Ahead of 2015 general elections the Ijaws in Rivers State have declared that the next Governor of the state must come from any of the Ijaw speaking communities. The Ijaws at different fora insist that the Ijaw governor in 2015 is non-negotiable. According to them, they would not compromise with any ethnic group on who gets into the Brick House
Of recent a group which calls itself “Ijaw Project”, while inaugurating its local government officers in Port Harcourt demanded for a true riverine governor come 2015. The Ijaw Project which spoke through its Director-General, Comrade Somina Wokoma decried the absence of development in the riverine communities, expressed optimism that the only panacea to the lopsided development in Rivers State is the emergence of a Governor from Ijaw extraction in 2015.
Last week, Ijaws under the auspices of the Ijaw Democratic Front (IDF) coverged at the popular Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre, Moscow Road in the Port Harcourt Main township.
Speaking at the event, the International Co-ordinator of the group, Comrade Kenneth Robinson said that the major reason of the information of IDF is to ensure that an Ijaw man occupies the Brick House in 2015. Comrade Robison who declared that there is an existing zoning formula in the state, and alleged the marginalization of riverine communities.
Some other socio-political organizations such as the Kengema Unity Forum under the leadership of Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich, alias Egberipapa, Kalika Assembly under the watchful eye of Sotonye Ijuye Dagogo, Kalabari Ene Bate headed by Hon. Engr. Ombo Benebo Canvass support for a Kalabari Governor in 2015.
Despite the high demand for an Ijaw governor in 2015, ongoing events on the political terrain in the state show that the Kalabari politicians have sunk their gubernatorial ambition in the forthcoming election. Kalabari Kingdom is the largest Ijaw speaking ethnic group in Rivers State.
Though many Kalabari politicians have been making consultations so as to capture the Brick House. These politicians include: Chief Bekinbo Soberekon, Chief David Briggs, Prince Tonye Princewill, Barr. Nimi Walson Jack, Hon. Ibinabo Michael West, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree and Tonye Dele Cole. Our investigations have revealed that some notable politicians from the Kalabari extraction have resolved to work with the Supervising Minister for Education, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike. Of course the Federal Minister has been tipped to join the gubernatorial race in 2015. Chief Wike who is the Grand Patron of the Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI) has used his group (GDI) to mobilize support for himself and the president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Several Kalabari politicians have joined Chief Wike to inaugurate officers of the GDI in the various LGAs of the state.
Few weeks ago, our political correspondent sighted some politicians from Kalabari kingdom at the inauguration ceremony of GDI at Egberu-Ndoki in the Oyigbo Local Government Area.
They are members of the political out-fit, GDI, midwife by the Honourable Minister in charge of the Federal Ministry of Education.
Kalabari politicians who are currently in the campaign train of Ezebunwo Wike are: Mrs. Doris Fisher, Hon. Mrs. Daisy West, Chief Hon. Reuben Ngo Briggs, Hon. Ibinabo Michael West, Hon. Engr. Ombo Benebo, Chief Precious Elekima, Chief David Briggs, Hon. Pleasant Braide and several others.
With the large number of politicians joining the Federal Minister, the coast has now cleared for Chief Wike to eye the Brick House come 2015.
On several occasions, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Felix Obuah said that there would be no zoning of elective political offices in 2015. By implication, this statement means that the next Governor of Rivers State can come from any part of the state, and knowing fully well the major role Chief Wike played in the emergence of Hon. Obuah as the PDP’s chairman in Rivers State. There is no doubt that, Obuah must give all necessary support to the Federal Minister of Education to contest the gubernatorial seat in 2015.###
