Ex Warlord Says Jonathan’s Re-Election A Top Priority

Ex warlord, Founder/Leader of foremost kalabari socio-cultural organization, Kengema Unity Forum, KUF Amb. General Sobomabo Jackrich (a.k.a Egberipapa) has said he will continue to relentlessly expend human and material resources to ensure the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan come 2015, describing the project as a priority.

The peace Ambassador made this declaration when a strong delegation of members from renowned socio-political elitist group of the Kalabari ethnic nationality, Kalika Assembly paid him a courtesy call, at his palatial residence in Usokun, Degema Local government Area of Rivers state for formal admission as member of the Kengema Unity Forum.

Congratulating the delegation for the decision, he said 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 area of the state in the sustained campaign for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan re-election in 2015, and Kalabari Governor come 2015.

Further speaking to the strong delegation with notable personalities on its ranks like, leader of the group and former commissioner in the state, Hon. Lolo T. Ibieneye, former Asari Toru LGA chairman, Hon. Oseleye Ojuka, former Akuku Toru LGA Boss, Chief Ngo Briggs (a.k.a Akropo) and a Kalabari political Chieftain, Ijuye Dagogo, he said the sustained effort to achieve this objectives can never be extinguished, he said he was elated that a very strategic Kalabari group like the Kalika Assembly has come to synergize and officially admitted as KUF member.

The peace ambassador decried the fallen quality of leadership and service delivery in Rivers state, saying all hands must be on deck to change the situation for the better by enthroning a leadership that will be on the same page with the transformational strides of President Goodluck Jonathan. Jackrich stressed that the quest to ensure the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan is non-negotiable, if our dream to continue to have a truly democratic, progressive and people oriented leadership is anything to go by.

Jackrich 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 tremendously well in boosting virtually every area of the economy in the country, he affirmed that no President since the attainment of independence has been able to replicate the transformative efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan. Speaking on the quest for Kalabari Governor 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. “We have started talking to other ethnic groups in the 23 LGA's, while mobilizing our people frontally to join the struggle for President Jonathan and Kalabari Governor, that is why we are excited over the entry of Kalika Assembly, to us it is not just a welcome development but another plus for our continuous agitation” he was quoted as saying.

It will be recalled that Kengema Unity Forum has been steadily pursuing the cause of the people, recently after a long drawn legal battle against the Attorney General and Government of Rivers state KUF was granted its prayers on the 12thof February 2014 when Justice Lambo Akanbi of the federal High Court one issued his judgment on its favour concerning its plea to declare the appointment of Justice Agumagu as Chief Judge of Rivers state unconstitutional and to swear-in Justice Daisy Okocha, most senior judge of the state high court as Chief Judge. Though following that judgment the Governor has refused to adhere to that judgment, prompting KUF's plan to resort to the writ of mandamus. These and others according to the KUF leader are efforts by KUF to ensure justice in the land and to sustain the balance in the polity.

Speaking to newsmen the leader of Kalika Assembly, Hon. Lolo Tamunoemi Ibieneye described the admission as historical and a giant leap to the next level, he said Kalika believes that this cooperation shall further strengthen the agitation for re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan and the emergence of a Kalabari governor in 2015.

Hear him: “Today Kalabari Unity Forum now has Kalaika Assembly members as its members, KUF is a group we admire greatly because they have done tremendously well in mobilizing the masses at the grassroot” he said.

According to him Kalika Assembly is a socio-political group basically concerned with the elitists, high and mighty Kalabaris in society living in Nigeria and Diaspora. He however acknowledged that the core elitist focus of the group has greatly eroded its influence at the grassroot, hence he said the need to join KUF, believing that the new found ties will open up new vistas of opportunity and impetus for the struggle to achieve our mutual objective.

“The focus is to mobilize individuals of Kalabari extract en masse to come out and vie for the elusive office of the governor, we know we cannot do it alone as a group, that was why we had to infuse ourselves into Kengema Unity Forum, KUF, and the likes of Network for the Defense of Democracy and Good Governance, NDDGG to achieve our dream. Kalabari have been relegated to the back bench for so long, we have been kingmakers and had played key roles in installing and making sacrifices for others in the state. We will be seeking the support of other ethnic groups in the state, hence we are urging all Kalabari sons and daughters to come out en masse to support this cause and take her proper place in the comity of ethnic groups in the state' he stressed.

The Kalika Assembly leader commended the founder and leader of KUF, Amb. Sobomabo Jackrich whom he said has plunged both human and material resources to give both the President Jonathan and Kalabari cause the prominence it deserves. He said he was well aware that the KUF project started even before the present political situation in the state began to rear its ugly head.

On the strategy he said, “Our strategy is devoid of violence, anchored on peace and the resolve of a people - our strength and conviction lies in the fact that the KUF group are younger vibrant with membership covering the entire Kalabari LGA's and the other 20 LGA's in the state, while we are elitist, prominent, known in political circles including former LGA chairmen and opinion leaders who are also poised to close ranks and bring our experience to bear for the struggle” he said.