The battle for which area of Rivers State should produce Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s successor continued yesterday. The Ijaw, the Ogoni and a section of the Ikwerre backing Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike are involved.
The Ogoni added a new angle to it by organising a prayer session yesterday. The Ijaw, speaking through the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), at the weekend, said it was not negotiating its right to produce Amaechi’s successor.
The renewed battle is coming on the heels of condemnation of the violence at a parley of the Rivers Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja last Thursday. The violence is not unconnected with the quest of the Ijaw in Rivers PDP to stop Wike, an Ikwerre man, from succeeding his kinsman, Amaechi.
IYC President Udens Eradiri said the next Rivers governor must be an Ijaw person.
He spoke at a summit organised by the IYC in Warri.
“An Ijaw man must be governor in Rivers State, but we must help ourselves. Even now those who can’t even afford the form have started jostling to be governor,” Eradiri said.
Ogoni leaders from four of the Rivers State’s 23 Local Government Areas of Khana, Gokana, Eleme and Tai, spoke at a dedication service and special prayer session organised by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) held yesterday at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland.
MOSOP President Legborsi Saro Pyagbar called for an end to the political marginalisation of Ogoni people, who are yet to produce governor, deputy governor, speaker of the House of Assembly and chief judge, since the creation of Rivers state from the defunct Eastern Region on May 27, 1967.
Pyagbara also called for the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland’s environmental assessment, in order to end pollution, environmental degradation and marginalisation of the crude oil and gas-rich area by the Federal Government and the oil companies.
The MOSOP president, who took the first lesson from Isaiah 6: 1-8, requested a minute silence for all Ogoni, who lost their lives in the course of the struggle, including the renowned environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Pyagbara declared that an Ogoni emerging as the next governor of Rivers state was non-negotiable, in order to ensure justice, equity and fairness. He urged all the political parties, especially the APC and the PDP, to field only Ogoni persons as their governorship candidates.
The service, which had as theme: “That We May Be One,” was presided over by the Bishop of the Methodist Diocese of Bori, Rt. Rev. Innocent Ndinwii, had the governorship aspirants of two of the political parties in attendance.
The governorship aspirants at the service were the representative of the Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Magnus Ngei Abe, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was represented by a member of the House of Representatives, Barry Mpigi, an Ogoni, who represents Tai, Eleme, Oyigbo constituency and Abe’s predecessor in the Senate, Lee Maeba, of the PDP.
In attendance at the service were also the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Leyii Kwanee; Rivers Commissioner for Works, Chief Victor Tombari Giadom; the representative of Gokana constituency in the Rivers House of Assembly, Dr. Innocent Barikor; Chairmen of the four Ogoni local government councils and other eminent personalities.
MOSOP president said: “Twenty four years after the launch of the OBR, it is our time to produce governor. If we miss it this time, God forbid, we will have to wait till 2031. We must stop the political marginalisation of Ogoni people now. The MOSOP’s campaign is not centred around any political party. President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and leaders of all the political parties should look the way of Ogoni people, as they are taking their decisions. We have competent persons. We are angry in MOSOP. That is why we are involved in this campaign.”
Pyagbara also assured that Ogoni people would sink their political differences this time and speak with one voice, while calling on the youths and others to shun violence and bloodletting, drop their personal interests and support the collective Ogoni interest to produce Rivers governor next year, adding that behind the tragic history of Ogoni people, there is hope.
The President of the umbrella organisation of Ogoni elite, KAGOTE (Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme), Dr. Peter Medee, expressed optimism in Ogoni producing the next occupant of Brick House (Government House) in Port Harcourt, but said the peace-loving people must continue to be united.
Medee said if an Ogoni is not elected as Rivers governor next year, the people would have to wait for another 24 years, saying the campaign against zoning was a conspiracy against the Ogoni people.
Abe said Ogoni people would not continue to be slaves, saying: “This is liberation time. Ogoni people are prepared to move forward by producing the next governor. The unity of Ogoni must continue.”
Maeba, who is of the PDP, declared that: “It is our time to produce Rivers governor. People who can do it are in Ogoniland. Dr. Peter Odili is of Rivers West Senatorial District. Sir Celestine Omehia and Governor Amaechi are from Rivers East Senatorial District. It is the turn of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District and an Ogoni person will be the next governor of Rivers State. Elections are coming and they are now saying no to zoning. We will not accept it.
“When we produce Ogoni governor in 2015, it will be easier to have Bori State.”
Rt. Rev. Ndinwii said he was glad that Ogoni people were now speaking with one voice, while admonishing them not to betray the just cause.
He said: “Whatever happens in Ogoni, we should demonstrate faithfulness, love and forgiveness. If we do, good things are on the way and all of us will celebrate.
A PDP governorship aspirant, Mr Tonye Princewill, condemned last Thursday’s violence at the party’s reconciliation parley in Abuja.
Nyesom Wike yesterday insisted there was no violence at the meeting.
Wike, through his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, supplied pictures showing factions of the party exchanging pleasantries.
He added that a chieftain of the party, Chief Sara Igbe, after being part of the peaceful process, “went ahead to mislead journalists who were not around”.
Princewill, in a statement at the weekend, apologised to Nigerians on behalf of the party.
He said the incident was regrettable.
Princewill’s statement by his Personal Assistant (Media and Publicity), Wabiye Idoniboye-Obu, reads: “As the 2015 elections draw closer, statements, actions and decisions become more influential in moulding the future of our dear state. The incident at the Legacy House in Abuja is not just condemnable but an embarrassment to Nigeria’s democracy, the PDP and the good people of Rivers State.
“Portraying the party in a bad light will not help its growth and existence and will do those of us who wish the President well, no good whatsoever.
“No individual’s ambition is more important than the peace and development of our state. Following the perceived security challenge, and advice from some PDP national stakeholders, Prince Tonye was not present at the integration committee sitting, but had earlier submitted his memorandum. A Rivers state in crisis is a region in crisis. And our region in crisis will not bode well for our beloved nation. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
