Introduction:
The first thing any person studying political life in Rivers State would discover could be treachery, betrayal, and what many see as dangerously slippery loyalty. In the onset of the Third Republic in 1999, Alabo Tonye Graham–Douglas and Marshall Harry said they picked Peter Odili as an upland politician to govern Rivers State for a change. Later, hatred marked the relationship between the two kingmakers and the political son; to the extent that Harry was assassinated in Abuja and Graham-Douglas claimed in his autobiography that attempt was made on his life in Lagos soon after, too.
Odili produced Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as his successor but they soon became sworn-enemies. Amaechi in turn produced Nyesom Wike as LGA boss, Chief of Staff, and Minister. Soon, Wike launched an invasion from Abuja to capture the Brick House and keep Amaechi on the run to this day.
From this point, many other godsons have rebelled against godfathers in the state’s political avenue, thus casting big doubt on the concept of godfatherism in politics in the state. Even Wike’s most virulent media attackers seem to be those that served him as media aides not too long ago.
A fast-rising political leader in the state from Rivers North (Omuma local council), Darlington Chukwuma Nwauju, has tried to reveal the reason for this ugly situation in an exclusive interview with BD Sunday.
The UNIPORT 2023 graduate of Biochemisty who calls himself son of a teacher from Umuagwu village said what rules the state is ‘pay-as-go-loyalty’ or contacted loyalty.
He said: “Rivers State is one of those places where you hardly see people play politics of ideology. You have those who support people because those persons are in positions of authority today. When the leader leaves office, the loyal follower jumps ship. There is nothing attached; no morals. It is politics of what I can get today. It is difficult.”
He said as a person, he found that his leader, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of the state and out-gone minister of transportation now gunning for the presidency, being a one-time students union leader, has elements of a Marxist. “He followed the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) struggle. This explains the difference he brings to the table as a Rivers politician. You see him trying to speak the truth, trying to say things that a normal politician won’t say. Those attributes made me draw inspiration from him and to see him as a mentor I could learn from. I have been trying to get mentorship from him.”
He however admitted that there are moments when he has cause to disagree with Amaechi politely. “Yes, there have been such instances. I also appreciate the fact that he has access to a plethora of suggestions and information far above me. So, by the time he forms an opinion on a matter, it may not go down well with me. I tell him I disagree oh, but I am still loyal. He knows I am expressive.”
Obundu philosophy
The first child of six children and now father of four who is the assistant state publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State gave out insights into his political philosophy thus: “I would say that I have always had the concept of what the South Africans call ‘Obundu’. It is about the people. This agrees with the definition of Democracy; government of the people by the people for the people.
“I am not concerned with what is behind the theory of Democracy but I am interested in the practical aspects of human existence, human living, and human development. That brings me to that point of ‘Odundu’ philosophy, the philosophy behind the existence of the human person. I am very much interested in how human beings can survive.”
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He admits that his political philosophy agrees with his personal interest in politics; defending the ordinary man in the form of political activism.
“The only way one can reach the highest number of people is probably through politics. Those blessed with plenty of wealth can also reach out to the masses, but it is difficult for one ordinary person to reach millions of people.
“If you have one billionaire in Rivers State (and I am seeing some), but you find that they are not known beyond their communities or local council areas. So, the surest way to achieve this is to participate in politics and reach the greatest number of persons.”
From student activism to political ideology
The APC intellectual said what he enjoyed most was seeing others happy, agitating for the rights of others. “So, it finds expression in it because if you talk about the welfare of the people, how to defend their interest, etc, that is why I am in politics. I will be interested in how I can help them access good healthcare, how they can have access to education and all that, it is back to defending the rights of the people.
“You also find that most persons who were built up in the students struggle ended up as leaders of the country. In fact the founding fathers of this country were active students leaders; whether in the political front or in the mass movement. Somehow, they were built up in that way. I think I am in the right trajectory.”
Over 80% of those in politics came without principle
Nwauju said most persons going into politics in Nigeria do not seem to have strong ideologies and principles and this creates strange bedfellows.
“That is my major challenge. So, you have the challenge to either have your own thinking (which I think is the best) or face all manner of things. Getting your ideology across to 80 per cent of persons who do not have any philosophy is an issue. Some of these persons were drafted into politics without a vision. So, squaring up with such persons is difficult trying to convince on issues. It’s been a challenge.”
Nwauju’s tortuous political route
“I think it has been a tortuous one from my primary school life where I was the class monitor. Leadership traces have been there around me. I can remember in my Primary Six when I was appointed Class Monitor, though I was about the smallest in the class. You can imagine my size then, but I enforced discipline. Some of the big boys will tell me, if we go outside I will beat you. I will tell them, if you beat me outside, if we come inside I will flog you.
“When I got to secondary school, the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Secondary School, helped me a lot in terms of exposure. It helped me in my world view, in meeting persons from different backgrounds, and in giving me opportunity to meet persons from parents that were leading Rivers State at that time. The man that introduced the Flying Doctors scheme was the founder of the school. He was a great man. He created access to a large number of persons to healthcare. Even when he left office, the idea he had put on ground was not forgotten. All that experience helped me focus on the future, though we have not got where we want to be. It helped to bring us to where we are today.
“When now got to the University proper, it was like a training ground for me because it exposed me to what life situations would actually be. From my year one, I got into the executive of National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS). There was no year I did not hold two positions in school. It helped to build me up and expose me and toughened me to challenges that I have so far faced.”
Why APC may clinch power in Rivers State in 2023
Failed job promises alone will harm the present administration, he says
What no political analyst can safely say for now is which of the two big political parties, PDP or APC is sure to capture the seat of power (brick House) in 2023.
The assistant publicity secretary however gives a hint. He said the first thing going well for the Rivers APC is that the outgoing administration in the state has not been able to do many things right. “I think that the APC has a chance to offer itself as a credible alternative in 2023. I do not think the outgoing administration has done well in education, and in the overall in human capital development. A lot of promises have been made to the youth of the state but not kept; we are still waiting for the promise for 10,000 jobs. There was another promise for 5,000 which is still hanging.”
He also pointed at an absence of an economic blueprint, lack of transparency in the state, and a budget nobody sees. “I was one of the earliest to say the Nyesom Wike administration has no economic plan for the state. There have been several policy-summersaults in this administration. It boils down to the fact that there was no clear-cut policy blueprint.
“We had argued vividly that the PDP manifesto to the people back in 2015 had nothing pointing to an economic plan. It has proved so. There has not been any investment in the economy from foreign sources. What happens is going to Abuja to get federal allocation monthly just like most other states. I would have expected that Rivers State would be a leading state in sub-Sahara region because the state is blessed in several areas, not just in oil and gas. We have not done well economically. Party biases apart, as a free-born of Rivers State, I must state that by now we should be way ahead.”
Endless crisis in the APC not a counter-lunch
When asked if what he sees as a weakness of the Wike administration is not countered by intractable divisions in the APC in the state, Nwauju said: “Without trying to sound immodest, I think that the APC went into a sort of agreement with the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019 using the APC structure to drive the vehicle of the AAC in the 2019 governorship election. It took Amaechi just three days to overhaul the structure and drive the AAC. If that could be achieved, then it means a lot. We know that the AAC won in 16 LGAs for sure. If this could be achieved despite the factions and sabotage, I think this time we can do more given our experience, past history, and other things. I expect far better outcome this time around.”
Magnus Abe threats: Fighting Abe with transparency
Only a fool can fall into same trap twice
Magnus Abe is a big force in the APC in the state who has been fighting the party for not making governorship contest open, believing he has the large-following to win the ticket. This crisis led to disqualifying the entire APC in 2019, and the threats seem to linger with more attempts to go to court.
Nwauju however explained. “My simple answer is that very recently before our national convention, an attempt was made; they actually went to court. The court did not see any merit in their argument. Their reason is that their complaint was similar to what took them to court in 2018 over ward congresses and exclusion. So, the old tricks of 2018 came back. It is only a fool that will fall into same trap a second time.
“We keep on saying that the old trick that was used against the APC in 2018 for 2019 will not catch the party again this 2022 for 2023. We have been able to look into all matters. It was very clear in September 2021 congresses, it was clear that we knew what we were doing. They couldn’t even challenge it in court. We have made sure it is tamper-proof, water-tight.
“The party has put together a crack team as members of the state executives. Most of the current members are tested persons in areas of leadership. You have vibrant young minds who are articulate and who reason. It is a team where people argue and take the best step. They are no-pushovers. It is difficult to make those kinds of mistakes again.”
Keeping his followers going
Nwauju may be a new breed politician whose followers seem not to look back. Asked how he has been able to keep his followers loyal no matter the situation, he said the question needed to go to Amaechi to explain how he has been carrying people along for years. “One person even asked how I managed to stay fiercely loyal to him.
There is no magic. The truth is that we my style is to be very open to my followers. We make sure that we use the weapon of truth to fight off all our opponents. So, they have come to accept us as truth-sayers. We have no apologies. There are certain actions or policy-positions that will not happen with us around. It may be difficult for certain types of people but I know that when they go back to their homes, they agree with the virtue of truth and transparency, though a scarce commodity. The followers know that this fellow is transparent, so they follow.
“On the day of my inauguration, for instance, we had nine bus-loads of supporters all the way from my local council area (Omumua) to Port Harcourt. It was more like a carnival. People were wondering what it was. Nobody paid them. Yes, people talk about renting crowd, but there are still politicians that do not rent crowds. In the first place, they do not even have money to rent crowd. People follow because of truth.”
Advice to intellectuals coming into politics: Check well if it’s your destiny
“I think that even before I advise anybody, I need to tell the person that it is not about being an intellectual or professional. It is first to know your destiny path. If you are not destined to go this route, there is no need coming because the temptations are there.
“It is not easy if you are not actually destined for this approach. If you are scared of coming to the table where decisions are made, at the end, the decisions will affect you and your children. So, you do not allow intellectual nincompoops to take over your destiny, your economy. You need to come and think of how to help our society.
“Where we are now, we should not be discussing university lecturers’ (ASUU) strike, power failure, water, etc. We are not there. Imagine how 109 senators sat down and made a law against themselves without even knowing it. Is it not such a shame? People who know what to do should not be scared to come,” he said.
My future is in God’s hands
Asked to guess where he thinks he would be in the next five years, he retorted thus: “My answer usually is this. You remember the bus stop where you caught me some 21 years back, and where you caught me today. You now that I have shifted from that bus stop. So, in the next five years, the Force that brought me this far will know where to put me.
Charge to APC: Capture the state, nobody should negotiate accountability
Saying Rivers State with huge resources as suffered lack of accountability in the past seven years, the new breed elite said the APC in the state has a wonderful opportunity to rescue Rivers people because they have seen an administration that in the past seven years cannot point at its budget in the public domain.
“Budget is the hallmark of transparency in governance. This secrecy s willfully perpetuated. We need a government people can hold accountable. Nobody should negotiate this. We cannot live and work in a state where nobody can hold the government accountable. It will be a tragedy to live in a state where the House of Assembly will wait for the executive to help them make laws only for them to be mere clearing house.
“Many things have gone wrong and we hope that the APC will cash in to clear the rubbish and help Rivers people to experience good governance. People deserve it. A lot has actually gone wrong: security crisis has not been stamped out. Many of our young people see gang leaders as mentors. It’s actually a shame. I will not want to see such a Rivers State where children see gangsters as role models. That is my prayer.
“For our party the APC, I wish that it will look at what the people have suffered in the past seven years and not make the mistake of allowing those who should have no business managing the resources and economy of the state to get to power. That would be anathema,” he further said.
