Sign, that it is no longer fine in the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged monday as the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Leyii Kwanee, said the people of Ogoni will not play second fiddle in the politics of the state despite their being ‘dumped’ by the party.
Kwanee was reacting to the choice of Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Dakuku Peterside, as the consensus candidate of the APC in the 2015 gubernatorial election.
The people of Ogoni have been dazed by what they called the deceit of Governor Chibuike Amaechi that their son and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe, would be given the party’s ticket.
Addressing his constituents at the point of collection of his permanent voter’s card (PVCs) in his home town, Taaba, Khana Local Government Area, Kwanee charged his people, especially eligible voters in Ogoni land to remain calm in the face of the “political permutations” that appeared to have horse traded the Ogonis in his party, the APC in the state.
He said: “I charge those of you who are 18 years and above to return home immediately and get registered as voters in order to have a stake in the politics of Rivers State especially in the forthcoming general elections. We cannot afford to be second fiddle at this time regardless of the political permutations in my party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
Kwanee also restated his appeal to all Ogonis particularly his constituents, to urging them make use of the opportunity to collect their PVCs and as well register during the continuous voters’ registration exercise due to begin on December 3.
He said participating in the exercise was the surest way for the Ogonis to determine their future as an ethnic nationality ahead of the 2015 elections.
Another Ogoni leader, Lekara Nwiyee, in an interview with journalists monday, said the grouse of the Ogonis was that Amaechi betrayed their aspiration.
He said Amaechi led them to believe that they would be given the governorship ticket, only to betray them in the dying minute.
His words: “The Ogonis are the foundation members of Rivers State but we have not been opportuned to produce either the speaker, deputy governor or governor, unlike the Andonis and the Ikwerres who had produced the governors twice.
“We see the endorsement of Peterside by the governor as a great betrayal because he has been using one of the Ogoni sons, Senator Magnus Abe, as shield to defend himself. The governor has been sending Abe to confront every action that could take somebody’s life. These included the crisis generated over Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election and the crisis in the state House of Assembly. Magnus took everything in because the governor had promised the Ogonis the governorship ticket.
“On three occasions, the governor called for meetings with the Ogoni leaders where he told us how and what the Ikwerres did to get the governorship ticket. He also told us at the meetings that it is the turn of the Ogonis to rule the state. But you can see how he has betrayed us.”
