my government must truly be government of the people”, he said.
The chairmanship candidate of the PDP further appealed to the people of the area for support while promising not to let them down or take them for granted in the management of their affairs and resources.
“I will not fail you people. Together we shall bring back our LGA on stream”, he pledged while extending an olive branch to all the aspirants of the party who could not make it through the primaries, calling on them to join efforts with him, not just to win the election but also to deliver a result-oriented and people-focused governance to Delgans.
Speaking exclusively to The Tide on the sidelines of the occasion, the Director-General of the Michael John Williams/PDP Campaign Organisation, Michael D. C. Ekineh described his principal as a man with a burning craving for projects and programmes that will uplift the living condition of the people.
“Michael John Williams is a listening leader. He has well articulated programmes of action, especially for the youths, which would be laid bare during the course of the campaigns,” the DG said, adding that he was confident of his candidate’s capacity and ability to deliver on all the promises made to the people of Degema Local Government Area.
As the people of Degema Local Government Area wait for Saturday, April 17, 2021 to cast their votes for the parties and candidates of their choice, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidates have since taken their messages to them (people) in the communities and electoral wards and units.

By: Opaka Dokubo & Iminabo Fyneface