2027: Rivers State Governorship Candidates Sign Agreement

Residents of Rivers State are urging governorship candidates in the 2027 elections to show clear plans for fixing unemployment, bad roads, poor public services, and other economic issues in the state.

This call came during the seventh ‘Rivers We Want’ town hall meeting held in Port Harcourt on Sunday. Five candidates from different political parties signed a 13-point Citizens’ Charter of Demands.

The candidates were Ben-Gurion John Peter from the Social Democratic Party, Ivy West from the African Action Congress, Dr Gabriel Pidomson from the African Democratic Congress, Dumale Kieghe from the Peoples Redemption Party, and Minaibim Harry from the National Rescue Movement.

The charter asks for immediate government actions in areas like education, youth jobs, environmental safety, housing, farming, and economic growth, among others.

At the event, Obinna Ebogidi, who organized the Rivers Peace Initiative, said the goal was to shift political talks from just campaign promises to what citizens expect and what the next governor should do.

Ebogidi said this initiative is not about picking a candidate but about giving residents a chance to look at the candidates’ plans and hold elected leaders responsible after the elections.

“This is not an attempt to choose a candidate for the people. It is an effort to ensure that the people have a meaningful place in the choices before them,” he explained.

He pointed out that Rivers State has many natural resources and economic potential, but this has not improved living conditions for most people. He added that the next governor should be judged by the quality of public services and the opportunities available to the people.

“The true measure of our wealth is not merely what lies beneath our soil, or flows through our waterways. It is what our people can see, feel and experience in their everyday lives,” he said.

Ebogidi also highlighted education, healthcare, job opportunities, safety in communities, good management of public resources, and accountable institutions as signs of good governance.

He encouraged candidates who missed the meeting to also engage with the charter. He reminded everyone that governing Rivers State is more than just winning elections.

He also asked residents to keep participating in governance after elections by asking questions and demanding accountability.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has warned political parties, candidates, and their supporters against violence as the 2027 elections get closer.

The police spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, who spoke at the meeting, warned politicians not to let political competition turn into violence that could harm lives.

“An election is not a war and political opponents are not your enemies. No political ambition is worth the loss of a single life,” she said.

Agabe also warned young people against getting involved in political violence and election fraud. She urged them to turn down any money offered by politicians to act violently.

“Your future is far more valuable than temporary financial inducements,” the police spokesperson stated.

She also urged eligible voters to reject vote-buying, hate speech, and false information while calling on political leaders and community heads to work with security agencies.

Nnanna Onyekwere, the Rivers State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, stated that the council would not support any single governorship candidate.

He explained that while political parties can endorse candidates or form alliances, IPAC will remain neutral.

“For us, IPAC, we have endorsed all of them together. Whoever emerges is a candidate. It doesn’t matter. And that is our stand,” he said.

Dr Pidomson, the ADC governorship candidate, shared his development plans. He wants to reduce the state's reliance on government spending and oil revenue by focusing on production, industrialization, private investment, and job creation.

He said that even with Rivers State’s oil and gas resources, maritime assets, agricultural potential, and strategic location, the state still struggles with unemployment, poverty, bad infrastructure, unreliable electricity, and environmental issues.

Pidomson said his plan is to reshape the state’s economy around production, business, and private investment.

Similarly, AAC candidate Ivy West shared a 12-point development plan focused on peace, job creation, security, and social welfare.

She said her dream is to turn Rivers State into a smart, green, and industrial city while ensuring everyone benefits from development.

The town hall was organized by the Rivers Peace Initiative in partnership with Super 93.3 FM and the Centre for Peace and Security Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, with backing from the Trade Union Congress.

The organizers said this meeting aimed to strengthen citizens’ involvement in governance and set standards to measure the next government.