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Tein Jack-Rich wears his hat as one of the successful Nigerian oil tycoons. The 51-year-old founder and President of Belemaoil —one of Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil companies with operations spanning across the country— is a multidimensional strategic thinker, a motivator, a strong believer in Greater Nigeria, and a role model to millions of Nigerian youths.
With an oil empire, Jack-Rich is wealthy. This has brought him visibility alongside boardroom and national recognition. He has intended to use that influence and the reach in public service. The oil tycoon is from Rivers West, the largest senatorial district in Rivers State and a critical hub for Nigeria’s oil production. The billionaire sought a ticket to represent the district in the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He has a war chest: money. But that alone was not enough to secure the loyalty of the local party machinery, which obviously carries significant weight. Jack-Rich was disqualified from the race during the screening exercises. The APC screening committee did not publicly announce the reason for the disqualification but his supporters described the development as a difficult outcome.
Jack-Rich’s ordeal was a startling contradiction. He has been a party man for over 13 years. As an APC faithful, he was once a presidential aspirant in 2023. None of that could change the outcome when the party’s screening committee released its list. His supporters called for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, describing the exclusion as disturbing and unacceptable. But the party’s decision stands, leaving the oil man with the reality that political systems can still present challenges even for affluent and established party members.
