It is rather unfortunate that in this era of enlightened public discourse on political development in this part of the world, there are minds in our midst who want to draw us back to the medieval age.

For some time now, a collection of blurred minds under the umbrella of a body called the Rivers Mainstream Coalition a.ka. “the unification force” has spewed out several publications which had propagated its members expectations for:

“A riverine Governor for Rivers State or a Governor of Rivers State of riverine extraction.”
The denial of the fundamental right of Barrister Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, the Minister of State for Education, to seek for any office of his choice as enshrined in the constitution, especially for the office of Governor of Rivers State.
The exclusion of any aspirant of Ikwerre extraction, especially Nyesom Wike, because an Ikwerre man, (not the ethnic group) Rotimi Amaechi, had been in power for about eight years.

To actualise these myopic objectives, the Rivers Mainstream Coalition has claimed that it is fighting this cause to achieve “equity and fairness” in the distribution of public offices in Rivers State which it claimed had been lopsided over the years.

However, in its reaction to the endorsement of Nyesom Wike for the governorship of the State by some members of the House of Representatives from the state, the group unconsciously exposed its real intentions of exclusionism by indicating that some of those who endorsed Wike had produced Governors, with the example of Chief Rufus Ad George, from Okrika – a riverine community.

“It is therefore shocking that after enjoying the benefits of rotation and zoning and the support of other ethnic/geo-political zones, these selfish representatives are bent on denying others the right to produce the next Governor of Rivers State.”

The lies of the Rivers Mainstream Coalition are unambiguously exposed in the paragraph above.

Is Okrika not part of their definition of “riverine” areas?
When and at what point did the people of Rivers State agree on zoning and rotation of offices, especially the so-called principal offices?
Is the so-called zoning and rotation arrangement a replacement to the Nigerian Constitution which stipulates qualifications for elections into various offices and where zones and offices are not mentioned as pre-requisites for aspirations?
Both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act stipulate individuals as potential aspirants and candidates on the platform of political parties and not on the sponsorship of ethnic groups.

However, it would be necessary to enlighten the masquerades behind the mask of the Rivers Mainstream Coalition that the implication of their postulation for a “riverine” Governor would be an isolationist effort in which only (so-called) riverine people would select their candidate and vote for him accordingly, outside the intention of the nation’s constitution without a political party or platform. Such a “riverine” Governor would perhaps rule only “riverine” people.

That is an unimaginable mirage.

Let us take this opportunity to further educate our friends in the Rivers Mainstream Coalition on some bitter hometruths on the perceived “equity and fairness, rotation and zoning” in respect of an imagined sharing of public offices as they affect Rivers State and her people.

The example of offices and their occupants would shed more light on the dark conspiratorial rooms of the Coalition.

Governors since 1967.

Com. Alfred P, Diete Spiff. Riverine.
Chf. Melford Okilo. Riverine.
Chf. Rufus Ada George. Riverine.
Dr. Peter Odili. Upland.
Rotimi Amaechi. Upland.

Dep. Governors.

Eze (Dr) Frank Eke. Upland.
Chief. Somina Dagogo Jack. Upland.
Chief. Gabriel Toby. Riverine.
Eng. Tele Ikuru. Riverine.

Military Governors in other states.

Air Com. Abe Kalio. Riverine.
Navy Capt. Ibim Princewill. Riverine.



Roseberry R. Briggs. Riverine.
Stephen Ezekwem. Upland.
Rotimi Amaechi. Upland.
Tonye Harry. Riverine.
Otelemaba Dan Amachree. Riverine.

Chief Judges.

Justice Ambrose Allagoa. Riverine.
Justice Donald Graham Douglas. Riverine.
Justice K.D ungbuku. Riverine.
Justice F.N.N. Ichoku. Upland.
Justice Iche Ndu. Upland.

Supreme court.

Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte. Riverine.
Justice Mary Odili. Upland.

Court of Appeal.

Justice Sotonye Denton West. Riverine.
Justice Obie Dan Kalio. Riverine.
Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas. Riverine.
Dr. M. Akobo. Riverine.
Chf. Ken Green. Riverine.
Chf. Emmanuel Aguma. Upland.
Alabo T.O. Graham Douglas. Riverine.
Prof. Tam David West. Riverine.
Chf. I.S. Kogbara. Upland.
Dr. Abiye Sekibo. Riverine.
Ms. Amah Pepple. Riverine.
Chf. (Bar) Nyesom E. Wike Upland.
Dr. Tammy Danagogo. Riverine.



SSG/Heads of Service

Pikibo Daniel Kalio. Riverine.
W. Tienabeso. Riverine.
Somina Dagogo Jack. Riverine.
Albert Badey. Upland.
Francis Ellah. Upland.
Chf. S. Agbaru. UIpland.
Dr. Abiye Sekibo. Riverine.
Dr. (Mrs) Braide. Riverine.
Mrs Aleruchi Cookey Gam. Riverine.
.Mr. Magnus Abe. Upland.
Mr. George Feyii. Upland.
Mr. S. Longjohn. Upland.

Members of the Rivers Mainstream Coalition should take a critical look at the list and justify their cry for “equity and fairness”.

The ordinary people of Rivers State had shown love amongst themselves irrespective of ethnic differences but some misguided elites, for selfish personal reasons, have decided to pollute the prevailing peace in the state.

The reality on ground is that those masquerading under this phoney coalition have developed fear for Bar. Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike for whom he is; loyal, fearless, pragmatic , an achiever and a goal getter.

HE WHO THE CAP FITS, LET HIM WEAR IT.

- Elder Amabipi Martins,

Rivers State.

benjyzl!
Where did you get this accurate information from. I cannot find the list of SSG/Heads of Service of the Rivers State Government anywhere online
Thanks