By Emma Okereh
As political parties elect their candidates ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Rivers state, a former national vice chairmanship aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and Director General of the APC State Assembly Forum (ASAF), Ambassador Fubara Dagogo has condemned what he described as the grand plot to deny the Rivers South East senatorial zone from completing its eight years tenure in the state.
"It will amount to a clear intimidation, marginalisation and creating more divided lines in Rivers state, if the South East senatorial district is schemed out of the governorship in 2027, after its son, incumbent governor Siminalayi Fubara has been forced out of the race to actualise his second term ambition, which is the sole right of the zone " he said.
Fubara, in a statement he issued on Wednesday, called for justice and equity in the state, stressing that Rivers South East senatorial district, which has only done one term of four years through the incumbent governor, Siminalayi Fubara must be given the support to complete its second term, just like the other zones in the state have done.
He described what he termed as the "forced" withdrawal of governor Fubara from his second term ambition in the state, as well as the "coronation" of candidates outside the zone by both the APC and other leading political parties in the state as a clear marginalisation and denial of the zone from completing its eight years tenure in the Rivers state Government House.
The ASAF DG therefore called on Rivers citizens to support the governorship ambition of Ambassador Blessing Fubara Snr, who is seeking the ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to contest for the governorship election in the state.
While endorsing Blessing Fubara Snr, the ASAF DG stated that the NDC Aspirant stands for justice and equity, even as he called on Rivers people to stand up against marginalisation, intimidation and imposition ahead of the elections.
He further explained that governor Siminalayi Fubara remains the only governor the riverine people of Rivers state have produced since the return of democracy in 1999, and therefore wondered why the zone should be treated like quasi part of the state, with the ongoing grand plot to deny it the opportunity to complete its eight years tenure.
He therefore called on the NDC to maintain its strong stand against marginalisation and imposition, as well its promotion of justice and equity by giving Blessing Fubara the party's ticket for Rivers state governorship election to complete the South east zone's tenure.
Ambassador Fubara Dagogo noted further that the NDC has earlier proved its stand for justice and equity, when it announced the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the southern region of the country, for a one term period of four years, when power will return to the North. He therefore urged the party to employ same wisdom and zone its Rivers state governorship ticket to the South East, for another one term of four years to complete its eight years tenure, adding that taking such decision will stand the NDC out and go a long way to win the heart of Rivers citizens.
The ASAF DG similarly called on the people of Rivers state, irrespective of their political leanings to stand up to condemn and resist what he described as the ongoing plot to return the governorship seat to upland, and deny the riverine zones the opportunity to complete their tenure, by supporting Blessing Fubara Snr, who he said has taken a bold step to challenge the injustice and ensure that equity is restored in the state.
"My endorsement for Blessing Fubara Snr. is in line with my long standing believe in justice and equity in Rivers state. While I call on the NDC to use its wisdom as it did in its presidential ticket, to ensure that Rivers state governorship ticket is ceded to the South East senatorial district to rewrite the wrongs and imbalance, even if it is for one term, to complete its right to a second term, which some gladiators are poised to deny and rob us with their grand plot to return the seat to upland.
"It is on record that since the return to democracy in 1999, no riverine person has been governor of this state, except Siminalayi Fubara, who has just been frustrated out of his second term ambition. Every Rivers state governor, starting from Peter Odili, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and Nyeom Wike have come from upland. So why can't the riverine be allowed to complete our term, even as they also truncated the first term with a six months military emergency rule. This grand plot to deny the zone a second term is one marginalisation and injustice too many and we must stand to resist it through the NDC
"With the forced exit of the incumbent governor ahead of the 2027 election, equity demands that his zone should be supported to produce his successor, who will do another one term to complete the zones eight years of two terms, before the office moves to another zone. This equity is what we urged the NDC to uphold by handing Ambassador Blessing Fubara Snr, who is from the South east zone the party’s ticket for the governorship election.
The NDC ticket must not be given to transactional politicians and serial contestants outside the zone, if it must win the heart of Rivers people and make a remarkable statement ahead of the elections
"Rivers is a state with diverse ethnic nationalities which enjoy equal respect and recognition, therefore no zone or ethnic nationality should treat the other as lesser people. Doing such will sow more seed of discord and disunity among the citizens, rather than work to return the much desired peace in an already polarised state," the ASAF DG warned.