Nigeria: 'Why I'm in Rivers Governorship Race'

8 December 2014
interview

AS the race for the PDP ticket for the Governorship of Rivers State grows increasingly controversial the news that the former Attorney General of the State Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) has thrown his hat into the ring has taken many observers by surprise. Ajumogobia is a distinguished lawyer whose career so far has been marked by a high sense of dignity and an ability to avoid controversy even while serving in highly sensitive posts. A brilliant law student who emerged from his University days with a long list of awards he fulfilled his early promise in practice effectively and was virtually drafted to become the Honourable Attorney General (HAG) of the state by Dr. Peter Odili entirely on merit rather than because of any noticeable political links. However his service to the state under the Odili regime raised his profile so highly that he was appointed to important Federal Ministerial posts after he left office. He was Minister of State for Petroleum and then Foreign Minister. In the latter post he became a favourite of the diplomatic corps in Abuja. It was widely lamented when political manipulation led to him being dropped from the cabinet after Dr. Jonathan was elected President in 2011 but he returned quietly to his successful legal practice in Lagos and has made no noise. Now that he has emerged as one of the most credible and certainly one of the most qualified of those vying for the Governorship ticket of the PDP the public in Rivers State in particular and across Nigeria as a whole are certainly interested in knowing the reasons behind his decision to join the race: in the following interview with Lindsay Barrett he articulates some of these reasons.

WHEN did you first consider contesting for the Governorship of Rivers State?

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