Dumo Lulu Briggs

Author: Gist Correspondent

The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Rivers State for the 2027 election, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has unveiled a six-point “Reset Rivers State” agenda, promising to move the state away from political conflicts and dependence on oil revenues towards production, enterprise and sustainable economic growth.

Lulu-Briggs, in a statement titled “Why I Am Running,” said his decision to contest the governorship election was driven by the need to return political power to public purpose and place governance, rather than political rivalry, at the centre of the state’s development.

He said Rivers State had suffered the consequences of prolonged political conflicts, which, according to him, had diverted attention from critical issues such as employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and economic development.

The NDC candidate said the impact of the crisis extended beyond economic estimates, arguing that it had resulted in delayed government decisions, weakened public confidence, stalled investments and projects, and prolonged the wait for opportunities among young people.

“I do not believe that our people are condemned to fear, factionalisation or permanent quarrel. We can disagree without making enemies of one another. We can compete without violence,” he said.

Lulu-Briggs maintained that government must not become the property of any political godfather, faction or private political interest, declaring: “Rivers State belongs to the people.”

He identified the state’s human capital, oil and gas resources, ports and waterways, tourism potential, blue economy, agriculture, culture, creative industries and the commercial strength of Port Harcourt as assets capable of driving a broader economy.

According to him, the major challenge is to convert those resources into reliable power, productive businesses, efficient transportation and logistics, skilled employment, stronger local enterprises, better public services and improved household incomes.

Explaining his reason for contesting, Lulu-Briggs said: “That is why I am running: to move Rivers State from politics without purpose to disciplined and committed public work; from sharing poverty to creating prosperity; and from a State known mainly for oil and gas to a State respected for what its people built, produced and became.”

He described his proposed programme as a “Reset”, saying it would involve fundamental changes in the way politics and government operate in Rivers State.

Under the plan, he said politics would be reset to make it peaceful, civil and purposeful, while government institutions would be made more honest, predictable and competent.

He also proposed an economic reset that would place greater emphasis on production, services, logistics, enterprise and exports, rather than continued dependence on monthly allocations.

The candidate said the reset would also seek to create fairer access to jobs, finance, markets and advancement, irrespective of political connections.

He listed trust and environmental protection as the other pillars of the proposed agenda, promising to strengthen fairness, truth, continuity, respect for the rule of law, environmental monitoring, emergency response, remediation and resilience.

Lulu-Briggs said his long-term economic ambition was to help lay the foundations for Rivers State to grow from what he described as an approximately US$20 billion economy to a US$200 billion economy within 15 years.

He acknowledged that such an ambition could not be achieved by one administration alone, stressing that his government would focus on establishing the foundations required for sustained growth.

These, he said, would include safer politics, responsible public finance, reliable power, improved logistics, serviced industrial land, a stronger tourism industry, employer-linked skills development, expanded agriculture and fisheries, cleaner communities and well-prepared projects capable of attracting serious investment.

He also promised to work within the constitutional powers of the state government while cooperating with federal agencies and private operators on matters outside the state’s direct control.

“We will be honest about jurisdiction. Rivers State does not control every port, petroleum asset, federal regulator or private concessionaire. We will use our own powers fully and cooperate lawfully where others must act,” he said.

The NDC candidate said his proposed manifesto would not be a mere catalogue of promises, insisting that every local government area would have a productive role in the wider state economy.

He identified power, logistics, skills, food and fisheries, digital services, environmental protection and accountable governance as statewide systems that would connect communities to economic opportunities.

Lulu-Briggs further pledged to create fairer pathways into employment, enterprise and public services for women, young people, persons with disabilities and residents without political connections.

On public finance, he promised greater discipline in the management of state resources, arguing that the state budget should focus on essential services, serious projects and infrastructure capable of supporting production.

He also advocated greater use of private-sector financing and professional operatorship for commercially viable projects, rather than assuming that government ownership was the only route to development.

The NDC candidate said inherited projects and lawful government obligations would be assessed on their merits and evidence rather than on the political administration that initiated them.

Environmental protection, he added, would be treated as a core responsibility of government, particularly in riverine communities affected by pollution and coastal risks and urban communities facing flooding, unsafe water and inadequate drainage.

“Development that destroys the conditions for life and livelihood is not transformation,” he said.

Lulu-Briggs said his proposed administration would be subject to public scrutiny, pledging to publish evidence of its performance rather than asking Rivers people for a “blank cheque.”

He challenged voters to judge his administration at the end of its tenure on measurable outcomes, including whether politics had become safer, institutions more trusted, priority projects had progressed beyond announcements and small and medium-scale businesses were operating more effectively.

He also listed tourism, the creative sector, the blue economy, skills-to-employment programmes and environmental monitoring among areas on which his administration would expect to be assessed.

The candidate said government would also be required to communicate openly about its successes, failures and areas requiring correction.

“I am not asking you merely to support Dumo Lulu-Briggs. I am asking you to join us to return political power to service,” he said.

He urged Rivers people to choose “purpose over capture, work over noise, competence over permanent conflict and prosperity over poverty,” while calling for collective support to reset the state.

“Let us build a Rivers State in which every community can say: the State sees us, hears us, respects us and works for us,” Lulu-Briggs said.

He expressed confidence that, with the support of the people and by the grace of God, Rivers State could embark on a new development path.