President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers (SCOTR), King Godwin Gininwa, has appealed to the people as well as political parties in Rivers State to support candidates from the Ogoni ethnic nationality to succeed Governor Nyesom Wike in 2023.
Gininwa made the appeal at his palace in Korokoro-Tai in Tai Local Government Area of the state, when a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Magnus Abe, paid him a visit.
He noted that the Ogoni people have supported other ethnic nationalities in the past to be governors, saying the area was blessed with those qualified enough to lead the state.
He said “I want to make an appeal that Rivers people should change their minds, we are part and parcel of this state. Ogoni people should be considered for governor this time. We have those that are qualified in our land to govern this state.”
Earlier in his speech, Senator Abe, said he was at the palace to appreciate King Gininwa and the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers for the title of Mene Suanu I of Ogoni land bestowed on him.
Abe, who stated that he had not declared for governorship of the state, said the quest for an Ogoni governor is not about himself but for political inclusion of the people of the area.
He said: “When people talk about me and governorship, I want to use this opportunity to say clearly for everybody to hear that it is not about Senator Abe being governor, it is not about an Ogoni man being governor.
“It is important that the Ogoni people for the purposes of inclusion should have a sense of well-being in the fact that having been part of a state for almost 60 years, you too should be able to say that you were included in an inclusive system of government.”
The former Senator representing the Rivers South-East in the Senate called on residents of Korokoro community in Tai Local Government Area of the state to ensure they chose the right leaders in next year’s general election.
He appealed to the people to use the opportunity 2023 elections would provide to vote in leaders that would place the interests of the populace above their personal interests.
“2023 will be another general election in the country. It is an opportunity for all Nigerians to come together and elect the government of their choice.
“Choose a government that will place your rights, your feelings, needs, aspirations, hopes above every other consideration in governance of your state and communities, then blame yourselves, when it fails to serve your interests,” Abe said.
He spoke on the need to sensitise the people of the community and Ogoni at large on the need not to make mistakes during the polls.
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