PETER ODILI 25 PROMINENT POLITICAL SONS REVEALED

25 PROMINENT PETER ODILI POLITICAL SONS REVEALED

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

—HOW HE BUILT ODILI RESTORATION TEAM IN 1998-2007

Prior to 1999 political dispensation Dr. Peter Odili was elected Deputy Governor of Rivers state in 1992 to November 17, 1993 when Late General Sani Abacha and his follow military juntas struck to oust the Civilian elected Governors and their deputies.

It was after that experience that Dr. Peter Odili returned to his Medical Practice at PAMO CLINIC Port Harcourt. Apart from that he established a Farm at Iriebe town where he now used for PAMO University of Medical Sciences –PUMS Port Harcourt Rivers State. In the Farm which he managed with his lovely beautiful wife Justice Mary Ukaego Odili nee Nzenwa now Justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria they concentrated in the production of spices such as ginger, Turmeric and Cinnamon for commercial purposes as they are common in South east Asian countries.

During the Late General Sani Abacha military junta era Dr. Peter Odili was among those who participated in the Constitutional conference as delegate. When in the 5-Leprous Political parties’ era as endorsed by General Abacha, Dr. Odili aligned himself with Democratic Party of Nigeria DPN. But when the General Abubakar Abdulsalami Military Government lifted a ban on partisan party politics Dr. Peter Odili went to town recruiting young political disciples that included men and women of integrity that came together to form ODILI RESTORATION TEAM-ORT FAMILY. While the women were not left out in their usual characteristics of coming together to form ODILI SUPPORT TEAM-OST FAMILY. With the 1999 political activities all the teams collapsed into Peoples Democratic Party-PDP incorporating the Local Government Council Chairmen who were elected in 1998 under Peoples Democratic Party PDP swept the 21 Local Government Council in Rivers states then. By 2006 Dr. Peter Odili was almost elected Nigeria’s next President during the 2006 National Convention of PDP leading to the Presidential Primary election that suddenly produced the Katsina state Governor late Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua who unwillingly emerged and later won the 2007 Presidential election.

www.towncrier.ng here relays the old and young political gladiators who once followed their mentor Dr. Peter Odili and who are now Masters of the game as some of them are now frontline Presidential aspirants of their various political parties in the country. They are the ones now calling the shots in “National Politics” having firm control of Rivers state politics too. Today, they have revolutionized the entire political party machinery since they took over Rivers state political terrain from 2007 to 2021.

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GODSPOWER UMEJURU AKE

Although late chief Godspower Umujuru Ake happened to be the man who drafted Dr. Peter Odili into party politics, he maintained a smooth political relationship with the former Governor of Rivers state. He was compensated with Special Adviser to the Governor on Land matters. He was elected into Old Rivers state House of Assembly and later elected as Deputy Speaker from 1979—to — 1983 With the elevation of Prince Uche Secondus to national politics as national Organizing secretary, Chief Godspower Umejuru Ake got elected as Chairman of People Democratic Party-PDP Rivers state chapter. He came from Erema town being  the same Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local Government Area.

CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI

The grass to grace rise and rise of His Excellency Rt. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to dominate the landscape of Rivers state politics began with his encounter with former Governor Dr. Peter Odili while he held sway as Medical Doctor at his PAMO Clinic in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. First, he joined grass root politics in his Ikwerre Local Government Area. From here his political godfather Dr. Peter Odili made it easier for him to emerge   as winner of Ikwerre state constituency and later elected Speaker of Rivers state House of Assembly. In 2007 the then Rivers state Governor Dr. Odili insisted in retaining an Ikwerre man as Governor of Rivers state and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was the anointed candidate as he won in December 2006. In February, 2007 President Olusegun Obasanjo announced K-Leg palaver that led to truncated ambition which the Supreme Court restored on 25^th of October, 2007 by ordering that he should be sworn in immediately as executive Governor of Rivers State.

CELESTINE OMEHIA

In the political tutelage in which barrister Celestine Omehia went through, Dr. Peter Odili picked him while he was Deputy Governor and recommended him for political appointment as Commissioner. Celestine Omehia earned a Masters of Law, LLM degree from University of Hull in the United Kingdom. He was again recommended as a replacement to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the 2007 Peoples Democratic Party Rivers State Gubernatorial candidate and he won and was sworn in on may 29^th, 2007 as executive Governor of Rivers state until on 25^th of October, 2007 when Supreme Court of Nigeria in a Landmark judgment swept him off from the executive office of Governor of Rivers State. But the incumbent governor of Rivers state of Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike upon his ascendency into Brick House Rivers state seat of Political restored the entitlements of Celestine Omehia as ex-governor with his photograph displayed with that of former Governors hanging in the Executive Council Chamber.

NYESOM EZEBUNWO WIKE

Former governor of Rivers state Dr. Peter Odili truly laid a good foundation for youths in Rivers state to emerge as politicians as Ijaws in Bayelsa state when they moved over to Yenagoa the new state capital created a vacuum for many rising Rivers youths to fill the gap. Here Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was elected as Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in replacement for one Mr. Chinwo who later moved over to the Federal House of Representatives as compensation. He returned to complete a second term in office as executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA and later as Deputy national Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria-ALGON.

In 2006, Nyesom Wike fought hard to see to the emergence of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as Gubernatorial candidate of PDP which was in February 2007 substituted with Celestine Omehia. It was the political sagacity displayed by Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike that sustained the Legal battle that restored the mandate back to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on 25^th of October, 2007. He was appointed as Chief of Staff on 26^th of October 2007 until 2012 when he opted for being appointed as junior Minister of Education by President Ebele Goodluck Jonathan. Later he was made Supervising Minister of Education.

He is the founder of Grassroot Development Initiative—GDI which canvassed electoral votes for him in the 23 LGAs of Rivers state.

TORU OFILI

This is a lady of inestimable political value whose charismatic carriage and political savvy sustained Odili Support Team—OST the female wing of Odili political dynasty in Rivers state. Prior to 1999, Mrs. Toru Ofili during the second Republic was Secretary to Senate President Dr. Joseph Wayas. She got trained in the United Kingdom and spent much time in Nigeria running successful businesses including Furniture outfit and REFCOL Nigeria limited, a waste management company that kept the city of Port Harcourt clean from the Military Government of Group Captain Sam Ewang as he then was.   

She emerged as Commissioner for Women Affairs during governor Dr. Odili’s tenure in office. Her father Chief William Jumbo was the first indigenous Rivers state born Mayor of Port Harcourt. And she was found worthy by the current government to be appointed as Special Adviser to the Governor in Millennium Development Goals. Mrs. Toru Ofili is a lady whose political astuteness remains an enigma in Rivers state.

MAGNUS NGEI ABE

Thestoryof how distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe moved over from All Peoples Party-APP being a Minority Leader in the then Rivers State House of Assembly to Peoples Democratic Party PDP which brought him closer to Dr. Peter Odili. Senator Abe wrote recently in a reply to misrepresentation of his political travesty that “Rivers people know that as Commissioner for Information I was one of the closest politicians to Sir, Dr. Peter Odili, yet I disagreed with Odili to support Amaechi, when Amaechi himself insisted on his own right to pursue his governorship ambition, against Odili’s wishes.”

WILSON ASINOBI AKE

He is a relation to late Godspower Umejuru Ake from Erima in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers state. He has been a politician with deep experience in Legislative matters being one of those as member Federal House of Representatives drafted the Niger Delta Development Commission-NDDC Bill which was later signed into Law in 2000 AD by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. He later won election as a Senator representing Rivers west Senatorial District. Today, distinguished Senator Wilson Asinobi Ake is a well-respected Rivers state politician of repute.

APIAFI BETTY   

This political amazon has been an entrepreneur with deep political pedigree from the famous Abua/Odual Local Government Area in Rivers state whereas her played major roles in the then Eastern Region Government with regional Headquarters at Enugu, she is today the first female elected Senator from Rivers state courtesy of how she was introduced into the Odili-Support Team—OST where she helped nurture the then First Lady Justice Mary Odili’s Pet Project The Adolescent Project-TAP NIGERIA. She won election under PDP platform and is now a sitting Senator and founder of Brooke Stone Group of elitists’   schools from creche to senior secondary and Pre-Degree preparatory school for both local and foreign university admission. Today Senator Betty Appiafi as a first female Senator has brought Federal Government presence to her Local Government a Federal Institution —through presentation of a Bill for the establishment of Federal College of Agriculture Abua/Odual Rivers state vide Establishment Bill, 2021 SB 503.

ALLWELL ONYESOH

Tall and athletic built light complexioned political savvy Chief Allwell Onyesoh is your everyday politician and administrator. He came into political limelight from acquiring deep political tutelage from his late mother who was a Women Leader of one of the popular political parties in Rivers state. He took up appointment at Rivers State College of Arts and Science CASS now Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnics Rumuola Road Port Harcourt as a senior Lecturer in the department of English Language with specialization in Creative Writing. This graduate of University of Jos, Plateau state in 1998 won election into Federal House of Representatives during the botched 3^rd Republic. In 1999 he emerged among founding members of People Democratic Party in Rivers state having come from RESTORATION FAMILY of Dr. Peter Odili. Chief Allwell Onyesoh popularly addressed as OCTUPUS OF RIVERS state and South -South politics was very among the Rivers state crop of young politicians recruited by Dr. Peter Odili and absorbed into his political RESTORATION FAMILY TEAM that won election into Rivers state Brick House in 1999. Based on his wonderful contribution in bringing the Dr. Peter Odili’s administration on board, Chief Allwell H. Onyesoh took up the post of Commissioner for education in the first term in office while in 2003 during the second term he was appointed Rivers state Commissioner For Sports where he won several laurels for Rivers state in local league and Inter regional African Club Championship competitions making Rivers state become visible in the international arena using sports as a veritable tools in good governance. During the administration of Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi he was appointed Chairman of Senior Secondary school Board where through his administrative germane programmes he brought in the Teaching services about Thirteen Thousand (13,000) employees’ workforce. An unprecedented record no administration has equaled since the creation of Rivers state on 27^th of May, 1967 to date. Today, Chief Allwell Onyesoh is eyeing Rivers state East senatorial seat for inclusion into the 10^th National Assembly Abuja.

TELE RENNER IKURU

Youthful and vibrant Engineer Telenyem Renner Ikuru was one of the youngest cabinet members of the ODILI RESTORATION FAMILY TEAM as he was appointed Rivers state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development after serving as Commissioner For Agriculture as he was born on 24^th of February 1966 as a native of famous Ikuru town in Andonni Local Government area of Rivers state. He earned a Bachelor of Technology B. Tech degree in Mechanical Engineering from prestigious Rivers State University of Science and Technology Nkpolu Orowurokwo, Port Harcourt. In 2002 he was awarded a chieftaincy title of Chief Omennma 1 of Umuanyaagu Etche. In 2007 he emerged as Deputy Governor of rivers state under Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as Governor of Rivers state. But in 2014 a few months to the end of his 8-Years he retained his membership of Peoples Democratic Party PDP after a few tormenting political engineering periods of his life that led to his breaking knee cap and was on clutches for several weeks. He is a cousin of PDP former National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus and he has acquired much political experience as he looks forward to the political development of electing next Governor of Rivers state come 2023. Will Tele Ikuru contest the 2023 Rivers state Governorship election?

PRINCE UCHE SECONDUS

Enigmatic and unpredictable Ikuru town born Rivers state politician Prince Uche Secondus the former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party-PDP is a gentle man and a Born-Again Christian. “Total Chairman” as he is addressed by his numerous admirers has been into grass root politics as he deputy Chairman to late Dr. Marshall Harry who in 1999 was the Rivers state Chairman of PDP that selected Dr. Peter Odili as Flagbearer of the party in the 1999 Governorship election against Chief Sergeant Awuse. Prince Secondus later emerged Rivers state chairman in 2001 when late Chief Marshall Harry was surreptitiously uplifted as South-South Zonal Vice Chairman Chief Marshall Harry before he defected to All Nigerian Peoples Party ANPP and was later murdered at his Abuja private home on February 2003. Prince Uche Secondus was elected as National Party Chairman of PDP while as National Organizing Secretary of PDP he did well.

Earlier before, during the second Republic he was elected Chairman of National Party of Nigeria -NPN Youth Wing.

 In 2003, this Ikuru Town born Prince of Andonni Local Government Area of Rivers state swiftly earned the sobriquet “TOTAL CHAIRMAN” after he swept all the electoral seats in Rivers state from Chairmen of the 21 Local Government Areas to 3-senatorial seats, 13 Federal House of Representatives seats, 32 State House of Assembly seats all were won by PDP in Rivers state in 2003. He quietly found himself into the inner kitchen cabinet of Dr. Peter Odili from where he dragged his youthful cousin Engr. Tele R. Ikuru into the RESTORATION FAMILY TEAM and nominated him as a Commissioner in 1999.

Recently in 2021 he was shoved aside prior to the end of his tenure as national Chairman of PDP but he went to Federal High Court to challenge his removal which he had taken to Supreme Court of Nigeria after losing Court of Appeal Ruling which never favoured him.

FELIX OBUAH

This Rivers state politician is Charismatic, humane and a philanthropist. Being a founder of “GO ROUND COMMUNITY” a Non Governmental Organization NGO that has been catering for the indigent citizens. Chief Felix Obuah  being an Odili loyalist was elected Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council Chairman while Odili held sway as Rivers sttae Governor. He fought very hard to unseat late G.U Ake as Chairman of PDP in Rivers sttae as Supreme ruled in his favour. it was this political breakthrough that earned him appointment as both Chairman of PDP and Chairman of Rivers sttae Waste Management Agency-RIWAMA. Come 2023 Rivers state Governorship election Chief Felix Obuah’s name romgs bell. He runs Kresdera Resorts as well as being Chief executive Officer of GO-ROUND FOOTBALL CLUB OMOKU.

 JOHN AZUTA MBATA PhD

This son of late Elder Sam Mbata who brought Full gospel Christian Fellowship into Old Rivers state with his personal premises adjacent to Bori Camp Army Division 6, Headquarters Aba Express Road Port Harcourt is a fulfilled politician and business man and a Born-Again Christian. Senator John Azuta Mbata, is tall hefty built, and calm in disposition in 1999 he was in the ODILI RESTORATION FAMILY TEAM of which he was elected twice as Senator representing Rivers East senatorial District.  He is the first Rivers state citizen to become Senate President while the then President Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was removed he was quickly elevated for the seat of Senate President before Senator Pius Anyim was sworn as senate President. In fact, senator John Mbata became senate President for 4-days during the controversial financial scam that rocked the then Senate in 2001. He was the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriation. Today, he is the Chairman of Monier Construction Company-MCC a Civil Engineering construction firm. This Eneka town in Ikwerre Local Government Area born Political Scientist hold Ph.D. degree and he is cool headed and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic party—PDP.

MAUREEN TAMUNO

 The current High Commissioner to Jamaica former member of Federal House of Representatives representing Okrika/Ogu/Bolo Constituency and former member Rivers state House of Assembly where she represented Ogu/Bolo State Constituency is a lady of immense substance. She came into the Odili Support Team—OST that metamorphosized into the Odili Restoration Family Team.

Her excellency Dame Maureen holds PhD degree in Strategic Marketing and Consumer Behaviour while she obtained Master of Business Administration MBA in Marketing and first degree in Management Studies from Abubakar Tafawa Belwa University Bauchi with a Post Graduate Diploma PDG in Management.

ALERUCHI COOKEY-GAM

She became prominent among Odili Support Team

OST Family members a female wing of Odili Restoration Family Team. The Ogbodo Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Governemnt Area born wife of late Architect Roland Cookey-Gam, this ebullient scholar and administrator was appointed Commissioner For Justice and Attorney General later secretary To-Rivers state Government—SSG and her rise to political prominence has known no bounds. She earned Bachelor of Law degree LLB from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife 1976—1979. And Aleruchi Cookey-Gam was admitted at Nigerian Law School from where she graduated and Called to Bar in 1980Masters of Law Degree LLM from prestigious University of London, London School of Economics and Political Science LSE in 1982.

Today she is one of the loyalists of the Minister of Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi which has earned her appointment as member of Board Federal Housing Authority—FHA.

AMBASSADOR DESMOND AKAWOR

This gentle man politician former Ambassador of Nigeria to South Korea Engineer Desmond Akawor is one of the political sons of Dr. Peter Odili who has found in him trust and followership in his political journey. He is the current Rivers state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party-PDP. Currently preparing for election into Rivers South East Senatorial position come 2023. He graduated from Federal Polytechnic Idah in Kogi state with Higher National Diploma-HND in Engineering in 1987 as he was employed at Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation NNPC. He has been appointed as Commissioner twice, Chief executive cum General Manger of Niger Delta Basin Development Authority in 1999 and later appointed into the Federal Capital Development Authority-FCDA Abuja.

EMEH GLORY EMEH

He is one of the pillars in communication strategy that sustained the media wing of Odili Restoration Family Team from 1999 to 2007 and beyond. Chief Emeh Glory Emeh is a consultant cum Lawyer with Financial management skills. Today he is into real estate business as founder of First Link Property service Nigeria Limited. He was appointed Commissioner for Transport during Governor Odili’s second term in office and later as Chief of staff during Celestine Omehia 5-Months interregnum that ushered in Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the legally elected Governor of Rivers state in 2007.

DAVID THEOPHILUS BRIGGS

Among the young recruited politicians in 1999 by Dr. Peter Odili into Odili Restoration Family Team is David Theophilus Briggs the Abonnema Akuku Toru born technocrat. He was appointed pioneer Commissioner for Works from 1999 to 2003.chief David Briggs was later appointed into positions of higher responsibility in Rivers state as the N.E.W Vision government of Nyesom Ezenwo Wike appointed him as Chairman of Secondary School Management Board. He earned Bachelor’s degree in Economics from University of Port Harcourt and has been a grass root politician in Rivers state.

OSINACHUKWU THANKGOD IDEOZU

From his humble submission to hard work and dedication to service to humanity, Osinachukwu  Thankgod Ideozu was elected into Rivers state house of Assembly from 1999 to 2003 where he represented Ahoada east Constituency 1 at rivers state House of Assembly. He was elected into the Federal House of Representatives where he represented Abua/Odual & Ahoada East federal constituency. This ebullient scholar was elected into National Assembly as Senator representing Rivers west Senatorial District. In 2007 he was appointed Commissioner for Finance by the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s government but he resigned his appointment midway into the first term.

ODEIN HENRY AJUMOGOBIA

 He is one of the best intelligent gentlemen Rivers state ever has produced as he came into the Dr. Peter Odili Restoration Family Team during his second term in office. He was first appointed as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General. He was later appointed as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources later Minister for Foreign Affairs from April 2010 to July 2011. Henry Odein Ajumogobia was born 29^th June 1956. This Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN is into Aviation related Legal briefs and a Non-executive Director of First Exploration and Production Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria with Aliko Dangote in consortium.

MARSHAL STANLEY UWOM

Consider him as one of the later recruits into Odili Restoration Family team as he was made Special Assistant during the second Term of Dr, Peter Odili’s 2^nd Term in office. His father happened to have been a Senior Customs Officer who had Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as his Personal Assistant while he was in Nigerian Customs and Excise. Marshall Stanley Uwom was appointed Commissioner for more than twice first as Commissioner for Agriculture and later Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and never followed Chiubuike Rotimi Amaechi into his newly found All Progressives Congress APC but remained with PDP to date. He is Prince from Agba Royal Family. This cool looking handsome dude graduated with Law degree LLB from Rivers State University of Science and Technology Nkpolu Orowurokwu, Port Harcourt…now rechristened Rivers State University. In his quest to serve his good people of Abua/Odual –Ahoada East Federal Constituency during Dr. Peter Odili’s tenure he couldn’t win the primaries but was compensated with appointment as Special Assistant. He got elected into Rivers state House of Assembly and later elected as Deputy Speaker but never returned during the second term of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. This politician was born on 13^th of December 1965. Currently, he acquired additional post graduate degrees MSc in Good Governance from United Kingdom and having his Consultancy professional calling as a new way of rendering service to humanity. He is married to Ikwerre born Mrs. Tracy Marshall Uwom

PATRICIA WUDIGHA OGBONNAYA

While the Odili Supporters Team-OST women of Rivers state made special impact in the excellent administration Dr. Patricia Wudigha Ogbonnaya was appointed Rivers state representative in charge of National Examination Council, of Nigeria-NECO from where a lot of success came her way as future foundation for having increased number Secondary school graduates who passed in higher grades qualify for tertiary education intake made former Governor Dr. Peter Odili a Golden Governor of West Africa. Today, she is a government recognized traditional Council member of Ekpeye Council of chiefs in Ahoada East and Ahoada west in Rivers state.

KENNETH KOBANI

This British trained Law graduate Kenneth Kobani was former Commissioner for Commerce and Industries and later Supervising Commissioner for Finance when Barrister Akeodi Oyaghire passed on to eternal glory. KK as he is called was later appointed Minister for Industries and Trade during President Goodluck Jonathan’s era. His late father was among the murdered Ogoni 4 prominent citizens during the environmental right protest of the Ogonis in Rivers state in the 1990s.