The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship aspirant in Rivers State, Dr. Farah Dagogo, has declared that the Wike-led Rainbow Coalition will be rejected by voters in the 2027 governorship election, insisting that the people of the state are ready for a new political direction.
Speaking at a strategic stakeholders’ consultation meeting, Dagogo described his campaign as a movement for the “liberation” of Rivers State, accusing members of the Rainbow Coalition of contributing to years of political and economic stagnation.
He argued that the 2027 governorship election would provide Rivers people with an opportunity to reject what he described as “recycled failure” and elect a government committed to development and the welfare of citizens.
According to him, the political strength of the Rainbow Coalition would ultimately be determined by the electorate.
“The truth is, it is the Rainbow Coalition against the entire Rivers State because the Rainbow Coalition people are bearers of the chain of bondage militating against the state.
“They are a gathering of those who have benefited from the retrogression of our state and are determined to keep it that way.
“We will put the Rainbow Coalition to the test in the 2027 general elections. Rivers people are tired of recycled failure. It is time to break this cycle and set our state on the path of real development,” he said.
Dagogo also accused members of the coalition of attempting to claim credit for the Bonny-Bodo Road project, insisting that the project predated the current administration.
He said the road project was the product of decades of advocacy by the people of Bonny Kingdom, community leaders and successive federal governments.
Tracing its history, Dagogo said the demand for the road dates back to the 1950s when the late Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, King Eugene William Dappa Pepple II, Perekule IX, reportedly raised concerns about the lack of an evacuation route from Bonny Island following the commencement of Shell’s operations in the area.
He said the late Chief Dappa Biriye and other leaders later presented the proposal to the military government of General Yakubu Gowon through the then Military Governor of Old Rivers State, Admiral Alfred Diete-Spiff, leading to the approval of the project’s design in the early 1970s.
According to him, although a bridge span was constructed during the Second Republic, the project was abandoned for decades before subsequent administrations sustained efforts toward its completion.
Dagogo said former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan all contributed to advancing the project, including its re-award in 2014, while the current Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, successfully engaged the Muhammadu Buhari administration to revive it.
He noted that the intervention eventually led to Nigeria LNG Limited funding the project through a tax-credit arrangement under a public-private partnership.
“By the time this administration came in, the project was already about 95 per cent completed. To now claim sole glory is deceptive,” he said.
Dagogo also recalled the controversy surrounding the 2017 groundbreaking ceremony for the project, alleging that the Rivers State Government at the time attempted to frustrate the event by preventing the use of public school facilities.
According to him, the ceremony, originally scheduled to hold at Government Girls Secondary School, Finima, was eventually relocated to Shell Gate on Bonny Island after officials were allegedly instructed not to release the venue.
“I kicked against it, engaged the state government and advised that we should not allow politics to get in the way of a project that would benefit our people,” he said.
He accused the same political interests of now seeking credit for a project they allegedly opposed.
“Today, they are applauding the same project and sharing the glory among themselves, but history cannot be rewritten,” he added.
Outlining his vision for Rivers State, Dagogo pledged to prioritise education, healthcare, security, electricity, employment, wealth creation, affordable housing, agriculture and infrastructure if elected governor.
He promised to provide free and functional education, integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Sports (STEAMS) into the school curriculum, strengthen the primary healthcare system and improve access to quality healthcare, especially for children.
He also identified security as a major priority, saying sustainable development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear.
The ADC governorship hopeful further pledged to dedicate five per cent of the state’s annual budget to youth entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and job creation.
“Our youths are not the problem; they are the solution. Five per cent of our annual budget will go directly into youth entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and job creation. We cannot continue to produce graduates without giving them a future,” he said.
Dagogo added that his administration would also focus on infrastructure development, agricultural expansion and support for small businesses across the state’s 23 local government areas.
“We are not coming to manage poverty. We are coming to end it. The time has come for Rivers State to move forward, and with your mandate, we will serve the people rather than rule over them,” he said.
