…Rivers Ijaws, Ogonis React
There was a political earthquake on Monday as some group of politicians from Orashi and Ogoni axis of the state formally endorsed the supervising Minister of Education, Chief Barr. Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike as the next governor of Rivers State.
The Orashi and Ogoni politicians declared their support for the federal minister shortly after meeting with the chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Felix Obuah.
They extolled the leadership qualities of Barr. Wike, describing him as the ‘Messiah of the time. The chairman of the Rivers PDP, Hon. Obuah assured all contestants that his leadership would provide a level playing ground so that they can test their political popularity.
However, criticism now trails the endorsement of Barr. Wike as the governor of Rivers State come 2015. Speaking to newsmen, a prominent Ijaw leader in the state, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe insists that a zoning agreement exists, saying 2015 is the turn of the riverine to govern the Rivers State.
He said that anything comes short of the said agreement is tantamount to injustice, cheating and discrimination of the highest order.
Chief Sara-Igbe said that the Rivers Ijaws will resist vehemently any attempt for the Federal Minister to contest the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state.
The Kalabari high Chief predicted protest votes if Barr. Wike decided to run in the February 28, 2015 governorship race in the state.
In his response, the Director of Media and Publicity the Rivers Mainstream Coalition (RMC), Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo described the endorsement of Chief Wike as a “Child’s play,” saying that it can never be done.
He wondered the rationale behind another Ikwerre son to become a governor after Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had completed his eight (8) years tenure. Ijuye Dagogo said that this would not be acceptable to the good people of Rivers State.
Of recent some prominent Ijaw leaders met in Port Harcourt, top on their agenda was to stop Wike’s gubernatorial ambition. They demanded that all the registered political parties should zone their gubernatorial slot to the riverine communities.
According to them, this is the only way peace will reign in the state.
In a speech delivered by the National Coordinator of Ijaw Democratic Front (IDF), Comrade Kenneth Robinson at the official commissioning of its secretariat in Port Harcourt, said that “IDF’s third objective, and perhaps the most critical, is canvassing for the emergence of an Ijaw man or woman as the next elected governor of Rivers State”.
According to him, “Sir. Dr. Peter Odili from Ndoni in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area was a governor from 1999-2007. Sir. Celestine Omehia from Ikwerre was governor between May and October, 2007 before the incumbent Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from Ikwerre as well took over following the Supreme Court judgment on October 25, 2007. Governor Amaechi is currently serving his second term of four years, which began in May 2011.
“Think about it, it would be sixteen (16) uninterrupted years that persons from the upland areas would have governed the state by 2015.
“We therefore demand that in the interest of equity, fairness, peace and political harmony the next governor of Rivers State has to be a Rivers Ijaw man or woman!
“I wish to think that if our brothers and sisters from the mainland area should dig up the thick layers of our political process in recent times, they would be sympathetic with the misfortune we have endured as a people through these 15 years or so, and they would realize how much we need change. No society is free until its entire share the fruits of their own kind and their own labour.
In a similar development Ogonis in diaspora have come hard on politicians that endorsed the Minister for Education, Barr. Wike as the next governor.
According to the leader of the group, Mr. J. Kii declared that 2015 is the turn of the Ogonis to rule the state, noting that anything come short of that would negatively affect the socio-political development of the state.
He said that Ogonis would not imbibe the idea that the Ikwerres will continue to rule Rivers State beyond May 29, 2015. According to him with God, an Ogoni man will be the next Governor.
Also in his remarks, a prominent son of Ogoniland, Comrade Barry Lenu said that the Ogonis will stop at nothing to produce a governor in 2015.
He said that the people of Ogoni ethnic nationality would not be intimidated by any politician as far the 2015 governorship race in Rivers State is concerned.
“We will dig it out. We are not afraid of anybody or politician. Let us think reasonably how can another Ikwerre man will take over from Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as a Governor in 2015. It is unjust and unimaginable. Let us always do the right thing. So that posterity will be happy with us,” Comrade Lenu asserted.###
