It’s clash of heavyweights in Rivers

The political parties billed to slug it out with one another in the polls that are starting on Saturday include the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Accord Party (AP), Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN), African Renaissance Party (ARP), National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP), Peoples Mandate Party (PMP), Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Citizens Popular Party (CPP) and Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

Others are Alliance for Democracy (AD), Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Justice Party (JP), Labour Party (LP), National Majority Democratic Party (NMDP), Democratic Front for a Peoples Federation (DFPF), African Liberation Party (ALP), National Transformation Party (NTP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP).

The three Senatorial districts in the state where candidates are already jostling to represent in the National Assembly are: Rivers South-East, Rivers West and Rivers East.

The 13 House of Representatives’ constituencies are: Bonny/Degema, Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada/Abua, Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt II, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre/Emohua, Khana/Gokana, Tai/Eleme, Andoni/Opobo, Okrika/Ogu-Bolo and Etche/Omuma.

Rivers South-East is currently being represented by Senator Lee Maeba, the only PDP senator in Rivers state, who could not pick the party’s return ticket.

The immediate past Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Magnus Abe, is PDP’s candidate for Rivers South-East senatorial district, while Dr. Nomate Kpea is the candidate of the ACN.

Abe, who was Rivers Commissioner for Information during the administration of Dr. Peter Odili, is also a former Minority Leader (then of All Peoples Party, later All Nigeria Peoples Party), between 1999 and 2003 in Rivers House of Assembly.

Both Abe and Kpea are equally matched, while either of them can emerge winner. It was initially rumoured that Maeba would defect to another party to contest, but he later made it clear that he would not leave the PDP.

Rivers West senatorial district has Senator Wilson Ake for PDP, while Chief Shadrack Akaloku is the ACN’s candidate.

Akaloku was Rivers state’s representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), between year 2000 and 2005 and also a former Special Assistant to Odili, while he was governor.

Ake, an incumbent senator, is the younger brother to the current Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Godspower Ake, but any of the political heavyweights may emerge winner, considering their popularity.

In the Rivers East senatorial district, Senator George Sekibo, an incumbent, is the candidate of the PDP, while Lasbery Amadi, a dogged fighter, is the ACN’s candidate, with Sekibo and members of the PDP in the district already jittery, in view of Amadi’s popularity.

Amadi was a member of House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003 and also a Special Assistant to Odili on Infrastructure, between 2003 and 2007.

For the House of Representatives, Mrs. Blessing Ibiba Nsiegbe, whose husband was murdered last year, is the candidate of PDP for Port Harcourt Constituency 2.

The Rivers immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ken Chikere, is the PDP’s candidate for Port Harcourt constituency 1, while Mr. O. K. Chinda, is PDP’s candidate for Obio/Akpor constituency.

A former Chief Press Secretary to Rivers Governor, Emma Okah, is ACN’s candidate for Ikwerre/Emohua constituency and will slug it out with the incumbent of the PDP, Chief Andrew Uchendu, who will be seeking third term in the House. The youthful Okah has more energy and daring.

Etche/Omuma constituency’s PDP’s candidate is Mr. Ogbonna Nwuke, who is the Rivers immediate past Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, while Chief Ambrose Nwuzi is of the ACN.

The PDP in Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru constituency has as candidate, Dr. Dawari George, the youthful immediate past Rivers Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, while the Publisher of Port Harcourt-based Hard Truth newspaper, Mr. Opunabo Inko-Tariah is the ACN’s candidate. Both of them are experienced, competent and either of them can emerge winner.

The immediate past Commissioner for Works in the state, Mr. Dakuku Peterside, who is an ally of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, is the PDP candidate for Andoni/Opobo constituency.

Okrika/Ogu-Bolo has John Kalipa for ACN, while Nancy Ipirinye Chidi-Nwankwo is determined to represent Tai/Eleme constituency on the platform of the ACN, with the likelihood of either of them emerging winner, in view of their vigorous campaigns and acceptability. Whoever will represent the people, what happens on Saturday will decide.