In the midst of the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, former First Lady Patience Jonathan has called on the conflicting parties to embrace peace. She made this appeal during the 60th anniversary of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) international colloquium in Abuja on Thursday.
Addressing the theme, “Public Relations, Value Re-orientation, and Economic Transformation,” Jonathan emphasized the importance of allowing the current administration in Rivers State to function without interference. The state has been in turmoil following the conflict between former Governor Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
After completing his tenure in May 2023, Wike was appointed as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Last year, Fubara narrowly escaped an impeachment attempt by lawmakers loyal to Wike. This crisis has kept Rivers State in the news, with ongoing disputes between Fubara and the state’s House of Assembly. Pro-Wike lawmakers have overridden the governor on several key bills.
The situation escalated further on Tuesday when an explosion, believed to be caused by dynamite, occurred near the Presidential Hotel area of the Aba Expressway in Port Harcourt, causing widespread panic. The state government later announced the arrest of the suspect responsible for the detonation.