After a lull, a fresh dimension is emerging in the Rivers State political crises.
The war of words, especially on social media and radio stations, and the chaotic atmosphere being created by supporters of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is apparently waning.
Monitoring by The Guardian showed that supporters of both camps are now posting peaceful content and emphasising the need to give peace a chance.
This is coming barely 11 days after Governor Fubara urged his supporters to tone down their confrontational approach to the state’s political situation and also Wike’s recent comment that Governor Fubara remains “his boy and son.”
Wike, in the interview, admitted that he wasn’t fighting Fubara but instead, those around him who plan to “reap where they did not sow.”
Checks by The Guardian showed that both Wike and Fubara have been meeting behind closed doors recently.
Also, findings revealed that ardent Wike’s social media fighters like Amadi Thankgod and Fubara’s big supporter, John Martins, have been posting content like, “Reconciliation is good for Rivers.”
Meantime, a photo posted by Thankgod on Wednesday showed Wike, Fubara, the State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, and the former Emohua Local Government Chairman, Chidi Lloyd, in a pose in front of a door.
Thankgod, in the post, described the photo as “Reconciliation process, phase one.”
However, stakeholders in Rivers State, especially some supporters of Fubara, have condemned the conditions itemised by Lloyd for the reconciliation proper.
Dr. Lloyd, in an interview in Port Harcourt, listed some conditions for the reconciliation to include: a public apology to the former Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, Sergeant Awuse, members of the State House of Assembly, former local government chairmen, among others. He said there can be no meaningful reconciliation in Rivers State without justice.
But a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chizi Enyi, criticised the former Emohua Local Government Chairman, Lloyd, for itemising such conditions for the governor, saying the reconciliation is for both parties and not for one.
He also criticised Lloyd for saying that Fubara is not sincere in the reconciliation talks to resolve the Rivers political crisis.
Mr. Enyi called on Rivers people to disregard the statement from the former Emohua Council Chairman.
Also, a former Caretaker Committee (CTC) Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Darlington Orji, said Lloyd lacks the moral grounds to demand an apology from Governor Fubara.
Orji called on Lloyd to refrain from making divisive comments and allow the reconciliation efforts to proceed without interference.
