Dumo Philips/Port Harcourt
The political re-engineering now going on in the 2019 governorship election matrix of incumbent Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is quite overwhelming. First is the fact that for the first time in Rivers state did a woman emerged as Deputy Governor of the state Governor expected the voting record to be quite high because a woman was his Deputy but the reverse is the case that he narrowly came out without electoral rerun as he garnered small margin in his victory. With this experience Governor Nyesom Wike has being thinking how best to compensate his friend and co-Minister during President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2nd tenure in office DR. Tammy Danagogo who is Kalabari from Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state. It is on record that it was Dr. Danagogo and Chief Kenneth Kobani both Ministers of Federal Republic then went and purchased Governorship expression of Intent Form for Nyesom Wike. Whereas Kenneth Kobani has been compensated with political appointment as Secretary-To-Rivers State Government-SSG Dr. Tammy Danagogo has remained silent without any designated political portfolio.
Given the fact that during the Golden Jubilee Anniversary in 2017 as a specific Day tagged “Women’s Day” was scheduled and all women I Rivers state gathered at Dr. Obi Wali Civic center at Port Harcourt Governor Wike public announced that having a woman as Deputy Governor was risky as women don not like themselves not to talk about even voting a fellow woman in an election. It was at that occasion that he praised House of Representative Abua/Odual-Ahoada East representative Mrs Betty Apiaffi for being as tigress during election days. He said this given the fact women are afraid to come out on election days to vote and withstand the pressure that will emanate from such actions.
Rivers Deputy Mrs. Ipalibo Harry
Tammy Danagogo PhD was Minister for Sports and also served ex Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs. He earned Doctorate Degree in Law from prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka UNN Enugu Campus. He is politically agile and well versed as Riverine whose people have been agitating for having a share of occupying Brick House come May 29th 2019. As the incumbent Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo hails from Harris Town in Degema Local Government Area but married to a Man from Grand Bonny Local Government Area her assertion of political authority and control at her Kalabari land enclave has put her at logger head with the incumbent Rivers state House of Assembly Dr. Farah Dagogo representing Degema state constituency.
Dr. Farah Dagogo
The Local government Councils’ election Primary in PDP in Degema LGA had its aspirants all disqualified from contesting the Chairmanship primary election because of this political supremacy tussle between Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Banigo and Dr. Farah Dagogo an ex Militant who won election in 2015. For Governor Wike losing Dr. Farah Dagogo to All Progressive Congress-APC for the 2019 Federal House of Representatives ticket which APC in Degema/Grand Bonny Island political Opinion leaders had promised him would be political suicide instead he, Governor Wike would whittle down his Deputy Governor’s political influence and control by choosing his friend and political strong man in Kalabari kingdom Dr. Tammy Danagogo as Deputy Governor in 2019 and May ask Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry-Banigo to vie for Rivers West Senatorial seat instead while giving Dr. Farah Dagogo Federal House of Representatives’ ticket in 2019.