The Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Rivers State, Comrade Nwisabari Bani, has expressed confidence that an Ogoni man will become governor of Rivers State in the near future through strategic political alliances.
Bani disclosed this during a gathering of Rivers youths in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, on Friday, where he declared support for the Rainbow Coalition and pledged loyalty to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.
He said Ogoni’s repeated attempts to produce a Rivers State governor had been unsuccessful due to a lack of strategic alliances, adding that the youths had decided to align with political leaders who understand the dynamics of politics.
Rivers NYCN Chairman Nwisabari Bani
“We will become governor of the Rivers States, and I know we will become very soon. I assure you. That is why the youths, we have come out today to take this bold step for strategic alliance. To align with people who understand how the game of politics is being played,” Bani said.
He commended Wike for his contributions to the development of Rivers State and the welfare of its people, describing the former governor as a builder of people.
Bani pledged the support of Ogoni youths for Wike, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, the Rivers State APC governorship candidate, O.K. Chinda, and other candidates of the Rainbow Coalition.
Youths at the gathering yesterday
He also expressed confidence that the coalition would receive overwhelming support across the four Ogoni local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
Bani urged the coalition’s candidates not to be apprehensive about campaigning in Ogoniland, claiming that the area was already secured for the coalition.
He also warned those he described as crisis merchants to stay away from Ogoniland, insisting that although the time for an Ogoni governor had not yet arrived, it would happen in the near future.
According to him, the youths believe that strategic political alliances would help realise Ogoni’s long-standing aspiration to produce a governor for Rivers State.
Other youth leaders at the gathering also declared their support for Wike, Tinubu, Chinda and other candidates of the Rainbow Coalition, pledging to work towards their victory in the 2027 general elections.
They cited the establishment of a university of technology, interventions by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and the Bodo-Bonny Road project as examples of developments they attributed to the Tinubu administration. They expressed confidence that the President’s re-election would ensure the continuation of such projects.
Earlier, thousands of youths marched in solidarity with the Rainbow Coalition, pledging their loyalty and support for the coalition and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Youths hold solidarity march in support of Rainbow Coalition
The event was attended by political leaders of the Rainbow Coalition, members of the National and State Assemblies, the leadership of Khana Local Government Area, youth and student leaders, other stakeholders and supporters of the coalition.
