By Charles Igbo
“…holding unto power after expiration of your tenure is an invitation to violence and anarchy” – Mrs Jonathan.
For the first time since the Rivers State political crisis began, former Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Goodluck-Jonathan, has weighed in with a solution.
The State has been engulfed in crisis for about nine months and counting following a serious disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Wike was instrumental to the occupation, by Fubara, of the Governor’s office. But the two fell out, allegedly, over Wike’s desire to completely control the Governor to the extent that Fubara had no right to appoint anybody into any office in the State.
Things have since got to a head between the two, and a once-caged Fubara, now free, has found his feet, and is stumping them gradually but steadily.
However, a relentless Wike who still has his imprint on every aspect of Governance in the State – House of Assembly, Local Government Council Members – is, allegedly, using his foot soldiers to oil the crisis.
For instance, to keep his influence at the LG level intact, Wike’s loyalists who are in the majority in the House of Assembly, decided, unconstitutionally, to extend the three-year tenure of the Council Chairmen and Councillors by six months.
However, a Court had since declared it unconstitutional and Governor Fubara has appointed Caretaker Committee Members to run the LGAs until an election is held.
But the former Council Members refused to leave office. Flushed out by angry youths, the Police moved in, occupied the Headquarters of the LGAs, thus, denying the Caretaker Committee Members access to their offices. The result is the protests and counter protests in the State, sprinkled with a dose of violence in some areas. A couple of deaths, including two Policemen has been recorded, and this order day, there was a blast from an explosive in front of Hotel Presidential while a pro- Police occupation of LGA Headquarters protest was going on.
Weighing in on the situation which threatens to worsen, unless a decisive action is taken to stem the tide, Mrs Jonathan, a proud daughter of the State, has pleaded with both Governor Fubara and Minister Wike to sheat the swords and allow peace to reign. “It is time for governance”, she advised because “election is over”.
In what can be interpreted as a rebuke of Wike and the LGA Council Members, Mrs Jonathan said that continuing to stay in office after the expiration of one’s tenure is an invitation to “violence and anarchy.”
Said the former First Lady: “We, at this point plead that election has come and gone, and now is the time for governance.
“As a peace advocate, I will like to call on the warring parties in Rivers State to sheath their swords and give peace a chance knowing fully that no development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos.
“As a political office holder, remember that power is transient, and it will end someday.
“Therefore, holding unto power after expiration of your tenure is an invitation to violence and anarchy.”
For the records, as Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Jonathan was one of those who propelled Wike to the office of the Governor of Rivers State.
