P
PressRoom
Guest
As all gets set for another round of re-run elections in Rivers state, the drama in the state's political scene cannot be left unnoticed. Governor Nyesom Wike, who has particularly been in the news has accused some Rotimi Amaechi of the plot to kill him before the elections.
After the bloodstained election of 2015 ended, Wike's party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP won all three Senate seats, all 11 federal constituencies and 30 of 31 state constituencies. However, the elections which were marred by large-scale irregularities were queried by the courts.
The three Senate seats, eight of the federal constituency seats and ten of the 31 state constituency seats were annulled and are now up for election. For the two major gladiators, the stakes are indeed high.
What The Elections Mean For Amaechi:
For the former helmsman of the state, Rotimi Amaechi, the election is an opportunity to regain his political stand in the state. For a man who governed the state for eight straight years from 2007 to 2015, the fact that his political structures were nearly wiped out after Wike’s takeover in 2015 must have been demeaning and debasing. But the succour for him was that 2015 elections in the state were judged as below acceptable democratic standards.
This Saturday is also an opportunity for him and his 'cabals' to rediscover themselves and prove their worth.
What does the Elections Mean For Governor Wike?
For Governor Nyesome Wike, the Saturday re-run elections are not just about proving his worth as the present governor of the state, but also to check any possible encroachment into his political territory.
Why Is Governor Wike Afraid?
The contests into the 10 House of Assembly seats are very sensitive. Victory for the All Progressives Congress in the elections could give the opposition party a foothold that could in due season give his political antagonists an opportunity to split the House as was done during the Amaechi era.
The fear is that there may be a similar reocurrence if the APC can claim a majority or possibly all ten seats being contested this Saturday and use it as a foothold to splinter the House and destabilise the Wike administration.
Recall that while Amaechi was the governor that the House of Assembly was shut down after a minority of four members loyal to Wike took over the House and claimed leadership of the House.
After the bloodstained election of 2015 ended, Wike's party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP won all three Senate seats, all 11 federal constituencies and 30 of 31 state constituencies. However, the elections which were marred by large-scale irregularities were queried by the courts.
The three Senate seats, eight of the federal constituency seats and ten of the 31 state constituency seats were annulled and are now up for election. For the two major gladiators, the stakes are indeed high.
What The Elections Mean For Amaechi:
For the former helmsman of the state, Rotimi Amaechi, the election is an opportunity to regain his political stand in the state. For a man who governed the state for eight straight years from 2007 to 2015, the fact that his political structures were nearly wiped out after Wike’s takeover in 2015 must have been demeaning and debasing. But the succour for him was that 2015 elections in the state were judged as below acceptable democratic standards.
This Saturday is also an opportunity for him and his 'cabals' to rediscover themselves and prove their worth.
What does the Elections Mean For Governor Wike?
For Governor Nyesome Wike, the Saturday re-run elections are not just about proving his worth as the present governor of the state, but also to check any possible encroachment into his political territory.
Why Is Governor Wike Afraid?
The contests into the 10 House of Assembly seats are very sensitive. Victory for the All Progressives Congress in the elections could give the opposition party a foothold that could in due season give his political antagonists an opportunity to split the House as was done during the Amaechi era.
The fear is that there may be a similar reocurrence if the APC can claim a majority or possibly all ten seats being contested this Saturday and use it as a foothold to splinter the House and destabilise the Wike administration.
Recall that while Amaechi was the governor that the House of Assembly was shut down after a minority of four members loyal to Wike took over the House and claimed leadership of the House.