2024 Degema Chairmanship: A call for fairness, equity

Degema Local Government Area, being one of the oldest LGAs in Rivers State, has had prominent Sons occupy the Chairmanship position from 1999 till date.
Though, a woman was appointed the Caretaker chairman of this multi lingual Local Government between 2017 and 2018, the choice of who becomes Chairman, was always hinged on the fact that the person must be a man and also from a particular part or parts of the LGA.

While the first consideration is purely not the reason for this discourse, the second criteria seems to stand out as a plot to unduly trample on the fundamental rights of indigenes from other communities in the LGA.
Degema Local Government Area consists of 17 wards which could be viewed as 18, because of the peculiarity of the 17th Ward that is made up of Ke and Oguruama, two communities that are poles apart.

Despite having a multi lingual outlook with diverse cultures and beliefs, the power brokers in the area, have by default not put this factor into consideration while deciding who becomes Chairman of Council.
DELGA in a way, has similar characteristics as Rivers State, but the clamour for control of the LGA has always been between Bakana and Tombia.

Since 1999, Bakana, has so far produced 4 elected Council Chairmen and I Caretaker Committee Chairmen, Tombia has produced 2 elected Chairmen and 4 caretaker Committee Chairmen. Which brings the figure to 11. This means that out of 18 opportunities available to produce a Chairman either as an elected or appointed one, the two Zones have taken the bulk of these opportunities leaving just 7 chances to to be shared between 4 wards as follows: Bille community produced two Caretaker Committee Chairmen including the only female Caretaker Committee chairman , Ke produced 2 Caretaker Committee Chairmen, while the remaining two times, Bukuma and Consulate took a chance each.

The above narrative clearly shows a disparity in the sharing formula. Recall that the incumbent Council Chairman, Hon. Michael John Williams is from Bakana, and upon the completion of his tenure, it would mean that the zone has held on to the Chairmanship position for 6 consecutive years.

With people currently clamouring for the Chairmanship ticket as the clock ticks towards the 2024 timeline, will the consideration once again shit to Tombia, or will other zones be considered to get the party ticket during the primaries coming up in a few months time?

That question and many more are on the lips of Degema people who are not from these zones, as we March in solidarity into the future.
List of elected and appointed council chairman from 1999 to date:

1. HON. PLEASANT BRAIDE 1999-2002 (Bakana) elected Chairman
2. HON. OMUBO BENIBO 2002 (Tombia) Caretaker Committee Chairman.
3. HON. IBIFIRI OBU-DENNIS 2002-2003 (Tombia) Caretaker Committee Chairman
4. HON. ABIYE DAVIES 2003-2004 (Tombia) Caretaker Committee Chairman
5. HON. TONY PHILMOORE 2004-2007 (Bakana) Elected Chairman
6. HON. MACJAJA AMACHREE 2007 (Bukuma) Caretaker Committee Chairman
7. HON. OSAKI ASOBARI 2007-2008 (Ke) caretaker Committee Chairman
8. HON. OSAKI ABBEY 2008(Tombia) caretaker Committee Chairman
9. HON. ABIYE DAVIES 2008-2011( Tombia) elected chairman
10. HON. DADDY POKIMA 2011 -2015 (Tombia) elected Chairman
11. HON. T. ASOBARI Esq 2015 (Ke) Caretaker Committee Chairman
12. CHIEF HON TONYE TYGER 2015-2016 (Consulate) Caretaker Committee Chairman
13. HON AGIOBU FUBARA 2016 (Bakana) caretaker Committee Chairman
14. CHIEF HON. OMUBO BENIBO 2017-2018 (Tombia) caretaker Committee Chairman
15. HON. OKORITE ADIELE 2017-2018 (Bille) Caretaker Committee Chairman
16. CHIEF HON. BOMA DAPPA 2018 (Bille) caretaker Committee Chairman
17. HON. TONY PHILMOORE PhD 2018-2021 (Bakana) elected chairman
18. HON. MICHAEL JOHN WILLIAMS 2021- to date (Bakana) elected Chairman

Dr. Amieibi Harcourt Harry, a concerned citizen writes from Harry’s Town in Degema Local Government Area