Date Published: 09/02/09

2011: AC raises political tempo in Rivers, dares PDP

THE upcoming 2011 electioneering campaigns in the volatile oil and gas region of Nigeria, might not be an easy run for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the budding opposition party, Action Congress (AC) in the Rivers State axis of the oil region, has gradually started to raise the stakes.

Before now, there was a seeming disconnect with the social realities in the oil region that has become a hot bed of arms struggle by largely unemployed youths. Leader of the opposition party, Prince Tonye Princewill, has concluded plans to start socialising politics of 2011 in Rivers where Chibuike Amaechi, at the moment dominates affairs of the state as its governor.

This coming September 12, in Port Harcourt, the state capital, some top Nollywood stars will rally around Princewill, at a Premiere aimed at creating awareness on the plight of orphans in the oil-producing Rivers State . 

Billed to lead the pack of the Nollywood stars at the event are Stephanie Okereke -who plays a lead character in a new film to be unveiled at the occasion-, Ramsey Noah Nigeria’s leading man and lead male role in the movie, foremost Nollywood Director and Director for the movie Izu Ojukwu who has to his credit various award winning films including highly acclaimed “Sitanda”, “Across the Niger” and “White Waters”.   

Also in attendance will be Van Vicker from Ghana , Lady Memry Savanhu from Zimbabwe , Uti Nwachukwu of the Big Brother Africa fame and leading Nigerian actor Francis Duru.

The film, according to the Rivers state born Producer, Adonijah Owiriwa, is inspired by the plight of orphans in Africa hence the ''Orphan Child Awareness Campaign'' spearheaded by Princewill.

State Publicity Secretary of AC, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, told our correspondent on Tuesday that by Princewill's involvement in this project the party intends to use his veritable network of contacts to throw light on the unfortunate plight of orphans with the hope of assuaging their suffering.   

According to the AC spokesman, ''some orphanges will be benefitting from this gesture  and will be participating in the premiere. They are the Port-Harcourt Children's Home, Borikiri, Seven Days Adventist Orphanage Home, Ahoada, Susana Orphanage Home, Oyigbo and Life Time Caring Orphanage Home, Eleme Road''. .  

Adding, he said, ''about 30 orphans are expected to walk the red carpet on this eventful day of 12th of September. The children from Life Time Caring Orphange Home will be performing a song on that day as well''.

When Ramsey Noah was contacted on this event, he stated, “ Port Harcourt is a second home to me so I am always eager to be back to the new garden city being discovered by Gov Amaechi. We are very grateful to Prince Tonye Princewill whom I learnt is sponsoring the premiere of the great film (Nnenda) geared towards creating awareness for the less-privileged in Rivers State . When reminded that he may be kidnapped, he laughed and exclaimed, “Wao! That will be fun though I know that Amaechi has destroyed every element of kidnapping and any form of criminality in Rivers State , to me “ Port Harcourt is one of the safest towns in Nigeria ”.

Princewill says he sees the event and his involvement as exhibition of his type of politics build around the less-privileged and the best strategy on how to improve the lots of the people of Rivers State people. “The fact remains that I am a disciple of Franklin D Roosevelt which believes that "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have little”.

''Holding tenaciously to this eternal verity, I believe that a leader should be a public servant, who strives relentlessly to put smiles on the faces of his followers without placing undue emphasis on their social status or dashing the hopes of the poor masses. I never subscribes to leadership stratum as an end but as a means to an end, the end being the socio-economic and political emancipation of the entire people of Rivers State . So on September 12, I am assembling some of the best actors and actresses in the Movie Industry in Africa to create awareness for the orphans and I expect both our amiable Governor and some of my good friends to come around to donate towards this effort so that we collectively attend to our less privileged ones in the State.”