Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the Rivers State Governor has reiterated the impact that Justice Mary Odili has had on his political career while noting that he will always remain grateful to for her timely intervention that saved his political career in 2004.
Governor Wike spoke of this aspect of his political experience at the 70th birthday and retirement thanksgiving mass of Justice Mary Odili as Justice of the Supreme Court, that was held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa, (CIWA) in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The Rivers State governor recalled how he cried to Justice Mary Odili when he got a hint that his name was not included among those cleared to contest either as first term or second term chairmen of local councils in the state.
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According to Governor Wike, Justice Mary Odili listened to him and took the complaint to her husband, Dr Peter Odili, who was the governor of Rivers State then.
Governor Wike explained that the manner Justice Mary Odili presented the matter got her husband acting on it immediately.
He said, first, Dr Peter Odili invited the then Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Uche Secondus, to confirm the observation and thereafter put a call across to the then national secretary of the PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.
“In 2004, that time her husband was the governor, so she was going to Bori Camp for women empowerment scheme. I was to run for second tenure as chairman of my local government (Obio-Akpor).
The governor further explained that Justice Odili’s manner of presentation convinced her husband to immediately act on the matter.
Wike narrated Dr Odili first invited the then state Chairman of the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, to confirm the development before putting a call across to the then national secretary of the PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.
The statement read, “In 2004, that time the husband was the governor, so she was going to Bori Camp for women empowerment scheme. I was to run for second tenure as chairman of my local government (Obio-Akpor).
“Now, they were having lunch with her husband and the former State party chairman then, Prince Uche Secondus. And, I was told that my name had been removed on the list. So, I ran down to Government House.
“She had finished her own lunch, left her husband and was entering the vehicle. I said mummy I’m finished. She asked what happened, I said they’ve removed my name.
“She ran back straight to her husband and informed him. Her husband asked who removed his name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Secondus and ask him to come back.“That was how I went back as second term chairman. For me, I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning her. If she was not around that day, to see the governor, you know is not an easy thing. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. And so that was how I grew from there to become what I am today.”
Wike also extolled the virtue of Justice Odili as an embodiment of unrelenting compassion, adding that she treated everybody with dignity that they deserved.
