Ex-militant and leader of the defunct Niger-Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahedeen Asari Dokubo has flayed the recent statement attributed to the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan that she is solidly behind Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike’s quest to govern Rivers State come 2015.
Asari-Dokubo warned that any attempt to impose Wike on the people of Rivers State would adversely affect the political fortunes of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party.
“To make Wike a governor in Rivers State in 2015 is not morally right. All the fellows endorsing him for whatever reason should know that it will injure PDP, it will injure Goodluck Jonathan. If Goodluck’s name is brought into it, that he is in support of the perpetuation of an Ikwere hegemony in Rivers State, which is not right by population, which is not right under any calculation, it will injure him and PDP”. Dokubo warned in a recent chat with Leadership.
The First Lady had in reaction to a media report that she had withdrawn her support for the minister as well as planning to install three governors in the 2015 general elections, declared her total support for Wike and reaffirmed his position as leader of PDP in Rivers.
Mrs. Jonathan in a statement through her media aide, Ayo Adewuyi said, “In the case of Rivers State, the First Lady wishes to state categorically that the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, is the leader of PDP in Rivers State and he enjoys the followership of the people of the State. The First Lady is solidly behind Chief Wike.
“The people of Rivers State are also solidly behind Chief Wike and are prepared to follow him. It is therefore mischievous to insinuate that Mrs Jonathan is working to ensure that the governorship candidate comes from one of the riverine areas of Rivers State which may not be where the people are going.
“It is also imperative to state that the First Lady is always with the people and will continue to go with the wish and expectations of the people. Mrs Jonathan has not withdrawn her support for Chief Wike at any time and will always work for the interest and the good of Rivers people. As far as the First Lady is concerned, there is NO SHAKING in Rivers State”.
But Dokubo countered the first lady, saying Wike cannot become the next governor of the state.
According to him, an Ikwerre man has no business in Rivers Government House in 2015, adding that it would amount to political suicide for PDP to field Wike, an Ikwerre man, in the next polls.
“As far as we all know, there are three ethnic clusters in Rivers State: the Ijaws, the Igbos (Ikwerre is part of the Igbo cluster) and the Ogonis. After Bayelsa was excised from Rivers State, the Igbos have ruled for many years. Odili was an Idoni Igbo; he ruled for eight years. Omehia/Amaechi, who are also Ikwerres, by 2015 would have ruled for more than eight years, making over 16 years”, he explained.
Asari-Dokubo insisted that it is impossible for an Ikwerre man to succeed Governor Rotimi Amaechi who is also of that ethnic stock.
His words: “It is morally wrong for any anybody to say that Igbo cluster should produce the next governor in 2015. I am an Igbo man also, by virtue of my origin, and so I am not against the Ikwerre people or against the Igbo. I repeat, I am an Igbo man; I can narrow it down: I have Ikwerre blood flowing in my veins.
“Having said that, the next cluster are the Ijaws, made up of the Kalabaris, the Obolo and Ibani people, the Wakrike; Okirika is just one town in Wakrike, Ukoro and others. These people have produced a governor. In terms of local government spread, they are in 11 local government areas out of the 23 local government areas; the Igbos are spread in eight and the Ogonis in four local government areas.
“In terms of population, when you remove the cosmopolitan population of Port Harcourt and Obiakpor, which is about 80 per cent of the population, is non-indigenous of those local governments. That is old non-Rivers indigenes and Rivers indigenes, who are not indigenes of Port Harcourt and Obiakpor local governments. If you remove those populations, the Ijaws are the majority as a single block.
“When you look at that, for somebody to say another Ikwerre man should become governor is wrong. Yes, constitutionally, he has a right to aspire, everybody is free to aspire, but it is not moral, it is not right. Something can be legally right but it might not be morally right”, he added.
Atari or Asari whatever is a very sick man
Hey, Asari is not sick. Mind you language. He errs his mind view. ok
that woman is a fool,APC IS the own way in river state now PDP is dead in river state
Hello Chikwerre Amadi,
If you have insulted the First Lady, then you have also insulted the President and all the Nigerians
who elected the president including you.
so mind your language to avoid trouble of litigation against you.
Your identity is known. So be carefull.
Regards.
monkey foolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
you dont have to insult someone. he is only erring his view like u ve just done
My dear friend and bros, Alhaji Mujahedeen Asari Dokubo.
Dokus, I hail u ooooo even though I no dey see ur greenlight again.
Much respect, I applaud somethings u do in this country and the way you go about it.
But in this aspect of Chief Wike being penciled down as the next Governorship candidate of Rivers State, I differ with you. Why? Because according to you, constitutionally, he has the right to contest, like every other person. But your argument is based on moral justifications. Thank you and I love the basis of your argument. I am also of the Ijaw ethnic nationality. It may interest you to know that it is also based on this moral justification that the Loving members of PDP in Rivers State has irked Chief Wike to sit in as the Governorship candidate of our Great Party, PDP, in Rivers State, because of his enormous contributions and love for the party in the state. Without his concerted efforts to keep the party afloat with his machinery, time and money, PDP would have been a dead party in Rivers State and will be dead for many years, especially now that Governor Amaechi, is pulling all muscle to pull PDP down and install APC. See what happened in Imo State where and how PDP is still running a battle trying to return to power.
So, if the well meaning people of PDP in the state has moved on the choice of Wike, as a good strategy to retain governance in Rivers State, please Alhaji, let it be, as it is on moral grounds also, which is in turn with your argument (and should not be on sentiments). There are times when sentiments rubbishes good efforts and it is a time like. Governor Amaechi will be happy to see Chief Wike out of this race. That is why he is doing everything within his reach to foil the choice of Wike, including the use of propaganda, which is a veritable tool in politics. I think positively and with facts, that this orchestrated Gov. Amaechi’s move for Assembly approval of 50 billion Naira loan, purported to use to fine tune his administration projects “(APC project inclusive)”
All well meaning Rivers PDP members should rally round Wike to retain PDP governance in Rivers State, otherwise they will be like their Imo State counterparts, who are soaked with regrets, most of them now Keke na pep and taxi drivers and some operating under the guise of businessmen, but are psychological beggars roaming the streets of Port-Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja..
SO GOOD PEOPLE OF RIVERS PDP BE WISE AND SUPPORT ANY OBJECTIVE DECISION OF THE PARTY AND NOT SENTIMENTAL REASONS. KNOW IT THAT IF YOU ALLOW SENTIMENTS TO BECLOUD YOUR REASONING, ALL OF YOU WILL BE AS GOOD AS MOVING SKELETON IF BY YOUR SENTIMENTAL MISTAKE APC WINS THE GOVERNORSHIP OF RIVERS STATE..
THE PDP IN IMO STATE IS SUFFERING IT NOW.
A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.
I REST MY CASE.
LONG LIVE RIVERS STATE
LONG LIVE NIGERIA
SENTIMENT IS A GAME
ABDUCTION IS A GAME
CHIBOK IS A GAME
BOKO HARAM IS GAME/STRATEGY
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO INTIMIDATE THE PRESIDENCY – GEJ CARRY GOOOOO
NOTHING DEY HAPPEN and NOTHING DEY SHELLEEEE.
MY PRESIDENT RELAX AND BE FOCUS THINGS WILL SORT OUT ITSELF
WHEN THERE ARE TIRED AND THE GIRLS ARE DISILLUSIONED, THEY WILL START
RELEASING THEM GRADUALLY IN THE GUISE OF ESCAPE
CHIBOK IS NOT A GOOD SMART GAME TO CONVINCE PRESIDENCY TO END THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.
– AFTER ALL THERE WAS SIEGE IN KENYA MALL
– ABDUCTION HAPPEN EVEN IN AMERICA
AMERICAN SOLDIER ABDUCTED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WAS JUST RECENTLY RELEASED BY THE TALIBAN.
SOME ISREALI SOLDIERS ARE BEING ABDUCTED BY BOKO HARAM COUNTERPARTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, HAMAS SECT..
Its wit gr8t pleasure dat I want to comment on this issue of imposition of wike as pdp candidate in river state.to quickly set d ball rolling mr Asari made mention of morality in d game of politic,stated dat its morally wrong 4 Wike to contest even wen he has d constitutional back up wit out tking in to cognizance of d similar issues sorrounding the aspiration of GEJ come 2015.yes its indisputable fact dat GEJ has d constitutional right to contest bt its morally & politically wrong 4 him to govern d country,4 dat will b detriment to d political calculations & success of PDP come 2015.pardon me if my submission will go contrary to ur desires & convience me wit facts were necessary.Bt frm logical deduction its swt enough to reason along side wit you if dat will b genuine basis of analysis.
THOUGH AM NOT FROM RIVER STATE . BUT AFTER GOING THROUGH ASARI’S WRITE UP I WAS QUICK CONCLUDE THAT THE MAN IS RIGHT. BUT READING FURTHER THE PEOPLE MIND AND OPINON WITH REASONS WHY THE MAN WIKE FORTUNATELY BE THE MAN THAT CAP FIT. FOR THE GOOD PEOPLE OF RIVER STATE AND PDP AS WHOLE I THINK SENTIMENT SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ROOM LET THE MAN THAT CAP FIT A RELIABLE TRUSTED AND CAPABLE MAN GO AHEAD .
I think dokubo is ryt, give it a second thought.
Asari is 100% right. APC is WINNINGm #Team change.
There is nothing immoral in wike contesting.Either my dear Dokubo doesn’t really understand morality. If It is legal, then it has to be morally Ok. Just an observer.
Please we should ignore BABA the former president.
Why do we bring ethnic politics now.If APC is required to win the PDP it would not have displayed Buhari. It should have endorsed Rochas Okorocha.That would have been a remarkable contest of the APC.
Also Wike enjoys lots support from all river’s people.It’s his right to vote and to be voted for.
Allow WIKE the caps fits him.
Igbos bear in mind that the way for an Igbo extraction to be president 2019 is through the PDP.
With Goodluck Nigeria is focused.
Boko- Haram is just a distraction and have been now part of the process.The initiators can no longer handle it. A BIG SHAME. And this have caused human and land devastation,to the detriment of the people.
Let us stay as a united nation and shun all forms of violence.North and North east STOP.
We can be the Nigeria of the 80s again.WE CAN LET DO IT TOGETHER.
Goodluck you are right with all Nigeria.
Welcome our NEW PRESIDENT 2015 MAY 29TH (GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN)
Kudos! Based on what Mr Asari was trying to trifurcate here is just moral justification and nothing else. Though i am nt from River,ijaw or igbo bt i have passion and love for d pple,pls let us make peace among all. LONG LIVE NIGERIA, LONG LIVE EGJ, LONG LIVE ASARI, LONG LIVE IJA,IGBO AND OTHERS…
Asari abeg rest ur case.. Na so u rake tire say if GEJ lose Nigeria will be history u will do dis n dat, up till now we never see nothing from u.. Na who go give u money u dey fyn. Let the masses decide
Asari but u said u are going back to the creek.. what r u still waiting for? I think say by now u go don blow all the oil well… Bros abeg live politics for people wen Sabi am no be to dey one side dey talk any how.. he be like say Amaechi don carry billion give u..
u are right ooooooooooooooooooooooo @ Asari, APC! CHANGE