Women Group Wants Riverine Gov

By Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

A women’s pressure group, Rivers Women Alliance (RIWA), has said there is need for the riverine area of the state to produce the governor of the state in 2019.

 The women lamented that the riverine area of the state has not had access to the governorship of the state for 20 years, adding that for equity and fairness, the area should produce the next governor.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Coordinator of Rivers Women Alliance, Mrs. Ibiba Omotoso, said: “This call became very necessary as that is the only path to equity, fairness, justice and the enhancement of peaceful coexistence in our dear state.

“We as women of the state observed with total dismay how the leadership of our state has been domiciled in a particular section of Rivers State. Whereas the state is made up of upland and riverine brotherliness, but to our thinking and that of every rational thinkers, from 1999 (3rd republic) to 2019 (8th republic), the state has been governed by the upland brothers spanning from Sir. Dr. Peter Odili, Chibuike Amaechi to Nyesom Wike. It is only fair for every Rivers son and daughter to rally round a riverine governor to taste the seat of power in our dear state.”

She called on all “Rivers elders, the political class, traditional rulers, youths, women and every facet of life in the state to join hands so that our call and advocacy of truth, fairness, equity, justice, and togetherness can be a fulfilled will.”

Omotoso stated that Rivers Women Alliance is a non-political, non-governmental organisation with a view of total chatter for united Rivers society.

“Our unity, well-being, and togetherness are sacrosanct, hence the need for rotation of power between the upland and the Riverine. We remain committed to this course, and it is our belief and trust that in 2019, a riverine son or daughter will emerge in any of the political parties as the governor of this state,” she said.

She emphasised: “We believe it will not be too much to allow all concerned in a common heritage to have a fair share of the commonwealth in service. After all, a renowned scholar once said equity is in vain when oppression is the order of the day in an indifferent society. The deliberate assent of this clarion call to rotate power is just, fine and it clinches the order of the day.”