As the race for the PDP ticket for the Governorship of Rivers State grows increasingly controversial the news that the former Attorney General of the State Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) has thrown his hat into the ring has taken many observers by surprise. Ajumogobia is a distinguished lawyer whose career so far has been marked by a high sense of dignity and an ability to avoid controversy even while serving in highly sensitive posts.

A brilliant law student who emerged from his university days with a long list of awards he fulfilled his early promise in practice effectively and was virtually drafted to become the Honourable Attorney General (HAG) of the state by Dr. Peter Odili entirely on merit rather than because of any noticeable political links.

However, his service to the state under the Odili regime raised his profile so highly that he was appointed to important Federal Ministerial posts after he left office. He was Minister of State for Petroleum and then Foreign Minister. In the latter post he became a favourite of the diplomatic corps in Abuja. It was widely lamented when political manipulation led to him being dropped from the cabinet after Dr. Jonathan was elected President in 2011 but he returned quietly to his successful legal practice in Lagos and has made no noise. Now that he has emerged as one of the most credible and certainly one of the most qualified of those vying for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP the public in Rivers State in particular and across Nigeria as a whole are certainly interested in knowing the reasons behind his decision to join the race: in the following interview with Lindsay Barrett he articulates some of these reasons.

When did you first consider contesting for the Governorship of Rivers State?

The notion initially began to suggest itself to me about eighteen months ago. There were however essentially three distinct phases probably six months apart, which eventually coincided in providing further impetus to my seriously considering the idea in the last six months especially and to my eventually formally expressing my interest in offering myself as a candidate in the PDP for the office of Governor of Rivers State.

What are your major reasons for taking this decision?

Ajumogobia

The earliest influence was a group of close friends and a number of former political associates from my time as HAG, in Rivers State, who sought to draft me into the still then distant contest especially given the geo politics of Rivers State and the universal expectation of a power shift to the Riverine parts of the State, after sixteen years. I was not enthusiastic at first. My own personal interest in the leadership of the State derived from my visceral reaction to what came to be known nationally as the Rivers crisis and the subsequent and progressive degeneration of the crisis that culminated in the governor joining the main opposition party. The most troubling aspect of the crisis for me personally and as a former HAG of the State, was the shutting down of the courts.

Ordinary people

They remain shuttered as we speak. I realised just how deeply involved I had become in the fortunes of the state, how much I cared about the future well-being of the ordinary people of my State, and how the crisis was likely to adversely affect their future.

As the crisis deepened I also became particularly concerned by the widening divisions and disunity within the once wholesome and cohesive political family in the state into antagonistic and rabidly hostile and potentially violent factions. The prospect of a resurgence of cult and gang wars, political assassinations and murders and militancy haunted me. All these were compounded by what later became the unusual prospect of the abrogation of the entrenched party policy of power shift, and rotation with regard to the key political office of Governor of the State.

I saw myself as being untainted by mutual antagonisms and believed that I might offer an alternate platform upon which the various factions in the State might be reconciled in the best interest of the State.

Inevitable outcome

Offering myself to serve as Governor became a natural and inevitable outcome of these strong emotions and sincere reflection after wide consultations and encouragement from a broad cross-section Rivers State society.

You were regarded as one of the bright stars of the Odili Regime; have you consulted your former boss about your ambition?

I did not have the opportunity to do so as I would naturally and proudly have done as one of his protégés. As you know it was Dr. Odili who introduced me into public life, nurtured me and supported me as counsellor and mentor. His extremely busy schedule especially in this season of politics has perhaps been a constraint to my ability to have had the opportunity to have consulted him prior to my formally expressing interest in the Rivers governorship race.

It is being said that you only came into the race in the late stages when the party could not stop Nyesom Wike; is this true?

I have not heard that and in any event it cannot be true. Both Chief Nyesom Wike and I served in Dr Odili’s Administration – he as local government chairman of Obi Akpor LGA , and I as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. There has always been mutual respect between us.

It is always and exclusively the party that selects its candidates for various offices from amongst its members in accordance with its constitution and guidelines issued by the National Working Committee of the party from time to time. Based on the constitution of our party I believe it is incongruous for my brother Nyesom to be seeking to be Governor of the State at this time. I am sure that even he would admit that. Having said this I have great admiration and respect for his formidable skills as a grassroots mobiliser who was the arrowhead in re-establishing the PDP in Rivers State after the erstwhile PDP Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi dismantled the party’s structures in attempting to make the APC a viable opposition party in what is essentially a PDP state.

He clearly established himself as arguably the most prominent leader of the PDP in the state in part because he was also then a Minister in President Jonathan’s cabinet and had the formidable apparatus of state at his disposal. Some, surprisingly, have even described him as the leader of the party in the state, but the “kingmaker should not become the king” especially in clear violation of the party constitution.

It is also alleged that Chief Wike has secured the support of a majority of delegates from all parts of the state; if so why seek the ticket of the PDP?

I became a registered card carrying member of the PDP in 2000. In the first place it simply has not occurred to me to join any other party. The genius of the PDP (and credit here must go to its founders) is in its proven and time-honoured system of power shift or rotation and or zoning of key political and public offices to give all members a sense of ownership and belonging in the interests of justice, equity, and fairness according to the language of the party Constitution.

Language of the party constitution

I find it troublesome and disturbing that people should be speculating that a particular candidate has secured the support of a majority of delegates from all parts of the State when the support of each delegate including 957 ad hoc delegates is generally not communicated to anyone in advance other than to the particular aspirant.

The outcome of the purported ward congresses was never announced, neither was the list of purportedly elected delegates ever published anywhere by anyone. I was recently declared unqualified to contest the gubernatorial primary election on the ground that I was not a member of the party because my name did not appear in a purported list of members of PDP in my LGA! This despite the various high political offices I had occupied between 2003 and 2011 on the platform of the party. However a twelve man Appeal panel, comprising renowned men of honour and integrity such as Arc. Bunu as Chairman and Dr Dan Ulasi as Secretary has since cleared me to contest the primaries along with several others who had been similarly declared ineligible. This highlights the lack of authenticity of the PDP voters register in the absence of a revalidation or re-registration of PDP in all wards and LGAs of the State.

How will you defuse the divisions in the PDP that appear to be creating several hostile factions? How will you reconcile opposing groups in the party and the state?

I do honestly believe that the hostile factions will sheath their swords once I emerge as the PDP flag bearer. The seeming hostility stems from a lack of trust amongst the several factions. It is the fear of oppression and exclusion that makes it a desperate situation for the faction that senses that another faction has or will have the upper hand.

Personal priorities

I do not believe that any group will feel threatened by my ascendancy to the office of Governor.

What will be your personal priorities as Governor of the State?

Frankly my personal priorities can be defined as simply anything that will ensure justice, good governance and guarantee the well-being of all the people regardless of their station in life. This includes respect for all citizens especially the elderly and compassion for the vulnerable. One thing I will insist on is that the legacies left by those who came before me will be consolidated and improved upon. I will not act as if I am the first person ever to become governor but will acknowledge the positive things that those who came before me have achieved and seek to emulate or improve upon their efforts.

Education, health care, industrialisation, agriculture, and urban development will receive adequate attention and the sustained development of services and employment opportunities for the youth will be among my major concerns. My experience as Chairman of the State’s Sustainable Development Agency has given me the insight and the knowledge that will help me to guide the affairs of the Administration in a manner that will benefit all the people. Unity peace and security will be the watchwords of my Administration.