Former First Lady Patience Jonathan has called for peace in Rivers State amid ongoing conflicts.
Speaking at the 60th anniversary of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) international colloquium in Abuja on Thursday, Jonathan urged the conflicting parties to allow the current administration in Rivers State to function without interference.
The colloquium, themed ‘Public Relations, Value Re-orientation and Economic Transformation,’ provided a platform for Jonathan to address the political turmoil in Rivers State. She emphasized the importance of maintaining peace to ensure smooth governance.
Rivers State has been in turmoil following a fallout between former Governor Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Wike, who left office in May 2023, was later appointed as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The tension escalated last year when Fubara survived an impeachment attempt by lawmakers loyal to Wike. The ongoing conflict has seen the Rivers State House of Assembly clashing with Governor Fubara, with pro-Wike legislators overriding the governor on several key bills.
The situation took a violent turn on Tuesday when an explosion, suspected to be from dynamite, occurred near the Presidential Hotel on the Aba Expressway in Port Harcourt, causing widespread panic. The state government later announced the arrest of the suspect responsible for the detonation.
Jonathan’s appeal for peace aims to quell the unrest and promote stability in the oil-rich state, allowing for effective governance and economic progress.
