Social critic and renowned Virologist, Prof Tam David-West has expressed doubt over the possibility of having a governor of Kalabari extraction as a successor to Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Prof David West, who was a guest Speaker at the first Rivers leadership Network Summit held at the auditorium of the Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Complex, yesterday said the dream of having a Kalabari Governor in 2015 was illusive.

Prof David West explained that such dream was not realizable at the moment because of high level of disunity and division among the Kalabari people.

The division in Kalabari is worse than the division in Rivers State, the Kalabari people do not love themselves, we are our own worst enemies”, he stated.

He however, challenged the people of Kalabari to put their house in order and achieve unity of purpose before they begin to think of actualizing the  dream of producing the governor of the state.

The one-time petroleum minister noted, however, that he was not  an enemy of the Kalabari people.

As a Kalabari man himself, he said he was concerned about the division among the people, and stated that criticism should be taken as complementary to socio-economic development and should not be viewed with negative interpretation.

Prof David West also frowned at the political philosophy of having emotional sympathy for an non-performing leader based on ethnic or religious consideration.

He said his criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan was because of  the lack of internal democracy in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had hampered national growth and development.

He commended the Pan Rivers leadership Network for holding the first summit as a platform for promoting harmonious relationship among peoples of the state, and emphasized that ‘Rivers State cannot make any meaningful national impact, except it is united”.

Speaking the topic the , “Quest for Unity in Rivers State, a Contemporary Perspective”, Prof David-West, said Rivers State has gone through a chequered political history, saying that he has been an avid critic of all the governors in the state.

But he took exception to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who he described as an ‘exceptional performer”.

He said the numerous projects embarked upon by Governor Amaechi, were eloquent testimonies of his good work, and likened him to Governor Fashola Babatunde of Lagos State.

He, however, emphasized the need for a good succession plan in Rivers State to ensure that the goodwork embarked upon by Amaechi was not swept under the carpet.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Petroleum and Commissioner for Education in old Rivers State, Prof. Tam David-West says it is high time upland and riverine was jettisoned for a more unified political front and common purpose.

Prof. David-West, who condemned the political division amongst people from the riverine and upland areas of the state at 1st Pan-Rivers Leadership Summit organised by the Pan African Leadership Network in Port Harcourt yesterday said it was a mere creation of politicians to divide and rule the state.

Said David-West ,’’ so upland Rivers dichotomy is nonsense. There is scarcely any riverine that you cannot trace an upland blood ‘’.

He advocated the need for unity of purpose, maintaining that this was one way to make impact at the federal level.

The professor of virology,  said he had been an advocate of good governance and would always remain opposed to any government that wastes the resources of the people.

For him, leadership must be able to chart new course, guide and educate the people, while emphasizing that leadership must also be by example.

Calling on the need for total reflection by the people on the future, he remarked that,’’ if you don’t know the past, the present is not assured. If you don’t know the present, the future is in jeopardy’’.

Condemning sycophancy, the elderstatesman stressed that good governance must be hinged on frugal spending of public funds and transparency, observing that so far Governor Amaechi has demonstrated accountability,’’

Amaechi is the first governor who after getting money called everybody and said this is the amount of money I have. So, why would I not love a governor that is transparent and has engaged contractors from Rivers State? ‘’

He, therefore, summoned the people of the state to come together to build a united and peaceful state, as he prayed for a better leader to take over from the governor in 2015.