On Wednesday, Rivers-based politician Dakuku Peterside publicly stated his political allegiance, clarifying that he does not belong to the camp of the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Instead, Peterside, who previously served as the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), expressed his support for Wike’s predecessor and estranged former political mentor, Rotimi Amaechi.
“I am a friend to Rotimi Amaechi,” the former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.
“I am not on the side of Nyesom Wike,” Peterside submitted, adding that he is also not politically aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
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He, however, said he was ready to provide advice for the incumbent governor on how to move the state forward.
“When Nyesom Wike was governor, recall that I was doing open letters to him consistently, giving him my advice. I did that for some time. If Governor Fubara seeks my advice, of course, I am willing to give that, like many governors,” he said.
Rivers is one of Nigeria’s most politically charged states, largely due to its significant votes and wealth from oil.
The state is marked by fragmented political factions, creating a landscape filled with intrigue, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominate.
Both parties are led by influential figures, with Governor Wike, a two-term PDP leader, being one of the prominent figures, alongside Amaechi, a former presidential contender and ex-transport minister who governed from 2007 to 2015.
Other political forces include supporters of Governor Fubara, former Governor Peter Odili, former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, Magnus Abe, and Tonye Cole, all of whom have dedicated followings.
Political crises have plagued the state for over a decade, with supporters of various factions frequently clashing.
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