Opinion: Peace, reconciliation and political solution panacea for Moving Rivers State Forward

A political analyst and President of Citizens Quest for Truth initiative, Chief Oiaruko Ndukwe has reiterated the need for peace moves on the part of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, asserting that reconciliation and political solution are  panacea for moving the State forward.

Chief obiaruko who was responding to questions on TVC news "Sunday Politics" following the trending meeting of Governor Fubara’s with President Tinubu, noted that what many people didn’t know was that, governor Fubara had met with the FCT Minister earlier on Good Friday before he left for London to meet with Mr. President, adding that it was Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, Governor Dapo Abioun and former governor of Ogun State Olusegun Osoba who brokered the meeting with the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

Responding to the recorded interview of Tompolo who said that Governor Fubara will be returned, the political analyst said it is possible he “knows something that we may not know”, besides everyone is entitled to their opinion, noting that the reconciliation process is not to be centered on the suspended Governor or the FCT Minister alone.

According to her, the FCT minister view is not in line with Tompolo’s opinion, because a lot of issues will be put into consideration; stakeholders on both sides of the divide will be involved, Rivers’ National Assembly/State house of Assembly members, the Deputy Governor, traditional rulers, religious leaders amongst others must be involved and carried along in any process of reconciliation.

On the issue of reports of Governor Fubara reaching agreement with the President in London, Chief Obiaruko said, “we don’t know the details of the meeting with the President. The report we got said that there were some concession.  Fubara was ready to make some concessions; concessions we don’t know the details. It was between him and the President.”

Similarly, she said the report of an arrangement that Gov. Fubara will defect to the APC as one of the concessions is still not official.

She noted that the political crisis that resulted in the declaration of emergency rule has delayed meaningful development in the state. According to her, “Rivers State was actually competing with Lagos State just before now, it was following Lagos, but now Rivers State has taken the backstage. So they need to do something to be able to cover up lost grounds of development amongst others."

On whether the emergency has achieved much, she said, there has been “relative peace as this has stopped the frequency of bombing of strategic national assets; crude oil pipelines and people can now go about their normal duties without being threatened.”

By: Oby Ndukwe

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