Degema/Bonny 2019: See Who Emerges Your Representative

As the date for the 2019 general election draws closer, the race is getting more interesting with its associated drama unfolding on a daily basis in the Degema/Bonny federal constituency where the two main rival political parties are gearing up to outwit the other by clinching the slot for its candidate.


The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the two dominant political parties in the area with equal share of political heavyweights in their ranks.


Currently, PDP’s strongman, Randolph Brown occupies the seat in the House of Representatives. His two predecessors, Tonye Longjohn and Sokonte Davies, though in PDP while in office, are now chieftains of the APC.


An unwritten understanding between Bonny and Degema Local Government Areas has seen the slot swing every eight years in both directions. Degema LGA through Davies just did its eight years after Longjohn’s tenure.


The APC, which lost the election to PDP in 2015, was now bent on grabbing the seat for the next four years left for Bonny LGA. In this vein, three stalwarts of the party have, so far, indicated interest to run for the position.


A former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Bonny LGA, Adonye Dappa Wilcox, son of late Marshall Harry, a former National Vice Chairman of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Inye Marshall Harry, and a retired permanent secretary in the state, Kingsley Fubara Hart, are in the race to oust Brown.


Curiously, in a sudden twist, Wilcox, last Thursday, announced to party faithful that he was stepping down his ambition after the top echelon of the APC in Bonny LGA led by a former Commissioner for Transport, Hon. George Tolofari prevailed on him to stand down. He attributed his decision to the interest of the party.


What he did not say, however, was if he stepped down to ensure votes from Bonny LGA remain intact for Hart ahead of the primary when he goes head-to-head against Harry in Degema. Few days later Hart was declared the consensus candidate of the LGA ahead of the primary billed to hold in Degema.


As at now, the APC primary will be more a battle between Degema and Bonny delegates. Degema has 17 wards as against Bonny’s 12 wards.


On the other hand, the tussle for PDP’s House of Representatives ticket will be between the incumbent and himself as no one has yet declared to run against him. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development, Mrs. Toru Ofili, who was rumoured to have ambition in that direction, told Kristina Reports that she was not contesting as she had pledged her full support to Brown.


Kristina Reports here below presents the aspirants for the House of Representatives seat to represent Degema/Bonny federal constituency.


Randolph Iwo Brown
A former financial expert and entrepreneur, Randolph Iwo Oruene Brown was partly instrumental in the creation of Bonny Local Government. He was a stalwart of the ANPP and close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari in his ANPP days. After several attempts, he was eventually elected in 2015 to represent Degema/Bonny federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

Aside having a large number of supporters who are either gainfully employed or have acquired strategic training in diverse fields, Brown, a University of Lagos graduate has over the years sustained his drive on human capital development.

With a complex network of friends and associates from the state to the national level which he has consolidated during his sojourn in the Green Chamber, “Kala bro”, as he is fondly called, has a strong grassroots support in his hometown, Finima, which is also ward 5, Bonny LGA, and an almost cult-like following across Bonny and Degema LGAs. 


Kingsley Fubara Hart
Kingsley Fubara Hart’s advent into the political space caught many by surprise as he has never been seen or heard of in terms of people engagement or social intervention. Aside being a former director of Finance and Accounts in Government House, Port Harcourt and later permanent secretary in the State, little is known of him.

Aside allegedly parading a huge financial war chest, there is yet to be seen any form of political capital he hopes to leverage on to achieve his ambition, fueling fears that he might rely on extraordinary means to win the primary and the election. However, those who have had direct interactions with him, describe him as humane, understanding and affable.

Inye Marshall Harry
A graduate of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Warri, Delta State, Inye Marshall Harry is taking the political space by storm. Since his declaration at Obuama, Degema LGA to contest the House of Representatives seat, Inye Marshall Harry, son of late former National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Marshall Harry, who was murdered in 2003, has been interfacing with different interest groups across Degema and Bonny LGAs to sell his ambition.

His father was, before his death, a strong ally and personal friend of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The younger Harry was a former strongman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and close ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan. So far, he has been leveraging these contacts across the country as far as Aso Rock Villa where he has reportedly met with and intimated the President of his aspiration.

He possesses a bustling charisma, affable personality and sound analytical skills that has endeared him to his mammoth crowd of supporters across Bonny and Degema LGAs. Many of his supporters identify his accessibility and natural connection to all classes of people as his main stay.

Determinant Factors     

Coincidence of election
The elections for the office of President, Senate and House of Representatives would hold same day. This ordinarily would give the candidates contesting on the same platform with the President the edge or the undercut. Areas where the President has wide acceptance would naturally play in favour of his party men and vice versa.

Control of election architecture
The prevalence of electoral manipulation remains a challenge in Nigeria and there are huge concerns that this will still plague the 2019 polls. The party in power may still influence the electoral umpire, the security operatives and other actors in the process and this may favour candidates of the party.

Money politics
With the hunger in the land and high level of greed on the part of the electorate, the phenomenon of vote buying may still be a challenge. Candidates with deep pockets may end up paying off everyone from voters to electoral officials to security personnel.

Violence
The Niger Delta region for the past years has remained a hotbed of violence due to the dimension of violence introduced into the agitation for social and environmental justice. The Degema/Bonny axis remains part of this hideous narrative especially during electioneering seasons where guntotting youths, who only understand the language of money, only answer to politicians with deep pockets. Any of the candidates with influence over the leadership structure of these criminal gangs parading under different guises would carry the day.

Understanding between communities
Where there has been an understanding as to which community or axis of the local government should produce the occupant of the seat, such will determine who emerges winner. One of such is the unwritten understanding between Degema and Bonny LGAs that the House of Representatives Seat for the constituency swing every eight years between the two LGAs. Randolph Brown is doing the first four years of Bonny’s eight years after Sokonte Davies just finished Degema’s turn, which was preceded by Tonye Longjohn’s eight year sojourn.

Popularity and acceptance 
This is another strong factor that may affect the outcome of the polls in the Degema/Bonny federal constituency. Aspirants who have been there for the people and have through various social intervention schemes positively impacted the lives and livelihoods of the people would not have difficulty garnering enough votes from their supporters and even sympathy votes from those of their opponents.