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Meet Rivers State 2023 Governorship Candidates and Their Deputies

The 2023 governorship elections in most states of Nigeria, including Rivers, are scheduled for March 11, 2023.

Below are the candidates contesting for the governorship seat to replace Nyesom Wike in Rivers state.

PDP

Sim Fubara – Guber candidate

Who is Sim Fubara? Biography, Wikipedia

Amaopusenibo Siminalayi “Sim” Fubara, was the former accountant general of Rivers State, Nigeria.

He is an indigene of Opobo town in Opobo/Nkoro local government area of Rivers state.

Sim started his career in 2003 as a principal accountant with the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board. He rose to the position of director of finance and accounts at the State’s government house in 2015 and rose to the position of permanent secretary in March 2020.

Prior to his appointment as a Finance Commissioner, Sim served as the Director of Finance, Government House, Rivers State.

Prof. Mrs. Ngozi Nma Odu – Deputy

Who is Ngozi Nma Odu? Biography, Wikipedia

Prof. Mrs. Ngozi Nma Odu

Professor (Mrs) Ngozi Nma Odu is a former Rivers State Commissioner for Education. She hails from Ogba, Egbema, Ndoni LGA (ONELG).

Dr. Ngozi Nma Odu is a Senior Lecturer of Food Microbiology & Public Health in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, College of Natural & Applied Sciences. She obtained her first degree in Microbiology from Paisley College of Technology, Renfrewshire, Scotland. While in Scotland, she received the Best Academic Prize for 2 consecutive years (1977 and 1978 respectively).

She also holds a Masters Degree in Food Science and Management from the prestigious University of London (Queen Elizabeth College). In 1989 she obtained a Ph.D in Microbiology at the University of Port Harcourt, that made her the first Ph.D graduate in that department. She also attended a Leadership course at the prestigious John Hopkins University Baltimore, USA.

Dr. Odu rose through the ranks in the Rivers State Ministry of Health to the post of permanent secretary, a post she held for (6½) six and half years (1999 – 2006), making her the longest serving Permanent Secretary in that Ministry. During her tenure as Permanent Secretary, her Ministry received accolades from WHO, UNICEF and FMOH for Best practices in the area of Immunization and Baby Friendly Initiative Programmes.

In January 2006, she was appointed as the Rivers State commissioner in the Ministry of Education and as a commissioner, she facilitated the award of overseas undergraduate scholarships to over 400 Rivers State Students in Russia and Malaysia and also facilitated the award of overseas Postgraduate scholarship to over 75 Rivers State men & women in USA, UK and Europe. She equally commenced the process of handover of Schools to the missions and she also initiated School beautification programme in public Schools in the State.

She is presently, the Director of Academic Planning of PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Rivers State.

APC

Tonye Cole – Guber candidate

Who is Tonye Cole? Biography, Wikipedia

Tonye Cole is a politician and businessman. He is the co-founder and executive director of the Sahara Group.

Cole has an Honours degree in Architecture from Lagos University and the Universidade de Brasilia. He worked as an architect in Brazil and Nigeria before co-founding the Sahara Group in 1996. 

He is an alumni of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program (AMP186).

Dr Innocent Bariate Barikor – Deputy

Who is Innocent Barikor?

Dr Innocent Bariate Barikor. PHOTO Credit: FlashpointNews

Innocent Barikor is a lecturer with the Department of Political Science/ Administration, University of Port Harcourt.

He is an Ogoni indigene from Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State and a former House of Assembly member, who represented Gokana Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly from 2011 – 2015.

LP

Beatrice Itubo – Guber candidate

Beatrice Itubo was on Sunday, June 30, 1963, in Port Harcourt, the Capital city of Rivers State.

Beatrice attended Amaigbo Primary and Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Harbour Road where she obtained her FSLC and SSCE respectively.

Shortly after she proceeded to College of Health Science & Technology and obtained Higher National Diploma in Environmental Health.

She studied Workplace Health, Safety, and Welfare at Abertay University Dundee, United Kingdom.

Kaninee Barikpoa – Deputy

Barikpoa is from Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, which has one of the largest voting blocs in the State.

ADP

Fingesi Tami – Guber Candidate

Ekiye Belief – Deputy

AA

Somiari Victor – Guber candidate

ZLP

Cookey Sophia – Guber Candidate

Douglas Okpara – Deputy

AAC

Dada Obele Joseph Ngechu – Guber candidate

SDP

Magnus Abe – Guber candidate

Who is Magnus Abe?

Magnus Ngei Abe is a Nigerian politician who served as a Senator for the Rivers South East Senatorial District of Rivers State, Nigeria. He was first elected to the Nigerian Senate in 2011 in the April 2011 Federal elections and again in a rerun poll in December 2016.

Dr Patricia Ogbonnaya -Deputy

Accord

Dumo Lulu-Briggs

APM

Faye-Ofori Churchill

Boot

Nwanze Michael

NRM

Sobomabo Jackrich

APP

Leesi Gabriel Gborogbosi

He is a technocrat and management consultant.

ADC

Ibraye Tonte – Guber candidate

Youngest candidate, aged 37 years old.

Tonto Dikeh – Deputy

Tonto Dikeh is a controversial Nollywood actress.


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