As the race for the governorship seat of
Rivers State peaks, the governor,
Chibuike Amaechi, appears to be in
dilemma over whom to back as his
successor.
The governor will leave office in May
next year at the end of his second term.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr.
Amaechi the governor is in a fix over
who between two federal lawmakers he
should give his support to fly the flag of
the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The lawmakers are Magnus Abe, a
serving senator, representing Rivers
East Senatorial District and Dakuku
Peterside, representing Andoni-Opobo-
Nkoro Federal Constituency in the
House of Representatives.
Although, the deputy governor, Tele
Ikuru, and one Minabelem Michael-West
are believed to have also shown interest
in succeeding Mr. Amaechi, this
newspaper reliably gathered that
Messrs. Abe and Peterside are the only
serious contenders who in recent past
intensified their campaign to pick the
APC ticket.
Mr. Amaechi is said to have come
under pressure from the camp of the
two top contenders.
It was learnt that the lawmakers, who
chair the Committees on Petroleum
Resources of the Senate and the House,
have been meeting political leaders and
other influential people in the state who
are close to the governor to persuade
him to support their bid.
Mr. Amaechi, who came to office on the
ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, defected to the APC in November
last year, alongside four other
governors, recently asked the people of
the state to freely chose who should be
their governor.
“Rivers people have a right to choose
who will lead them in 2015, in free and
fair election; they have a mandate to do
so,” he said.
The governor’s dilemma over Messrs.
Abe and Peterside is believed to have
borne out of their impressive credentials
and support for him, especially in those
trying times when he fought a political
battle that led to his defection to the
APC.
Both top contenders, who were also
elected into the National Assembly on
PDP’s platform, did not only decamp
with the governor to the APC, they
stood by him against his opposing
political forces.
Mr. Abe was in the process brutalized
by the police and was rushed abroad
for treatment.
Mr. Amaechi, an Ikwerre in the upland
part of the oil-rich state, is also believed
to come under pressure from the ethnic
nationalities of the two men.
While Mr. Abe, 49, a former Secretary to
the State Government is an Ogoni in the
upland area, Mr. Peterside, 44, a former
Works Commissioner in the state is
from Opobo in the riverine area.
A few days ago, the Ogoni leaders held
a meeting called on political parties to
present candidates from the area as
their flag-bearers. Although it is an oil
producing community, the Ogoni’s with
four local governments are yet to
produce the governor of Rivers State
since its creation in 1967.
“All political parties seeking to fill
candidates for the forthcoming
governorship election in Rivers State
should consider the aspiration of their
members from Ogoniland, “spokesman
of the Ogoni Leadership Forum, Walter
Ollor, said.
Mr. Ollor added that the people of
Ogoniland will support only political
parties that field candidates for the
governorship election from Ogoniland.
On their part, ethnic nationalities in the
riverine area, which also include the
Kalabari, have been angling for the
position on the premise that the upland
has produced the state governors since
the return of democracy 15 years ago.
The first governor in this dispensation,
Peter Odili is from Ndoni in the upland
while his successor, Celestine Omehia,
who was in office six months and Mr.
Amaechi are Ikwerres.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that as a way
out of the dilemma Mr. Amaechi might
opt for open primaries to choose who
will fly the APC ticket.
Whoever eventually emerges as the
party’s flagbearer will slug it out with
candidates of other parties, particularly
in the PDP where there is an array of
formidable contenders, in the February
2015 governorship election.
Among the aspirants on the platform of
the PDP are the Minister of State for
Education, Nyesom Wike; former
General Secretary of the Nigeria Bar
Association and member of RSIEC, Nimi
Walson-Jack; Chairman of the National
Oil Spill Detection and Response
Agency, Lancelot Anyanya.
The others are the Deputy Speaker of
the Rivers State House of Assembly,
Leyii Kwanee, Dumo Lulu-Briggs,
Bekinbo Danagogo-Jack, Tonye
Princewill, Emmanuel Georgewill and
Williams Obene.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/169136-rivers-2015-amaechi-in-dilemma-over-abe-peterside.html

As long as its APC in rivers state, they will still lose

This man is deluded. How can you possibly face a dilemma over a fantasy?

In fact, it is easier for me to become the President of the United States than for any clown 'annointed' by APC's Amaechi to become governor of Rivers State.

If I were Amaechi, the only dilemma I'll be facing at this point is deciding whether to hang myself or swallow otapiapia on May 29, 2015. . . .or face the shame of being bundled off in handcuffs to Kirikiri Maximum Prisons.

Was he not the one that said the Governorship candidate this time must go to the Ogoni's? Why in dilemma of who to support? Support any thing that comes out of Ogoni,that is the APC candidate.Mr talk & do it's time.

Barr E N Wike.

God has blessed Rivers State this election period. The contenders Hon Tonye Princewill(PDP), Senator George Sekibo(PDP), Hon Dagogo Peterside(APC) and Sen Abe Magnus (APC) are all interesting people. However, my preference for the job is in this order...
Tonye Princewill(PDP)- who in a free and fair contest will BEAT every candidate. He was the AC candidate in 2007.

Senator George Sekibo(PDP)- Another popular candidate, who will triumph in the contest if given the PDP's ticket but will have to contend with Peterside's popularity. However, the PDP's machinery will favor him-except APC employs Amaechi's performance to their advantage

Hon. Dagogo Peterside(APC)- he will triumph should PDP field a non Riverine person- Nyesome Wike. I hope APC gives him her ticket.

Senator Magnus Abe: Honestly, I like Abe but I don't see him as one that can survive the ruggedity of the political governance of Rivers State. His faking of the "bullet shot" few months ago made me see him as a deceptive fellow(I may be wrong though).

I'm APC fan but PDP is well grounded in Rivers state. However, PDP will shot itself in the foot should they field Nyesom Wike or one unpopular candidate. APC should field Peterside, Abe should return to the Senate.

beginning of d falling

Amaechi and his APC cronies in Rivers state will soon go into political extinction.

The governorship election in Rivers state will be decided at the PDP gubernatorial primaries.The only problem PDP will have is making Nyesom wike (with all respect to him)as there guber candidate.That will be unfair to other clans in rivers state.Besides that if a riverine man is made either from okrika,kalabari,bonny,opobo,andoni etc.its a concluded matter for PDP in rivers state.If APC like they can field anybody they like whether OGONI or Opobo,upland or riverine,even from the shoreline or ocean community,they will not win rivers state.

Magnus abe should be given the opportunity because he is the main reason most OGonis joined the APC and it would be fair on his pary since most Ogoinis are clamoring for a governorship since they beliv they have been side lined

The most popular and most loved by the people is Hon. Dakuku Peterside. Irrespective of party, he is the best candidate and the most prepared

Winning PDP in Rivers State is going to be difficult.

peterside is good 4 A p c. While in p d p, wike is de best.

pro01:
This man is deluded. How can you possibly face a dilemma over a fantasy?

In fact, it is easier for me to become the President of the United States than for any clown 'annointed' by APC's Amaechi to become governor of Rivers State.

If I were Amaechi, the only dilemma I'll be facing at this point is deciding whether to hang myself or swallow otapiapia on May 29, 2015. . . .or face the shame of being bundled off in handcuffs to Kirikiri Maximum Prisons.

If known thieves like Gbenga Daniel, Alao Akala, Peter Obi, et al, can walk freely in Nigeria, then why shouldn't Amaechi?! So, because GEJ is now the President, opposition Governors can now be accused wrongly!

My advise to Rivers people is this; let us not be deceived by politicians. Those rooting for Wike should always remember that they are mortgaging their future political chance. If wike succeeds Amaechi, that will be 16yrs and 24 year in power by the Ikwerres and the upland. Wike is fighting today not because he is d best. But because this is his only chance to governor Rivers state. If we go by rotation and power shifts to Kalabari, Ogoni, etche or any part, b4 power returns to d Ikwerres, wike most have gone into political limbo. Again if wike succeeds Amaechi, that means another Ikwerre man is free to succeed Wike After 8yrs in power since there won't be rotation and zoning again. Wike did that after 8yrs as LGA chairman by bringing his family kitchen brother, Timothy Nsirim to succeed him instead of shifting it to Evo or Akpor Kingdom in Obio/Akpor LGA.

VickyRichmond:
The governorship election in Rivers state will be decided at the PDP gubernatorial primaries.The only problem PDP will have is making Nyesom wike (with all respect to him)as there guber candidate.That will be unfair to other clans in rivers state.Besides that if a riverine man is made either from okrika,kalabari,bonny,opobo,andoni etc.its a concluded matter for PDP in rivers state.If APC like they can field anybody they like whether OGONI or Opobo,upland or riverine,even from the shoreline or ocean community,they will not win rivers state.

APC should give her ticket to Hon Dakuku Peterside and pray that PDP should not give Tonye Princewill(Most Popular) or George Sekibo. It is done deal should PDP field either of Tonye or Sekibo! However, Peterside can pose a solid match but will need to be highly strategic (should he be given APC ticket). However, should PDP give Wike and APC field either of Peterside or Abe, then PDP is finished at the polls.

In short Rivers 2015 Guber is 50% PDP, 30%APC and 20% unforseen circumstance.