The people of Abali in Diobu in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State have called on their brothers, Ogbum people to fulfil the agreement reached between them years ago on the Abali autonomous position.
They also called on the State Government to upgrade their monarch to a first class status.
His Royal Highness Chief Owabie Tobin the Eze Onumini 1 of Mgbundukwu in Abali town, Port Harcourt City made the call while in a chat with our correspondent in Port Harcourt.
Who spoke on behalf of Abali explained that the Abali and Ogbum people are brothers who later settled at different points to form Rebisi kingdom.
According to him, Abali who is the senior brother to Ogbum had agreed with his junior brother during the intertribal war that after the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, Abali should separate from the Ogbum and become autonomous, but despite the agreement Ogbum people grasped the throne of the Royal Highness position (the Eze Apara Rebisi of Port Harcourt) and refused to allow the Abali people be autonomous as agreed upon because they are richer than the Abali people, pointing out that suppression and denial of right characterized the situation.
According to him, after the civil war Ogbum people have been producing the Royal Highness of both towns (Abali and Ogbum) in Port Harcourt City LGA, even in the government appointment the people of Ogbum have been benefiting.
According to him, the incumbent chairman of the Port Harcourt City LGA, members of the House Representatives representing Phalga and Rivers State House of Assembly members in Phalga are from the Ogbum town.
Chief Owabie who is the paramount ruler of Mgbundukwu demanded that the state government should recognize him as the Eze Onimini 1 of Mgbudukwu Abali town as the people have no government recognized chief, as well as upgrade their stool to first class status.
Meanwhile, HRH Chief Owabie Tobin has lauded Governor Amaechi over the execution of laudable projects across the 23 LGAs of the State which was recently commissioned by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Chief Owabie further commenced former President Obasanjo for successful commissioning of the projects despite the rift between him and Governor Amaechi on the K-leg saga which the Supreme Court later strengthened on the 25th October, 2007.
He also congratulate the contractors completed their projects before the commissioning ceremony.
The royal father who disclosed that Governor Amaechi was not allowed to see President Goodluck Jonathan when he sought his presence for the commissioning ceremony of his projects in Rivers State blamed President Jonathan for such disregard on Governor Amaechi.
The royal father who noted that Ward 15 Mgbundukwu Onumini (waterfront) in Phalga were unprepared for the APC registration exercise two week ago and coupled with the disruption of the exercise by suspected PDP members said the people of the area are now ready to do their registration exercise and appealed to party to extend the registration exercise to two weeks to enable them participate in the exercise. ###
