Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has urged the warring parties in Rivers state to give peace a chance.
The former first lady spoke on Thursday at a colloquium
organised to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nigeria Institute of
Public Relations (NIPR).
She delivered a speech on ‘Public relations, value
reorientation, and economic transformation’.
Referring to the Rivers LGA crisis, the former first lady
said it is a recipe for anarchy for elected officials to want to stay in office
beyond the constitutional limit.
“Let me at this point
plead that the election has come and gone, and now it is time for governance,”
Patience said.
“As a peace advocate, I would like to call on the warring
parties in Rivers state because it is my state and it is where I am quite
interested.
“So, whatever happens there concerns me, knowing fully well
that no development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos.
“As a political officeholder,
remember that power is transient. It will end someday. Therefore, holding on to
power after the expiration of your tenure is an invitation to violence and
anarchy.”
“I DIDN’T TELL MY
HUSBAND TO STAY BEYOND CONSTITUTIONAL LIMIT IN OFFICE’
Commenting on the aftermath of the 2015 presidential
election, Patience said she did not urge her husband to stay in office after he
lost the poll.
She said Jonathan “willingly relinquished without a
fight,” adding that the former president
has become a model for democracy due to his actions.
“When we failed the
election, I was with him (Jonathan). We were in the room when we were told you
had lost. I did not whisper to him that he must stay because we will shed
blood,” she said.
RIVERS CRISIS
In the last few months, Siminalayi Fubara, governor of
Rivers, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads over
political control of the state.
The Rivers assembly has been polarised into two factions as
a result of the crisis. The Victor Jumbo-led faction is loyal to Fubara, while
the Amaewhule-led faction is loyal to Wike.
The two factions are currently battling in court, seeking to
know who has the legal authority to be recognised as the state parliament.
Recently, a crisis also broke out in the 23 LGA secretariats
of the state after elected chairpersons, loyal to Wike, refused to vacate their
offices after the expiration of their tenure.
Fubara had appointed caretaker committees to oversee the
affairs of the local governments.
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