From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Rivers State chapter, has called on Rivers people to vote for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Siminialayi Fubara, in the governorship election holding on March 11.
IPAC took this decision in a 16-point communique read by its Secretary, Omangima Harry, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The secretary stated that the position of IPAC on the governorship of Rivers State in the 2023 election was based on equity, fairness, justice, and balance.
He maintained that, in the governance of the state, out of the three senatorial districts, it is only the Rivers South East that has not produced a governor since 1999.
Harry stressed: “It must be emphasized that through the history of this great and outstanding state, the Rivers West district has produced the governor once in Sir. (Dr.) Peter Odili. The Rivers East District has produced the governor twice (Rotimi Amaechi, and
Nyesom Wike), while the district of Rivers South East has never had this opportunity. This inequitable unfairness is not justifiable and creates a negative imbalance in our sociopolitical space.
“The opportunity presents itself on the 11th of March 2023 to institute a sustainable narrative of fairness, balance and equity, by inclining towards a region of the state that has never in the state’s history, produced an individual for the top office of the state.
“This region is the South East Senatorial District. Fortuitously, a candidate of Riverine stock from the South East senatorial district in the person of Sir Siminialayi Fubara is in the race.
“As noble citizens of the state, we must be our brother’s keeper. We must promote and protect that sense of inclusion in the affairs of the state. Never must we be clouded by the false and feeble premise that one region is superior to another. That one brother is more entitled than another. That the strength in one area, somehow diminishes the authenticity of another area.
“A Rivers citizen from the riverine area, and from the Rivers South East district, who has his developmental roots in the state and one who is fundamentally connected to their people in the riverine area of the South East senatorial district is what is fair, equitable and just at this juncture of our state’s history because it ensures a much-needed balance in the political and social structure of our dear state.
“Supporting the candidacy of Siminialayi Fubara for governor of our dear state resonates with the values of equity, fairness, justice and balance.”
IPAC, therefore, urged the citizens of the state to come out once again en mass, as they did on February 25, presidential and National Assembly elections and cast their votes for a riverine candidate from the South East senatorial district of the state.
Harry emphasized: “The adherence by the electorate to the ‘non-partisan’ and ‘non-political’ plea of this advisory council to support the mandate of a southern candidate in the polls, showed that the need for justice, fairness, equity and balance, remain primary ingredients for the social and national cohesion of our dear nation Nigeria, and a paramount desire resident in the fore of the minds of our citizens.”
He thanked the citizens of the state for their steadfastness, courage, commitment and convictions which they displayed on February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls, and wants them to repeat it in the March 11 elections.