• Now Emerges New Political godfather of RIVERS Politics
The return of Dr. Peter Odili into full time Rivers State politics after the retirement of his wife Justice Mary Ukaego Odili, big from Supreme Court of Nigeria Abuja has brought a relief to Rivers State-based politicians, who have missed his fatherly political advice across major political parties in the State. Currently, there is no politician in Rivers State, who has not benefited in one way or the other from the former governor, Dr. Peter Odili, whose political journey started more than 3-decades ago. First, he was elected Deputy-Governor under Chief Rufus Ada-George in 1992- to 1993 when General Sani Abacha emerged the head of state. He actively participated in the Constitutional Conference that produced the 1995 botched Constituent Assembly Report that led to the formation of the 5-leprous fingers political parties. He pitched tent with Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), which later in 1998 to 1999 metamorphosed to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He challenged other governorship aspirants and emerged the candidate of the party.
In 1999, he won the governorship election against, Ebenezer Isokrari of All Peoples Party (APP) and Chief Eric Asoh’s political party. The re-election. His consolidated his grip on the state’s politics and politicking in 2007, he contested presidential primary election that produced the late Umaru Yar’Adua, who won the election that same year. And this led to his temporary political sabbatical leave. And when his wife was elevated to the Court of Appeal and subsequently the Supreme Court of Nigeria, she relocated to Abuja where her husband also joined her. Throughout the 8-years of the Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi tenure as Governor of Rivers State, Odili stayed away from politics. He was dragged before the late Justice Kayode Esho’s Truth Panel where he was embarrassed before a live television audience and this contributed to his movement to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Owing to the emergence of Wike as governor of Rivers State, former Governor Odili began to enjoy some recognition from the state government. Governor Wike showed him love and loyalty until he returned to Rivers. His private estate in the GRA Phase 1, Port Harcourt has now become a political Mecca where politicians who want to grab one political favour or the other come to lobby him. Not only members of PDP, but also members of other political parties do visit him for advice and assistance to advance their political career.
Dr. Peter Odili is the founder of Pamo University of Medical Sciences-PUMS, Port Harcourt the name of the Hospital which was formed from the acronym Peter And Mary Odili-P.A.M. O, which is now attracting the patronage of Rivers State citizens being awarded scholarship by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who injected over N500m naira per academic session as school fees for the medical undergraduates of Rivers State origin. Again, Wike has come out to immortalize the one time first family of Rivers State, naming the ultra-modern medical tertiary institution the Dr. Peter Odili Cardiovascular and Cancer Treatment Centre, Port Harcourt, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The Rivers State Judicial Institute was recently commissioned and named after Honourable Justice Mary Ukaego Odili as Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute Port Harcourt. It is located beside Rivers State Judiciary Complex in Old GRA axis of the Port Harcourt city.
The Odilis enjoy first class treatment in any public activities that they grace in the state. Irrespective of the political affiliations of politicians in Rivers State, the couple is already being seen as mentors to rising politicians including Governor Wike who at the 70th birthday ceremony of Honourable Justice Mary Ukaego Odili admitted that without her intervention during the early part of his career as Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in the early 2000s, he wouldn’t have been re-elected Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, which could have terminated his ascendency to higher elected political office in his life.
-Emeka Amaefula-
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