TUESDAY May 6, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng
Amid fresh tension in Rivers State following the walkout on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu by some women in the state, former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Engr. Udengs Eradiri, has advised Governor Siminalayi Fubara not to jeopardize the ongoing peace process by using proxies or allowing himself to be misled, Vanguard reports.
In a statement issued Tuesday, May 6, in Port Harcourt, Eradiri urged the governor to distance himself from “crisis merchants” and instead intensify reconciliation efforts.
He commended Governor Fubara for heeding his earlier advice to reconcile with his estranged predecessor and political benefactor, Nyesom Wike. Eradiri said that while some Ijaw leaders opposed his suggestion at the time, he was pleased the governor eventually embraced it.
Eradiri, a former Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youths and later Environment, stressed that for the reconciliation to succeed, Fubara must sideline individuals who thrive on the ongoing conflict and fail to offer genuine counsel.
“Those who tried to ethnicize the crisis without guiding you properly are the true enemies of Rivers State,” Eradiri said. “Many who pretend to love you are, in fact, profiting from the crisis. They don’t want it resolved.”
He noted that had Fubara been allowed to fully implement the peace agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu, the political crisis — which nearly led to his impeachment — could have been avoided.
“Thank God President Tinubu intervened through his emergency declaration, offering you a second chance. Please, don’t waste it,” he advised.
Eradiri further applauded the governor for initiating reconciliation efforts, beginning with his meeting and apology to Wike. However, he urged Fubara to avoid individuals who could derail the process with unsolicited advice.
“You must make yourself unavailable to those who want to sabotage this process,” he said. “Rein in your supporters and prevent any action that could undermine reconciliation.”
He specifically condemned the recent walkout by pro-Fubara women during an empowerment programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), led by First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu, over the presence of Dr. Theresa Ibas, wife of the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, as a representative.
“Such conduct is unacceptable and threatens the fragile peace process,” Eradiri said. “Actions like these cast doubt on the sincerity of your reconciliation efforts.”
He urged the governor to ensure his supporters refrain from protests or actions that could deepen political discord, adding that Fubara would be held accountable for their behavior.
Finally, Eradiri appealed to Wike, suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and other stakeholders in Wike’s camp to forgive Fubara and support the reconciliation efforts for the sake of peace and progress in the state.
