https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/2019-riverine-coalition-against-wike-upland-dominance-thickens/

By Egufe Yafugborhi

PORT HARCOURT — THE campaign to end nearly 20 years dominance of Rivers State governorship by upland indigenes against riverine contenders in 2019 has broken partisan divides, foreclosing Governor Nyesom Wike and other upland aspirants from contesting.

Early in the week, no fewer than 50 Rivers non-governmental organisations, NGOs, and coastal ethnic groups, under the aegis of Rivers Conscience, signed a joint declaration in Port Harcourt, saying that upland hegemony has reached a breaking point insisting that a riverine governor must lead in 2019.

Meanwhile, Rivers Women Alliance, yesterday, joined the campaign in same unyielding tone, affirming that their unity was sacrosanct on the determination to restore rotational governorship in Rivers State between the upland and riverine dichotomy.

Rivers Conscience position, presented by its Coordinator, Dason Nemieboka, noted that upland/riverine power rotation had been enshrined in Rivers politics since the 1958 Willinks Commission Report and had been so respected till the governorship of Chibuike Amaechi, now Transport Minister.

Nemieboka said: “It is worrisome to all men of conscience and decency that after almost 20 years of civil rule, from 1999 to date, no riverine man or woman has been elected into the highest office of governor of Rivers State.”

OAM4J, Lalasticlala, Mynd44