Govs want Jonathan to end Rivers crisis

SOLIDARITY—From left: Imo State Deputy Governor; Prince Eze Madumere; Nasarawa State Deputy Governor; Dameshi Mama Luka; Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); the host,Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers);Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Muktar Anka and Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, during a solidarity visit to the Rivers State Governor, yesterday, at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.
Fayemi speaks for govs

Governors of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Nasarawa, Imo and Zamfara states, yesterday, condemned the current crisis in Rivers State and called for President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention. They also urged all actors in the crisis to sheathe their swords.
The governors’ call came as former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who handed over to a democratically elected government in May 1999, yesterday, expressed sadness over the current crises in Rivers State, and warned the political gladiators to tread softly so as not to truncate the nation’s democracy.
Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) condemned the crisis in Rivers when they paid a solidarity visit to their Rivers State counterpart and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in Government House, Port Harcourt. The Governors of Imo, Nasarawa and Zamfara states were represented by their deputies.


The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Fayemi, who first spoke for the governors said: “We are here in solidarity with the governor, the government and people of Rivers State in this very challenging time. We are concerned as fellow governors representing our governments and people of our states. You may not know the deputies who are here.
Nasarawa, Imo and Zamfara governors are represented by their deputies here.  I take it that you know the rest of us governors who are here in the delegation. You are also aware that some of our colleagues were here a couple of days ago.

“We are here because we think security for us is far more of a major concern to the people of Nigeria. You may be aware that today is National Economic Council meeting; all of us ought to be in Abuja attending the meeting. Our being here is not a denigration of that meeting in anyway, just to stress the importance of our concern for the security of the citizens of Rivers State. We have met with our brother and Chairman of our forum, Governor Amaechi. We had exhaustive discussions.

Fayemi addressing the press on behalf of his colleagues
“He has briefed us on the situation on ground here. We do feel strongly, having listened to him, that it would be quite important for him to actually go and brief Mr President who is our leader and the Chief Security officer of the country on the very challenging security situation here in Rivers State. We believe that our chairman and brother will give serious consideration to that particular concern. We have expressed to him that it is important as Chief Security Officer of the state to take the opportunity to go and brief Mr President on the security situation.”
IGP should restore people’s confidence
The governors further enjoined the Inspector General of Police to take steps to restore confidence of the government and people of Rivers State in the Police command in the state.
According to him: “We also in our decision with our brother thought it will be important for the hierarchy of our Police authority, the Inspector General of Police to help in restoring the confidence of the people of Rivers State that have greatly been diminished in the Police service and the Command here in the state. We believe that the IG is very well placed to help take the necessary step to restore the confidence of the government, the governor and the people in the police in the state”.
While reaffirming their loyalty to President Goodluck Jonathan, the governors urged the President to wield his moral authority in ensuring that enduring peace returns to Rivers State.

Police IG, MD Abubakar
“We believe that the remarks really require the moral authority of Mr President and Governor Amaechi. The state of security in the entire country is also of concern to him. We believe that Mr President, being our leader, we are all Presidents men, we are all Presidents governors;.we believe that he actually occupies a very critical position that necessitates his wielding his moral authority ensuring that peace reigns here.”
Amaechi in high spirit — Zamfara deputy gov
On his part, the deputy governor of Zamfara State, Muktar Anka, confirmed that it was resolved at the meeting they had with Governor Amaechi that he should meet with President Jonathan on how to end the crisis in the state, adding that the crisis was avoidable.
He further described governor Amaechi as one accepted by his people.
“We being progressive governors, we met with our Chairman of Governors’ Forum, the Rivers State Governor. We were very happy that we met him in high spirit. It shows that he is so popular. We are very happy with that. We resolved and we advised him that he should meet with the President to discuss with him so that we can find way out of this crisis which is avoidable and we believe that by his meeting with the President actually we will find a way of resolving the crisis in Rivers State. That is all I can say after what my brother and boss, Ekiti State Governor has said.”
This would be the second solidarity visit this week by state governors to their Rivers State counterpart. Those on the first solidarity visit to him included Jigawa, Kano, Adamawa and Niger State governors.

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