Rivers crisis: Group urges Wike to give peace a chance, stop going after Fubara's loyalists
• Crisis rocks Rivers inter party advisory council
THE Coalition of Minority and Indigenous Ethnic Groups in Nigeria have called on the Minister of the Federal
Capital T erritory ( FCT), Nyesom Wike, to give peace a chance in Rivers State. Convener of the group, Okwa
Dan, during a press briefing, in Abuja, remarked that the call was based on the realisation that Wike is already breaching the peace pact he signed with his successor , Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The group alleged that the FCT Minister is using the judiciary to intimidate Fubara 's perceived lo yalists. The group described the plot to arraign the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, now Chief of Staff to the Governor, Edison Ehie, as "unacceptable to the spirit of peace."
While applauding Fubara for honouring the agreement, Dan urged Wike to give peace a chance in Rivers.
He said: "The Coalition of Minority and Indigenous Ethnic Groups in Nigeria has closely followed the implementation of this accord and is pleased to note that the governor has implemented ever y single action point that pertains to him in the Rivers Peace Document."
"In the spirit of doing to the right side what has been done to the left side, we urge the Wike’s side of the schism to embrace the peace accord and do so with a human face. Wike’s camp should give peace a chance under the circumstances, as an appointee and ally of President Bola Tinubu, who recognises the importance of facilitating internal peace and security in Rivers State.
Wike's camp should shelter its sword.
IN another development, the lingering political crisis rocking the Rivers State, which has disrupted governance, has taken its toll on the Inter Party Advisor y Council ( IPAC), as chairmen of various political parties are at loggerheads over who leads the council.
The Guardian gathered the Acting Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Aaron Chukwuemeka, and State Chairman of Social Democratic Party ( SDP), Solsuema Osaro , are both claiming to be Chairman of IPAC.
The state party leaders ha ve, therefore, expressed worry that the development would hamper the local council elections billed for March and April this year, though observations show no signs that preparations are on the way for the said election from the state government.
It was learnt that the National Chairman of IPAC, Yabagi Sani, and the entire national officers of IPAC had, in October last year, dissolved the Desmond Akawor- led state PDP chairmanship.