As it is, the annals of Politics in Rivers State, especially, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, would not be complete without the mention of Dabota Godswill-Jumbo, given the different roles she has played and continues to play in the All Progressives Congress (APC). She is an entrepreneur, educationist, philanthropist, activist and then some.
In this interview with the Publisher of Kristina Reports, Godswill Jumbo, she expressed her displeasure over the process of choosing a candidate to fly her party’s flag in the forthcoming House of Assembly elections in 2023, calling on the leadership of the APC to review the process for justice, equity and fairness to prevail, especially, with consideration for gender equity. Read through!
Let us meet you, Ma’am…
Ok, I am Dabota Godswill-Jumbo, and I am one the aspirants for the House of Assembly Bonny Constituency for the forthcoming election and, actually, I was a candidate of the party for the same election in 2019. Of course, for obvious reasons due to litigations, we were taken out of the ballot, that’s why I didn’t make that election.
You were saying that due to the situation the party found itself in 2019, you were more or less disenfranchised from standing for that election; that you were supposed to have the right of first refusal this time around, did that happen?
It never happened; it was a huge shock to us to find out that today’s meeting that should have consolidated on all of those issues was now a day they decided to have what I would refer to as pre-primaries. Even the number persons were so minimal to the number that should or finally prop candidates for the different elections. For example, only the chairmen and the secretaries were invited. Constitutionally, it should be the ward excos. There was no female representative, there was no youth representative in that gathering today. I spoke up and I expressed my concern that there is an issue that is of concern to me. There was a pre-determined candidate for today’s election. If you ask me.
Now, looking at what you just said and given that it appears you are the only female aspirant among them, does it say something about the party not taking seriously the issues of gender balance?
Of course, that is what it is turning out to be. I mean we were just asking for 35% affirmative action and, in particular, someone would ask what has changed between 2019 and now? I said I still remain the only female candidate amongst the men; nothing much has changed except that there is more interest as expressed in the number of candidates that have shown up.
Wouldn’t that be at cross purposes with the reputation of your party leader in the state, Rotimi Amaechi?
Rotimi is still a gender-friendly leader and politician; this is just a Bonny affair and that’s why some of these briefings are necessary so everyone would know why this is happening in Bonny Constituency. In other LGAs, I would give Eleme and Obio/Akpor as example, all of their candidates from the last election were given the right of first refusal and they were all adopted after deliberations during the leadership meetings. Some had their meetings yesterday, some the day before, and Bonny cannot be different. I spoke and I said Bonny cannot be different. They should tell us exactly what was the directive from the apex leaders when they had their meeting last week. I think it’s different from what they are doing. I still stand by the fact that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a gender-friendly governor, minister and leader par excellence. I am sure our case will be looked into. We should be carried along in the scheme of things. I was the only one who emerged last time. When it looked so bleak that nothing would happen in the party, we took all the risks; I took all the risks. I came out as a consensus candidate and it’s only fair in the interest of equity and justice, it is only fair that I should be allowed to exercise that franchise in the coming election.
It appears that the majority are not comfortable with that decision but let’s assume you have the ears of the President as the leader of the party at the national level, you have the leader of the APC in Rivers State, the Minister of Transport, let’s assume you have their ears and the National Chairman of the party, what would you propose as the resolution for this situation?
There should a repeat of the pre-primaries and I don’t know why we are shying away from going to the polls to determine who flies the flags for us? If the leader, like we were rightly informed, had advised that the first point of negotiations should be with those who came out and could not exercise their franchise, I think the best way to go is to ask us, to find out from us if we are still interested. Are we still in the game? And if we are, I think every other person should sheathe their interests. But if that is not carried then we should go back and have proper representation. There should be an all-inclusive membership of the house to determine who gets the ticket. This number is grossly inadequate and not representative of those who should determine who should be candidates for the party. So, we need to go back and get it right and you know that is what will pacify the nerves.
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