By Daniel Abia - Snr Correspondent, P/H
Peace Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich (Egberipapa)
Former militant leaders in Niger Delta region have promised that they would put every necessary resource in place to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan is re-elected next year.
Speaking the minds of his colleagues, Peace Ambassador Sobomabo Jackrich, also called Egberipapa said Jonathan’s second term bid in 2015 is “a top priority”. Egberipapa, who is also the founder of the Kengema Unity Forum (KUF), made the declaration when a delegation of the Kalabari ethnic nationality, Kalika Assembly paid him a courtesy call at his residence in Usokun, Degema Local Aovernment Area of Rivers State for formal admission as member of the Kengema Unity Forum.
Over the years, Kengema Unity Forum has been a rallying point for both the Kalabari ethnic nationality and other tribes in the 23 local government areas of the state in the sustained campaign for President Jonathan re-election in 2015, and Kalabari governor next year.
He decried the fallen quality of leadership and service delivery in Rivers State, saying all hands must be on deck to change the situation by enthroning a leadership that will be on the same page with the transformational strides of President Jonathan. Egberipapa stressed that the quest to ensure the emergence of President Jonathan is “non-negotiable if our dream to continue to have a truly democratic, progressive and people-oriented leadership is anything to go by”.
The ex-militant leader who is also the director general of Network for the Defense of Democracy and Good Governance (NDDGG) pointed out that President Jonathan’s leadership has done well in boosting virtually every area of the economy in the country, affirming that no President since the attainment of independence has been able to replicate the transformative efforts of Jonathan.
On the quest for Kalabari Governorship pursuit, he said, “Kalabaris have paid their dues in enthroning far reaching legacies in the state. This, he said has made it germane that they are peacefully entrusted with the opportunity to mount the saddle of leadership come 2015 through consensus by other ethnic groups in the state.