The Kalabari and Ogoni ethnic nationalities are insisting that it is their turn to produce the next governor of Rivers State come 2015.
This was contained in a release issued at the end of a joint meeting of social-cultural organizations, traditional rulers, statesmen, civil society groups, elders and political leaders of riverine Ijaw and Ogoni ethnic nationalities, held on Monday, November 10, 2014 in Port Harcourt, the Kalabari and the Ogonis advocated that power must be zoned amongst the main ethnic nationalities of Kalabari and Ogoni groups, “after maturely and patriotically accommodated the Ikwerres and their neighbouring groups to produce the governor of the state in the last 16 years.”
The release which was jointly signed by twenty-one (21) prominent personalities from the both ethnic groups, said since the creation of Rivers State in 1967, neither ethnic group (Kalabari or Ogoni) has had the opportunity of becoming the governor of Rivers State, inspite of their enormous and numerous contributions to the state development.
They said that in the interest of equity, justice and fair play and the principle of zoning, all the ethnic nationalities agreed that the position of the governorship of Rivers State in 2015 be given in the first consideration to the Ogonis and the Kalabaris.
The two ethnic groups pleaded with all registered political parties in the country to give special preference to the aspirations of the members of their party from Kalabari and/or Ogoni, promising that, they and other “ethnic nationalities in amity of similar political ideology shall fully embrace, promote and deliver any of the major/political parties that fields either a Kalabari or Ogoni candidate for the 2015 governorship election”.
The meeting was well attended by politicians, elderstatesmen, community leaders which include: Senator Cyrus Nuniah, Alabo T.O. Graham-Douglas, Bishop Dr. Ombo Isokariari, HRH Dr. D.E. Tobin West, Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, Chief Priscilla Vikue and several others. ###
