Dame Jonathan Sues for Peace in Rivers, Bayelsa Relations

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan

By Ernest Chinwo

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has called for peace between the people of Rivers and Bayelsa States.

The two states have been locked in a cold war over the ceding of some oilfields from Rivers to Bayels State, and Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, have been locked in a political battle with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the presidency.

Speaking at a wedding reception of one of the five suspended Rivers state lawmakers said to be loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike; Mr. Evans Bipialaka, in Port Harcourt Saturday, Dame Jonathan stated that Rivers and Bayelsa were inseparable and that peace should exist between them.

She however described Wike as the unifying factor in the affairs of both states, stressing that it was through his instrumentality that people of the old Rivers state had been brought together.

She said the minister had done all within his powers to bring unity among the people.

“Wike has been able to unite all of us. Wike, I remove my cap for you. We are here talking not as riverine people or upland. But we are talking here as Rivers people. People who speak in oneness and in unity”, she said.

She noted that since her coming to limelight in the politics of the country, her visit to Port Harcourt was the first time she had been received by the state.

“This is the first time I am being received by my Rivers people in almost four years of my husband’s presidency. I have been a wife of a deputy governor, governor, Vice President and now President; I have never had it so good,” she said.

She  however paid a glowing tribute to the former governors of Rivers state, Chief Rufus Ada-George and Dr. Peter Odili and said during their administrations, the state witnessed an influx of people as the state still retained its ‘Garden City’ status.

She expressed the hope that the state would still regain its status.

She said she was overwhelmed  the presence of former governors and top leaders of the two states through the instrumentality of Wike, adding that the leaders were now working together.

However, impeccable sources disclosed that the whole show was part of the grand plan to further annihilate Governor Rotimi Amaechi as  President Goodluck Jonathan is said to be allegedly meeting secretly with some members of the State House of Assembly in order to woo them into impeaching the governor.

She continued: “Today, I can see the Who’s Who in the state. All the people that can make this state moveable, shakeable: and when they say stand still, you stand still, and when they say move, you move; all of them are here. My people, I am very loyal and grateful.”