PRINCE TONYE PRINCEWILL BURIES GUBERNATORIAL AMBITION WHILE PPA MOBILIZES FOR THE 2ND TENURE OF THE GOVERNOR

By 2007 gubernatorial election in Rivers State, Prince Tonye

Princewill was the candidate to beat. His popularity among the poor

and the rich was soaring so high that he sent seasoned and frightening

politicians like Sgt Awuse to the cleaners. To those in Rivers State,

Awuse was the bulldozer but Princewill in the eyes of the Women

Traders in Mile One was the Hurricane of Rivers State politics. His

campaigns were so Obamaish that Sir Celestine Omehia who was illegally

flying the flag of PDP and being the only formidable force preventing

him from becoming the next Governor of Rivers State became so rattled

and frightened that he ran away from having debate with this man seen

in some quarters as the 'golden boy' of Rivers State politics. To

many, Prince Tonye Princewill symbolizes the future of Rivers State

and to others he is the Prince of Niger Delta Politics. He shocked

many when he resigned a Federal Government appointment as the Chairman

of the Vision 2020 sub-committee on Niger Delta when the then Federal

Government decided to bomb parts of the region in fishing out the

militants. That is the stuff he is made of and why his digital

thinking amazes many. It is this same digital politics he played when

he decided to withdraw his case against the PDP against the wishes of

the National Leadership of Action Congress but in favour of Rt. Hon.

Chibuike Amaechi whom the Supreme Court ruled was the authentic

Governor of Rivers State. The Prince's case had been led by seven SANs

and was so water tight that Omehia then illegally occupying the Rivers

State Government House had to offer him N1.5B to withdraw his case

from the Tribunal. Of course the Prince refused.
Dr. Okwesillieze Nwodo the National Chairman of PDP captured it better

when he stated recently during a protest in Abuja recently by some

disgruntled elements claiming to be members of Rivers State PDP,

“There is no reason why we should lose any election in Rivers State. I

recalled that PDP was almost losing to Action Congress before it

regained its foothold in the state. We know that just before AC

collapsed into PDP in Rivers State, AC was almost becoming the party

to talk about in Rivers State”.
All this is now history as Prince Tonye Princewill being touted as the

next Governor of Rivers State come 2011, overwhelmed by what Gov

Amaechi has achieved for the past three years has officially buried

the thought of contesting the gubernatorial election come 2011. In his

words, “What Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi is doing may not be felt until

after he has left. Very few politicians will do this. Everyone is

thinking of today and their glory. Amaechi is thinking of tomorrow and

our glory. For me as a well travelled man, who has seen what is

possible and is prepared to make this possible to bury my ambitions;

you should know there is something going on in Rivers state. This

announcement marks a major milestone. He continued. "Now we can

educate and treat the poor. I actually feel like crying.”. This is a

comment from the heart but what exactly are some of the issues that

want to make this visionary leader of our time feel like crying?

1. EDUCATION
A. Offer of free education to our people in Primary and Secondary Schools

B. Offer of scholarship in the university in any part of the globe

– i. Canada 297, ii. India: 202, iii. Ireland:30, iv. Singapore: 136,

v. United Kingdom: 384, vi. Over 1049 of our students abroad under the

Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA)

C. Provision of 350 model primary schools at various stages of completion

D. 24 model Secondary Schools across the State various stages of completion

E. Provision of ICT in schools and fully equipping the schools

F. Comprehensive training programs for over 800 Teachers at the

primary and post primary levels.
2. HEALTH
A. Offer of free health in all government owned hospitals or health

centers, free of charge.
B. Construction of 160 Health Centres in all the LGAs

C. Construction of 1000 bed specialist hospital
D. Construction of Biolaricide Manufacturing Company

3. INFRASTRUCTURE
A. Investment of at least N100b per year from 2008 till 2010 in

provision of roads, bridges and Social amenities
B. Engaged in the construction of 800km roads with 250 already completed

C. 10 major bridges under construction with 3 already completed

D. 20 minor bridges under construction with four completed,

2flyover/interchange under construction
E. 6 Land reclamation/shore protection projects at Andoni, Opobo,

Buguma, Abalama, Olombie/Owukiri Island, Oba Ama, Okirika with

1,1400,000km 2 completed
F. 2 major markets and a shopping mall under construction (phase

1 of mile 1 markt housing 960 shops and two banking halls completed).

G. First in Africa Monorail project commenced.
G. Projects in every local government.
4. POWER
A. Three power stations built and functional at Omoku (150 Mega

watts), Trans-Amadi (130 Mega watts) and Eleme (75 mega watts). By

June, 2011, capacity will be increased to 500 Mega Watts under the

$195 million dollars 180 MW gas turbine awarded to Saipem

B. Seven Transmissions stations (132/33 kilo volts) and 7

Distribution injection sub-stations 33/11 Kilo Volts built.

C. Improved power in the state.
5. SECURITY
We all are aware of the state of security before Amaechi assumed

office. This necessitated most of those that gave birth to the

insecurity in the State relocating to Abuja. If all these feats can't

make any sound mind cry, then I wonder what else can.

From nothing to something and now something strong in three short

years, we thank our God. With this development, PPA following an

emergency caucus meeting held yesterday at its Srare Secretariat in

Port Harcourt has commenced detailed planning for Amaechi's second

tenure campaign including what is described by those in the know as

the "PPA Way" - a digital election strategy for voter turnout and

management. Built on the philosophy that PPA does not support losers,

it is clear that Rivers state is going to see campaigning like never

before come 2010/2011. Nothing will be left to chance. PPA for

avoidance of doubt means Princewill Political Associates that cut

across the six States in Niger Delta propagating good governance and

projecting the philosophy, ideology and principles of Prince Tonye

Princewill as a way out of the political quagmire of Nigeria.

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,
Media Consultant, PPA