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Rivers State has become synonymous with rebel politics and with recent happenings, it is living up to that reputation. But despite the rebellions, the state has not tethered off the rails. ANAYO ONUKWUGHA writes on who and what is holding the state together
Since 1999, Rivers State has succeeded in projecting itself onto national politics, particularly during presidential elections where its wealth and politicians play either a stabilizing or destabilizing role. That was the case in 2007 when Peter Odili sought the PDP ticket, in 2015 when Rotimi Amaechi helped topple PDP’s 16-year rule and again in 2023 when Nyesom Wike backed a rival party.
Rivers State was created in 1967 by the regime of former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Retired). It was governed by several military governors that were appointed by successive military regimes in the country, as well as two civilian governors that were elected by the people of the state, late Senator Melford Okilo and Chief Rufus Ada-George.
In 1996, the regime of late General Sani Abacha created more states and Bayelsa State was curved out of old Rivers State.
On May 29, 1999, a medical doctor and founder of Pamo Clinics, Port Harcourt, Dr. Peter Odili was sworn in as the first civilian governor of the new Rivers State. He won his election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a political party that has remained in charge of government in the state till date.
At the twilight of Odili’s eight-year tenure in 2007, having won his second term in 2003 and with heavy opposition, especially from the riverine axis of the state, forces that seemed beyond him worked against his preferred successor, then Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi.
Amaechi, an indigene of Ubima community in Ikwerre local government area of the state, had beaten at least seven other governorship aspirants on the PDP platform to emerge as it’s governorship candidate.
But, Nigeria’s then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, during the PDP South-South zonal rally in Port Harcourt, declared Amaechi’s case as ‘k-leg’ and refused to give him the party flag as was given to five other governorship candidates of the party from the Niger Delta zone.
The embattled governorship candidate approached the court to seek redress over the removal of his name as the party’s governorship candidate in the state.
Apparently, in order to ensure that there was no vacuum in the governance of the state, Odili ensured the emergence of Amaechi’s nephew, Sir Celestine Omehia as his replacement.
Omehia, a legal practitioner won the election and was sworn-in on May 29, 2007, but was however sacked by the Supreme Court on October 25, 2007, which ordered that Amaechi be sworn-in immediately as governor.
