Some kinsmen of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike under the platform of Ikwerre Political Forum have declared that they will not support him if he decides to run as governor of Rivers State in 2015, stressing that since he comes from the same area with Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, it is only right for a candidate from another ethnic group to contest.
The group’s spokesman, Chief Andrew Uchendu, who is a Federal Lawmaker representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, in a chat with reporters in Port Harcourt, said that, for 40 the people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality fought for the governorship ticket, until in 2007, when Governor Amaechi from the Ikwerre extraction became the Executive Governor of Rivers State.
“Ogbakor – Ikwerre, which is the Umbrella body of the Ikwerre ethnic nationality have also taken a positive step that, they will not support any other Ikwerre candidate going to challenge other ethnic tribe in the state from aspiring for Governorship, because, they have taken their turn.
“But, that does not stop A or B from contesting. That, as far as the Ikwerre National Forum is concerned, we cannot support any of our own to go and challenge other tribes to run for the governorship ticket in 2015”, Chief Unchendu said.
“… But, to us as Ikwerre people who on his appointment as minister of state for education, two years ago, we took a full page advert in The Newspaper congratulating Chief Nyesom Wike, and also thanked President Jonathan for giving the Ikwerre people the opportunity to present Chief Nyesom Wike to represent Rivers people at the Federal Cabinet.
“He has now turned to threaten Rivers’ people. We think that, the conduct is condemnable and it is not in the character of Ikwerre people to be so arrogant, violent and uncontrollable. Possibly, as a Forum, we want Nyesom Wike to know that, he is unequipped to threaten the entire Rivers people”.
The group also dismissed claims by Nyesom Wike that he single handedly made Governor Amaechi, the Governor of Rivers State.
“Nigerians do know that, the making of a Governor does not start with going to the election tribunal, and a number of activities and processes may have taken place, and Chief Nyesom Wike can not claim that to himself, he should stop telling lies. The Ikwerre National Forum was established in 2000 as the political think-tank of Ikwerre people, and the leadership has been with the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi the Executive Governor of Rivers State.”
