Former representative of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has called on traditional rulers to always avoid partisanship even as the country moves closer to the 2023 general election.
He described the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa, as a stable factor that has been able to bring the people of Ogoni Ethnic Nationality together and move them forward.
Abe, who spoke at King Gininwa’s Palace at Korokoro-Tai in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, during a ‘thank you’ visit to the traditional rulers said: “If you say you are a traditional ruler and as such not interested in what happens in the country, when things go wrong you are the first person they will even hold.
“When the community scatters, when people cannot sleep in their houses, it is you that they will call so you can’t be too far from what is happening around you.
“You should not be partisan and you have not been partisan, but it’s important that you should look around you and be aware of what is going on in the community,” he further stated.
Describing Gininwa as a father to all Ogonis, Abe said that the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers was one institution that have stood tall despite all the challenges in Ogoniland.
The Senator said: “The first thing that brought me here is to honour the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and in particular the President, King Godwin Gininwa.
“I came here today because you have been a father to us, you have been the one stable factor that has been able to call us together and move us forward.
“The Supreme Council is one institution, that at all given times when we had faced challenges in Ogoni, the Supreme Council have been able to stand tall.
“You will recollect Your Majesty, that even when we started this particular political journey, it was the Supreme Council that called the Ogoni people together and brought President Muhammadu Buhari here, which is the foundation of the current relationship that the Ogoni people have with the President.
“Secondly, your Royal Majesties and Highnesses, I came here to thank you deeply for the title and honour you gave to me as MENE SUANU 1, of Ogoniland (King of Wisdom).
Your Majesties, we all know that men and women are honoured in their different communities for different achievements, but this is one honour conferred on me that I will always cherish”.
Responding, Gbenemene Tai Kingdom and President, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa, appealed to political parties and people of the State to consider choosing a governor from the Ogoni Ethnic Nationality.
Gininwa, who noted that the Ogonis have supported other Ethnic Nationalities in the past to be governors, said the area is blessed with capable hands to lead the State.
He said: “I want to make an appeal that Rivers people should change their minds, we are part and parcel of this State. Ogoni people should be considered for governor this time. We have those that are qualified in our land to govern this State.
“I appeal to the Ogoni people that in this 2022, that there should be peace in Ogoniland, there should be peace in Rivers State. I want Ogoni people to respect and support the government in power. The governor is our Governor. We don’t have two governors. Love yourselves, stop the shootings and killings in Ogoni, enough is enough.
“Magnus Abe is our Son and we love and respect him. We wish and wait for the day he will come and tell us that he is running for the Governorship of Rivers State in 2023, we will support him. We need a Government that loves the people,” he stated.
