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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Five governorship candidates for the 2027 election in Rivers State have signed the Citizens’ Charter of Demands for the state, promising to work with the document if elected.
The candidates are Dr Gabriel Pidomson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rev. Minaibim Harry of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Chief Nature Kieghe of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Prof. Ben-Gurion John Peter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Ivy West of the African Action Congress (AAC).
They signed the charter at the Rivers We Want TownHall Series and Governorship Dialogue, convened by the Rivers Peace Initiative in partnership with Super 93.3 FM, the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, University of Port Harcourt, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers State.
The charter was presented on behalf of the people by the leadership of the TUC and the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND).
Speaking at the event, the ADC candidate, Dr Pidomson, said those seeking to govern must align with the vision of the citizens.
He said: “Having carefully examined the charter, I wish to state unequivocally that I accept the fundamental demands and the principle that those who seek to govern must be prepared for the vision, question, and held by the people.
“Our problem is not lack of resources. It is the failure to transmit our resources into prosperity, opportunity, and dignity for our people.”
For her part, the AAC candidate, Ivy West, pledged to be accountable to the charter annually.
“My only commitment today is signing the Citizens’ Charter for Rivers State 2027, and I promise to report for it every year if I am in service. My manifesto has always been centred on 12 pillars anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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“And these goals are peace and security, jobs and economy, women and equality, youth skills, education first for all, health as a mandate, care for our elders, climate and flooding, renewable energy, smart agriculture, housing, and strong governance,” she said.
The NRM candidate, Rev. Harry, promised to unite the state and expand its economy, questioning why Rivers lags behind Lagos in budget size.
“When I become governor, if the people of Rivers State choose me, I will ensure that Rivers State is united once again and positioned for peace and development. Lagos State has a 2026 budget of N4.44 trillion, Rivers is struggling with N1.85 trillion. That ought not to be so. It looks as if Rivers has accepted to play second fiddle. We can change that narrative,” he said.
For Prof. Peter of the SDP, the priority is ending poverty and godfatherism.
“We have more water than any other part of the country, yet seven out of ten youths are unemployed. A state this rich cannot continue to be poor. We have to reposition our governance system so that prosperity will go round. End of godfatherism is one of the problems in our political system today. In my administration, I intend to end what is called godfatherism,” he stated.
Also, Chief Kieghe of the PRP identified security as key.
“I want to say clearly that security is a key challenge. If you pay attention to everybody who has spoken, almost everybody mentions security. We need ideas on how we are going to help Rivers State,” he said.
The dialogue is part of efforts to ensure that citizens’ priorities shape the 2027 governorship campaigns and governance in Rivers State.
