Amid the escalating political crisis in Rivers State between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, there are increasing calls for the National Peace Committee to step in and mediate.
Political affairs commentator Jide Ojo made this appeal during an interview with Saturday PUNCH in Abuja. Ojo emphasized that the resolution to the conflict lies beyond the local politicians, who have polarized by aligning themselves with either the governor or the minister.
Highlighting the national and international respect commanded by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, Ojo expressed confidence that these esteemed figures could facilitate a reconciliation. “The National Peace Committee, which has successfully mediated in elections, should also address this issue in Rivers State. Figures such as Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Bishop Matthew Kukah, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku are well-suited to mediate this conflict,” he stated.
Ojo stressed the need for intervention by statesmen of unblemished character, unentangled in the local politics or business interests of Rivers State, to achieve a political solution. “Both camps are resorting to court injunctions, but with impartial mediators, this crisis can be resolved once and for all,” he added.
In a related appeal, Anthony Sani, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, urged Governor Fubara and Minister Wike to reconcile and renew their friendship. “Such conflicts are not uncommon in Nigerian politics. Political godfathers and their protégés often have feuds, but it’s crucial to manage these differences with decorum to avoid public ridicule,” Sani remarked in an interview on Saturday.
