The Minister of State for Education, Barr Nyesom Wike has distanced himself from campaign posters showing his interest in the 2015 governorship election in Rivers State, saying that those behind the posters were his detractors.
He said that the move aims at portraying him as an over-ambitious politician, and urged the members of the public to disregard the posters wherever they see them, because the move contradicts the ban on 2015 political campaign by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The minister, who stated through his media assistant, Simon Nwakaudu, said the move was a plot by his political opponents and hired mercenaries to disparage him.
He said: “…Those behind the circulation of such posters are bad losers because the Rivers people and indeed, all Nigerians are better informed and too knowledgeable to be deceived by such fluke.”
The statement added that Wike was too committed to the success of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan to indulge in frivolities like the posting of governorship posters..
In a related development, the Ogoni People Development Forum (OPDF), has canvassed support for the governorship ambition of Senator Magnus Ngei Abe (Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the Nation Assembly).
They also urged the Ogonis to rally round for the realization of the “Ogoni for Governor 2015” project.
In a statement signed by three members of the group, Mr. Roland Nwikor, Raymond Micheal, and Patrick Nwifa, they urged people of the state to support overnor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi,.
“The Ogoni People Development Forum (OPDF) support Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in his developmental efforts in Rivers State and will continue to work for the progress of the state under the leadership of properly constituted authority. That the Governor should be allowed to discharge his constitutional duties and not be distracted by sponsored and unconstructive criticisms that do not mean well for Rivers State,” the group said.
But in a swift reaction, another group, the Ogoni Ethnic Nationality distanced themselves and other Ogonis from Abe governorship ambition, stressing that the way his supporters were going about it was capable of “creating an incisive disaffection and breach of the palpable peace in the Ogoni area.”
The group said in a statement: “The attention of members of the Ogoni Ethnic Nationality has been drawn to a document purportedly issued by a group of misguided elements under a fictitious name “Ogoni People Development Forum” declaring their support for the senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Magnus Abe, whose Governorship ambition in the coming elections is also being canvassed by same group.
“In as much as there is nothing wrong in someone aspiring for any elective position for which he or she is qualified to occupy, the Ogoni Ethnic Nationality believes that the way and manner a group as this is being used aimed at realizing such ambition is capable of creating an incisive disaffection and breach of the palpable peace in the Ogoni area.
“As a matter of fact and for record purposes, we hereby dissociate ourselves from the statement of the so called Ogoni People Development Forum and declare unequivocally our unalloyed confidence in the persons of Jerry Needam and Marvin Yobana, who have continued to offer selfless sacrifices and exhibited a disposition for genuine peace, growth and development of our people, our environment and the entire Ogoni nation.”
