A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress and coordinator of the Concerned Rivers for Peace Initiative, Ambassador Fubara Dagogo has appealed to all the warring factions in the crisis ridden Rivers state to join hands and form a United group, so that the state would be re claimed and returned back to democratic process, saying the state has drifted away from democracy, following the recent declaration of state State of emergency by president Bola Tinubu
The APC chieftain emphasized that rather than escalating the situation in Rivers with the ongoing allegations and counter allegations from the opposite camps, stakeholders must refrain from the ongoing attacks on each other, and focus on measures that could return the state to it’s citizens
Recall that president Bola Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in Rivers state, following the political crisis in the state that allegedly led to numbing of oil sites and violent destruction of public orders
The president subsequently appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, from Akwa Ibom state as the Sole Administrators, following his suspension of the State governor, Siminaliayi Fubara
In view of the caliber of very prominent citizens produced by the state, it is sad that the state is allowed to go into crisis for several months following the disagreement between the suspended governor Fubara and his estranged political God father and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike
Ambassador Dagogo further pleaded with the actors to restrict themselves to measure that would lead the reclaiming of the state, rather that the ongoing allegation and counter allegations from both factions
He similarly called on the newly appointed sole administrator to see his appointment as a call to contribute to the process of restoring peace to Rivers state, noting that history will not forget him if he really actualizes that task
This is even as he called on President Bola Tinubu to continue in his fatherly role to ensure a lasting peace in the crisis ridden Rivers state and save the state from degenerating into anarchy and killings, following the lingering political crisis
He said, ” this is the time for all concerned stakeholders in our dear Rivers state to join hands to reclaim the state
“Rivers has always remained the economic hub of Nigeria with its numerous oil wealth that has driven the nations economy, it is disheartening that rather than reaping from its God given strategic location in Nigeria, stakeholders have allowed sentiments and selfish pursuits to deny the citizens the dividends of its strategic location
“At this present situation, we must avoid camps, factions and sentiments, and forge a United front to reclaim our dear state. It’s regrettable that Rivers state with its array of award winning political actors and administrators, has been thrown into an emergency rule, under a military administrator.
“I must also while thumbing up president Tinubu for his fatherly intervention, call on the sole administrator, to see his appointment as a call to unleash his expertise and experience to return peace to the troubled state . This is an opportunity for him to put his name in the positive side of the history of the state, after his exploits in the military
“A peaceful Rivers state would no doubt be in the best interest of all well meaning citizens of the state and above all His Excellency President Tinubu ahead of his re-election bid in 2027. APC would really need the Rivers vote to consolidate on the Renewed Hope Agenda in the upcoming election” Ambassador Fubara Dagogo cautioned