2015: Wike won’t succeed me — Amaechi

The race for the 2015 Rivers State governorship poll should be open to every ethnic group in the state other than the Ikwerre, Governor Rotimi Amaechi said yesterday.

Gov. Amaechi who is Ikwerre said that it would be unfair if he were to be succeeded next year by another Ikwerre.

He spoke when chiefs and elders of Ogu/Bolo paid him a solidarity visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.

He described Ikwerre politicians who are warming up to take over from him as desperate people.

He said such politicians should be shunned at the poll.

He mentioned no one in particular, but the Minister of State for Education,Chief Nyesom Wike,an Ikwerre, is aspiring for the office.

Amaechi said:“For those who want to be governor, I will not by law be allowed to be governor again. I have served my two terms, so from next month, we just have 12 months to hand over.”

He said the essence of his current political battle is to “give the Okirika man, the Ogu/Bolo man a voice after we leave office and I can tell you why I say so.

“If the PDP is bringing an Ikwerre man to run for governorship when an Ikwerre man has run for eight years, it means that what the PDP is trying to do because Ikwerre has about 1.1 million votes in the four local government areas, then Ikwerre would dominate the governorship of the state.

“It means that you will never have a chance of being governor again, that’s what it means because the reason for doing that is ‘oh they are claiming we have xyz number of votes in Obio/Akpor, xyz number of votes in Port Harcourt, xyz number of votes in Ikwerre and Emohua.

“So only Ikwerre people, if they sit together they can be electing themselves always for governorship and I have told Ikwerre people that that young man whose ambition is blinding him must be thrown out, all Ikwerre people must rise against him and vote for a candidate from another ethnic group.

“If you people allow him and he succeeds, then forget your children, they will never be governor again because all it will take is when he finishes, another Ikwerre man will say I will run and go and tell Ikwerre people: ‘I’m your son, don’t allow these people take it from me’ and Ikwerre people will back him, so we must show justice and ensure that it is equitably distributed even if you are one ethnic group of 20,000 persons, you have a right to the governorship of the state.

“So Ikwerre people have had their turn and I’m an Ikwerre son, my mother is Ikwerre, my father is Ikwerre, I’ve no blood from any other relationship, so Ikwerre people can’t say I am not Ikwerre”.

He said the Ikwerre people and other ethnic nationalities should work together to vote out the supposed Peoples’ Democratic Party governorship aspirant from Ikwerre ethnic nationality for next year’s election.

Amaechi said even the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state would toe the line of justice and fair play by not fielding an Ikwerre as candidate for the governorship race.

“I will not support governorship to go to Ikwerre in the APC, but as the governor of Rivers State and a frontline member of the APC, if I help to ensure that we don’t allow an Ikwerre candidate in the APC to allow others to take it, it means that the way to protect yourselves and your children is to vote for that candidate and not for the candidate they are bringing in the PDP because Ikwerre cannot govern for another eight years”.

He gave assurance that the access road to Ogu/Bolo would be completed as the contractor would be mobilised next week to complete the project and other ongoing projects in the state.

He also pledged to build a new model secondary school in Ogu/Bolo to advance education.

Earlier, High Chief Jonah Tamuno, on behalf of Ogu/Bolo chiefs and elders thanked Governor Amaechi for his inspirational and courageous leadership.

He expressed appreciation that the governor has demonstrated high level of liberality in providing democratic dividends for all Rivers people.

While commending Governor Amaechi, High Chief Tamuno as well as Chief Frederick Anga and Chief Marshall Oforibo Kakaka who gave goodwill messages, assured the governor on behalf of the people of Ogu/Bolo to remain firmly in support of his administration and leadership direction, especially as next year’s election approaches.