The Nigerian Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has explained why he withdrew his legal challenge against Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s victory in the 2023 governorship election.
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Lulu-Briggs said he decided to withdraw the case at the Supreme Court after placing the interests of the Ijaw people and the wider Rivers State above his personal political ambition.
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He disclosed this on Monday during a media interaction with journalists in Buguma, headquarters of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The NDC candidate said his governorship contests in 2015, 2019 and 2023 were shaped by different circumstances, with legal challenges affecting his ambitions in the earlier elections.
According to him, his decision to discontinue the 2023 case followed an intervention by the late elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark, and a subsequent appeal from Fubara.
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Lulu-Briggs said Clark contacted him and drew his attention to what he described as Fubara’s strong support among Rivers people at the time.
He said the late elder statesman appealed to him to withdraw the case, warning that Rivers people could blame him if the Supreme Court overturned Fubara’s election based on the case and the then Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, subsequently became acting governor.
Lulu-Briggs further said Clark believed Fubara’s political future was uncertain because of the dispute between the governor and his predecessor and political associate, Nyesom Wike.
He said Fubara later personally approached him and appealed to him to discontinue the legal challenge.
The NDC candidate, however, clarified that withdrawing the Supreme Court case did not mean he had abandoned his ambition to govern Rivers State.
He said his explanation was aimed at clarifying the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of the case and his continued political ambition ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
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