Wike chooses Banigo, former Rivers SSG, as running mate

Nyesom Wike, former minister of education and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Rivers state, has chosen Ipalibo Banigo as his running mate for the February 28 gubernatorial election.

Banigo, who is a former secretary to the government of Rivers state, hails from Degema local government area of the state.

Wike explained that the central place women occupy in the oil rich state informed his decision of choosing a female running mate.

He described Banigo as a “rare breed” with whom he would forge a strong team to transform the state.

The Rivers state chapter of the PDP also described her as a woman who “typifies gold- physical beauty, mental capacity, devotion to her work and family”.

Banigo studied medicine and surgery at the University of Ibadan and graduated in 1976.

She also obtained a master’s of public health degree from the Harvard University School of Public Health in June 1981 and attended the University of London school of hygiene and tropical medicine, where she obtained the post-graduate diploma in tropical hygiene(D.I.H) in 1990.

In 1992, she obtained a diploma in dermatology from the University of London.

She started her career as the registrar of births and senior medical officer-in-charge of Port Health Services in Rivers state in 1981. She was also appointed honorary consultant dermatologist, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and became principal, Rivers State School of Health Technology, Port Harcourt between 1985 and 1994.

Between 1994 and 1995, Banigo was appointed as the director, public health services in the Rivers state ministry of health and social welfare.

She became the secretary to the Rivers state government on October 5, 1995 and retired on July 5, 1999.
Among the seven ministers, who resigned from the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan to pursue their political ambitions, Wike was the only one who succeeded in clinching the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP.