Stop playing games with Rivers’ reconciliation, Eradiri tells Fubara

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

A former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Engr. Udengs Eradiri has expressed disappointment over the politicisation of the reconciliation required to restore democratic governance in Rivers State.

Eradiri knocked the suspended Rivers Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for not sincerely displaying expected willingness and commitment to genuine reconciliation.

Eradiri is a Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE). He said he was disturbed to hear that Fubara had not deepened the reconciliation process. This concern arose after Fubara’s first meeting with his estranged godfather and Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.

“I was disturbed, shocked and surprised to hear about the lack of reconciliatory meetings. The suspended Governor Fubara has yet to meet with some critical stakeholders. These include the Speaker and members of the suspended House of Assembly. Aggrieved Rivers elders and those local government chairmen were once in the same political family with him.

“The recent media chat of Chief Wike is instructive. It is revealing, especially where he said that Governor Fubara was doing reconciliation on television and radio. For me, this is a low mark. It does not sit well with the required antidote to resolve the crisis. It does not help return democracy to Rivers.”

Eradiri, a former Commissioner for Youths and later Environment in Bayelsa, advised Fubara to sit up and show leadership. He should own the reconciliation process. Fubara should avoid the optics of showmanship that could truncate the Rivers’ peace process.

“Suddenly, those who called themselves Fubara’s have resumed their singing and dancing. They hold shows where they make remarks. These shows cast innuendos inimical to any peace process. Fubara should tell his supporters to avoid similar political showbiz. They should also steer clear of busybodyism. These actions worsened the crisis in Rivers,” he said.

Eradiri said Fubara should be thinking of engaging with governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). These governors should withdraw the case they instituted at the Supreme Court on emergency rule against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said, “This is where I think by now the reconciliation should have progressed to. The President can do nothing on this matter. His hands are tied by that case at the Supreme Court. The matter is subjudice. Fubara should reach out to the governors. He is expected to withdraw the matter as part of the reconciliation process.

“Governor Fubara should also know that if he is reinstated without genuine reconciliation, the bad blood will continue. It may lead to his impeachment. Lack of reconciliation will only bring violence back to the state. It will undermine the emergency rule instituted to save him from impeachment.”