From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, King G.N.A. Gininwa, has declared that Ogoni ethnic nationality is part of Rivers State, and , therefore, should be allowed to produce the next governor in 2023.
King Gininwa stated this yesterday, when the former lawmaker who presented Rivers South East senatorial district, Senator Magnus Abe, paid him a courtesy visit to thank him and the Supreme Council for the recent chieftaincy title (Mene Suanu I of Ogoniland) conferred on him.
The monarch urged Rivers people to change their mindset and give Ogoni the chance for governorship, saying that the ethnic nationality has qualified natives to govern the state peacefully.
Gininwa 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 peacefully.”
He, however, advised Ogoni people not destroy themselves because of politics, stating that the ethnic nationality wants to produce a governor, who must be the choice of the people.
The monarch also advised the Ogoni nation to support the incumbent state government, advising that Rivers has only a governor.
King Gininwa appealed to the government to establish industries and engage the youths, to curb criminality in the society.
He advised: “Don’t destroy relationships. The chance is open for you to contest. We have supported others including governors in the past. So, if Ogoni becomes governor, it is not bad. We want an Ogoni to be governor; but, let it be someone that Ogoni loves.
“I appeal to the Ogoni people that in this 2022, that they should toe peace in Ogoniland; there should be peace in Rivers State. I want Ogoni people to respect government and support the government in power. The governor is our governor (referring to Nyesom Wike). We don’t have two governors.
“Love yourselves. Stop the shootings and killings in Ogoni. Enough is enough. These young boys, we need them. Government should create industries for them to get them employed.”
Earlier at the palace of the king, Senator Abe told the council that his visit was to thank them for conferring a chieftaincy title on and has nothing to do with the 2022 governorship election.
Abe, however, used the occasion to urge the King Gininwa to encourage his subjects to register for the forthcoming elections, so that they could elect political leaders of their choice.
He expressed: “I have not come to say I am running for governor. I have come here to thank the Supreme Council of Ogoni Transitional Rulers for the honour given to me as Mene Suanu 1 of Ogoniland. I have also come here to remind the Supreme Council to remind their people at home, everybody should go and register. Let all of us vote. Everybody should go and register.
“I have also come here to say to you people that the power to decide your future, power of your people to decide their future is in their own hands. Nobody should be intimidated by anybody. Nobody should be afraid of anybody. Nobody should be afraid of anybody’s money or anybody’s power. The ballot box is open to all of us. And by the grace of God, it is what you want that will happen.”