In no distant time registered political parties will organize their primaries and submit candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC ahead of the 2015 February 14 and 28 general elections.
In Rivers State various ethnic groups, especially the Kalabaris and the Ogonis are claiming the year 2015 is their turn to produce the next governor of Rivers State.
Several socio-political organizations are advancing reasons while the next governor will emerge from neither riverine area nor the Ogoni axis of the state.
The Kengema Unity Forum, (KUF), Ijaw Democratic Front (IDF), Kalika Assembly and several others are advocating for a riverine governor from the Kalabari extraction.
Of recent another group which addresses itself the Eastern Delta People’s Association insists on a riverine governor come 2015.
However, in the past few months so many ethnic nationalities namely: the Kalabari, Ogoni, Orashi, Bonny, Andoni, Etche, Ikwerre and others had endorsed the supervising Minister for Education, Chief Barr. Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike as the next governor of Rivers State.
The endorsement sparked off series of protests. Several questions come to my mind: why all these unnecessary protests? Is Wike not a Rivers man? Is Wike not qualified to eye the Brick House? To me Chief Wike is a man of uncommon courage, who mobilizes resources and personnel to liberate Rivers State from the clutches of tyrannical government in the state. Rivers operates in a democratic setting, an oligarchy system of governance where the few privileged individuals have access to the resources of the state. In Africa continent several military dictators have transformed to democratic rulers. This is the reason why the concept “democracy” is very difficult to define.
In Nigeria if not God and death General Sanni Abacha would have carefully removed his “khaki” and put on agbada. Before the sudden emergence of Chief Wike, development in Rivers was in the state of stagnancy. Nothing works, except massive corruption and display of wealth by some elected officers.
Things were not working the way they should. The federal Education Minister plays the role of the “messiah”. Looking at his antecedent Wike is the one that has the capability and the muscles to take the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to victory in the next year’s election. Wike has all what it takes to do that.
We are in the 21st century, the era of ethnic politics is over. Wike should be allowed to contest, what we need is someone that will take over power from Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi that will give Rivers people a quality leadership that will put smile on their faces.
Wike is the man who deserves to be the next governor of Rivers State. Anyone who is afraid of Wike, is afraid of positive development, massive transformation, economic emancipation and political liberation. I think the governor of Rivers State can come from anywhere irrespective of the tribes.
Rivers needs a Governor in 2015 and beyond that will take us to the next level. So who is afraid of my Grand Patron, Chief Barr. Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike?
Damiete West
08037502931
