Political management and public relations consultant, Sir Joe Korka-Waadah, has said last weekend’s gathering by some politicians of Ogoni and Oyigbo extractions in Tai, Rivers state, to declare an agenda at thwarting a second term for Governor Siminalayi Fubara in favour of an Ogoni governor was dead on arrival.
The politicians who led the Tai gathering include Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Barinada Mpigi, his predecessor, Sen Magnus Abe, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers Chairman, Amb Desmond Akawor and former Zonal Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC) South South, Chief Victor Giadom.
In a communique said to have emanated from the meeting tagged Ogoni/Oyigbo Peoples Assembly, they had declared to support Federal Capital Territory minister, Chief Nyesom Wike to, come 2027, replace Fubara as governor with a yet unnamed person from Ogoni or Oyigbo.
Responding to the development, Ogoni born Korka-Waadah who is based in Canada, told Vanguard, “This is a conspiracy dead on arrival. The days when few individuals fighting strictly for their own pockets sit in hiding to raise sentiments at sharp variance with the general feelings among the people are over.
“Ogoni and Oyigbo people at no time told these conspirators talking that they were unhappy with Governor Fubara’s outstanding administration. They can’t speak for folks they have lost touch with. They lack the integrity, trust and electoral value to be taken be taken seriously.”
“They can’t be speaking from comfort zones as Wike disciples and expect to change the peoples support for Fubara. If there is any politician Ogoni and Oyigbo people are unhappy with, it these people talking and Wike their benefactor.
“Fubara is advancing massive development across Rivers, including Ogoni and Oyigbo. Mpigi is current senator representing Ogoni and Oyigbo. Before him, was Abe. Akawor from being former state chairman of PDP now holds a federal appointment through Wike.
Aside working for their pocket, what federal presence has any of these people brought to Ogoni and Oyigbo? Nothing.
“As we speak the Nigerian Police has abandoned the Police Training School (PTS) Tai, to decay. Instead of reviving it, they moved recruits from Rivers and Bayelsa states who should be undergoing ongoing training there to Calabar. What is Sen Mpigi doing about this?”
Korka-Waadah, Knight of Columbus added, “So you find there is no justification for failed, greedy politicians to call for Fubara’s replacement. Instead they and their paymaster are the people Ogoni and Oyigbo people have rejected and won’t support come 2027.
“Fubara is working, cleaning the mess they created and we are seeing it and he is good to go for 2027. As an Ogoni, I will always want an Ogoni to be next Rivers governor because we have long been marginalised, but that should be after Governor Fubara has served out his eight years term.”
