2027: Five Rivers Governorship Candidates Sign Citizens’ Pact, Promise Accountability
Five governorship candidates in Rivers State have signed a 13-point Citizens’ Charter of Demands, committing to address key challenges facing the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
The candidates signed the pact during the seventh edition of the ‘Rivers We Want’ town hall meeting held in Port Harcourt on Sunday, following calls by residents for practical solutions to unemployment, poor infrastructure, declining public services and other economic challenges.
The candidates are Ben-Gurion John Peter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ivy West of the African Action Congress (AAC), Dr Gabriel Pidomson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumale Kieghe of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Minaibim Harry of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).
The charter outlines citizens’ expectations in education, youth employment, environmental protection, housing, agriculture and economic development, among other priority areas.
Speaking at the event, Convener of the Rivers Peace Initiative, Obinna Ebogidi, said the engagement was designed to move political discussions beyond campaign promises and establish clear expectations for whoever emerges as governor.
He explained that the initiative was not intended to influence voters’ choices but to empower residents to assess candidates’ programmes and hold elected officials accountable 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,” Ebogidi said.
He noted that despite Rivers State’s abundant natural resources and economic potential, many residents had yet to experience significant improvements in their living conditions.
According to him, the next administration should be judged by the quality of public services, employment opportunities and the overall welfare of citizens.
Ebogidi identified quality education, accessible healthcare, job creation, community safety, responsible management of public resources and accountable institutions as essential indicators of good governance.
He also urged governorship candidates who were absent from the meeting to engage with the charter, stressing that governing the state required more than winning elections.
## Police Warn Politicians Against Electoral Violence
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against violence as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
The command’s spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, who represented the police at the meeting, cautioned politicians against allowing political competition to degenerate into hostility and endanger 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 youths against being recruited for political thuggery, violence and electoral malpractice, urging them to reject financial inducements from politicians.
“Your future is far more valuable than temporal financial inducements,” she stated.
She called on eligible voters to reject vote-buying, hate speech and misinformation, while urging political actors and community leaders to cooperate with security agencies to ensure peaceful elections.
## IPAC Declares Neutrality
The Rivers State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Nnanna Onyekwere, said the council would not endorse any individual governorship candidate.
He explained that while political parties could independently endorse candidates or form alliances, IPAC would maintain its neutrality.
“For us, IPAC, we have endorsed all of them together. Whoever emerges is a candidate. It doesn’t matter. And that is our stand,” Onyekwere said.
## Candidates Outline Development Plans
Presenting his development proposals, the ADC candidate, Dr Pidomson, unveiled an economic blueprint focused on reducing the state’s dependence on government spending and oil revenue through production, industrialisation, private investment and job creation.
He observed that despite Rivers State’s oil and gas resources, maritime assets, agricultural potential and strategic location, the state continued to grapple with unemployment, poverty, inadequate infrastructure, unreliable electricity and environmental degradation.
Pidomson said his proposed administration would restructure the economy around production, enterprise and private-sector investment to expand economic opportunities.
Similarly, the AAC candidate, Ivy West, presented a 12-point development agenda focused on peace, employment generation, security and social welfare.
She said her vision was to transform Rivers State into a smart, green and industrial city while ensuring that development benefits all residents.
The town hall meeting was organised by the Rivers Peace Initiative in collaboration with Super 93.3 FM and the Centre for Peace and Security Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, with support from the Trade Union Congress.
The organisers said the engagement was aimed at strengthening citizens’ participation in governance and establishing clear benchmarks for evaluating the performance of the next administration.
