A vista of reconciliation, peace and progress opened in Rivers recently with Governor Nyesom Wike, waving the olive branch to the opposition to join hands with him to move the state forward.
He specifically told the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the leader of the Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) with whom he had had a virulent tussle, that they could not continue to remain divided as leaders and expect government to deliver on its responsibilities to their people.
Wike extended his hand of fellowship in a broadcast to the people on April 12 after the Supreme Court delivered the judgment, laying to rest all legal issues, concerning participation of the Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.
The war of attrition, which had been dragging the people down and weakening the state was on the one hand between Wike and Amaechi, his former political ally, and on the other between Amaechi and his erstwhile associate, Senator Magnus Abe over the APC governorship ticket.
APC lost the right to participate in the last elections in the state, leaving Wike’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the only party of reckoning. However, the state was as usual still embroiled in unprecedented violence in which the military and police also played an inglorious part.
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Political party thugs were fully activated to unleash terror on opponents and many lost their lives. From Ahoada to Ikwerre, Akuku Toru to Okrika, Khana to Andoni, no part was entirely free of killing and maiming that earned the state the unenviable appellation of “Rivers of blood.
Indeed, election took on a different meaning from being the process of choosing representatives of the people to deliver good governance.
It was against this background that Governor Wike called for burying the hatchet.
He said: “Although the present politics of acrimony and bitterness may have strayed from the noble path of the past, I still believe that we shall be better off, standing and working together for our state and our people.”
The governor also appealed to the people “to eschew all acts of acrimony, criminality, unrest and violence throughout the state,” pledging, to recommit himself to continue to do all that was humanly possible to ensure the unity and peaceful co-existence of all the people irrespective of political affiliation.”
In furtherance of his promise to direct the state attorney general and commissioner for justice to review all pending criminal cases linked to politics before the 2019 elections, Wike has dropped murder charge against a chieftain of the APC, Flag-Amachree Ojukaye, who was facing trial for double murder charges.
Justice Chinwedu Wogu, struck out the murder case against Ojukaye last Wednesday, after the state counsel informed the court that the government had decided to withdraw the matter.
Similarly, the previous day, Justice Joy Akpagnum struck out the other murder case against the APC chieftain after the prosecution withdrew the charges.
The withdrawal of cases is commendable. It is hoped that more of such cases would be withdrawn in due course. We urge that those to whom the gesture was extended would henceforth shun behaviours that cause loss of lives and imperil peace in the state.
We also urge the governor to compensate families of those killed by political opponents or thugs.
It is gladdening that Wike already set the example with the announcement of N200 million scholarship for the four children of Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, PDP Khana collation agent, who was shot dead by Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) operatives during the governorship election.
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It is also noteworthy that the Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, in apparent response to Wike, has issued a statement, appealing to those who lost elections to be patient and look towards the future. He urged them to “join hands in building the state, irrespective of their party affiliations.”
Similarly, the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Andrew Uchendu, said at a recent press conference that all elected and appointed members of the APC in the state were ready to be part of the move to ensure the safety of lives and property.
He said, “Let us assure Governor Wike that the All Progressives Congress has never and will never shy away from doing all it can to ensure a more secured, purposeful and prosperous Rivers State.
“Indeed, this has been our ethos and mantra ever since we began elections. We abhor the thought, not to mention the fact that any Rivers resident should be killed.
“We, therefore, join our voices to the call for a peaceful and united Rivers State, a state in which every stakeholder is treated equally and no one is held as a pariah for holding a different political view.”
We hope that all concerned will make the drive for reconciliation and peace work and commend same spirit to other states in the country.
