The Babbe Advancement Forum (BAF), a prominent sociopolitical coalition based in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, has made a formal and resounding demand for the zoning of the Chairmanship position in Khana LGA to Babbe District ahead of the 2025 local government elections.
In a detailed press statement signed by the forum’s convener, Elder Emmanuel Aanee, and released on Monday, July 29, the group called on all political parties, traditional rulers, community stakeholders, religious institutions, and electoral authorities to urgently address what it termed a “longstanding political injustice” against the Babbe people.
According to the group, Khana LGA is constitutionally and culturally structured around three major districts — Babbe, Ken-Khana, and Nyokhana — which form the foundational political tripod of the area.
However, the forum noted that successive administrations have repeatedly rotated the Chairmanship seat between Ken-Khana and Nyokhana, completely sidelining Babbe for over two decades.
“Since the return of democratic rule in 1999, no elected Chairman has emerged from Babbe District,” the statement read.
“The pendulum of leadership has swung exclusively between Ken-Khana and Nyokhana, and this political imbalance is unjust, unsustainable, and incompatible with the principles of fairness, inclusion, and democracy.”
The forum emphasized that Babbe District has played an integral role in the political and electoral development of Khana, delivering high voter turnout in every election cycle, contributing credible leaders to the state and national landscape, and maintaining its loyalty to democratic institutions.
Despite its consistent participation, the group stated that Babbe has remained excluded from access to executive leadership, with even minor political appointments often bypassing the district. “This exclusion is more than a denial of opportunity; it is a denial of dignity and belonging,” the statement said.
BAF described its call for zoning as a moral, democratic, and constitutional necessity, stressing that this is not a plea for political favour, but a rightful demand for inclusion and equity.
“We are not begging for pity. We are demanding justice,” the group declared. “This demand is born out of decades of patience, sacrifice, and unacknowledged contributions.”
The group further warned that continued exclusion of Babbe from the Chairmanship race would not be tolerated in the forthcoming elections.
According to the forum, if political parties fail to zone their Chairmanship tickets to Babbe, the district will respond through protest votes and a total withdrawal of political support across all party lines.
“We will mobilise our people to vote against any party or candidate that disregards Babbe’s legitimate aspiration. We have been used and dumped for far too long. That era is over,” the group stated. “This is not a threat — it is a democratic response to democratic injustice.”
BAF called on all political parties, especially dominant ones in the state, to prioritise justice and fairness in their internal zoning arrangements. It urged them to give the Chairmanship ticket to Babbe in recognition of the district’s strength, capacity, and long-standing marginalisation.
In addition, the group appealed to Khana’s traditional rulers, as custodians of justice and unity, to publicly lend their voices in support of power rotation.
The group also encouraged religious leaders in Khana to preach justice not just in churches and mosques, but also through active civic engagement on behalf of the marginalised.
“Our traditional institutions must rise to the occasion. Equity is a cornerstone of peace. The exclusion of one district will eventually breed division and resentment that will harm us all,” the statement said.
The forum extended its appeal to the Rivers State Government and the State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), urging them to be conscious of the political dynamics in Khana and to adopt policies and positions that reflect fairness and representation.
“We call on the Rivers State Government to recognize this legitimate outcry. It’s time to right a historical wrong. The upcoming 2025 LGA elections provide an opportunity to reset the power dynamics in Khana in the interest of stability, inclusion, and development,” the statement added.
Significantly, BAF made it clear that the call is not an attack on Ken-Khana or Nyokhana, but rather a genuine plea for equitable rotation of power. “We are not enemies of our neighbours.
We seek justice, not division. Just as Babbe supported Ken-Khana and Nyokhana in past elections, we call on them to support Babbe now in the spirit of fairness and brotherhood,” the statement said.
The forum concluded with a powerful message encapsulating the urgency and weight of the demand: “Let Babbe lead. Let Babbe breathe. Let Babbe be heard.” BAF, which includes professionals, elders, youth, women, civil society advocates, and traditional voices from across Babbe District, has vowed to sustain peaceful advocacy, community sensitization, and political lobbying until its demand is met.
