Mr Emmanuel Igbini, a political critic, has described as ‘’a sad development’’ the state of emergency declared in Rivers by President Bola Tinubu due to unresolved crisis in the state.
Igbini, a former Governorship Candidate under the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), made the remark while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday while reacting to the emergency rule in Rivers.
According to him, I am pained and so pained in my heart that we are now at this stage in the governance of our dear Rivers State.
Igbini narrated how he made efforts to resolved the issue politically even after the Supreme Court judgement, saying that he even sent a message to Similanayi Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike earlier on Tuesday.
He recalled that since the minor misunderstanding occurred two years ago between the governor and the minister, he had been firm in his commitment to peace and reconciliation between them.
Igbini, who is the National President of Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) also said that he had been firm and unbiased in his analysis and critiques of the situation.
He said that he condemned them whenever and wherever it was right for him to do so as he believed that no dispute that was against the truth would be settled.
He said that in his message to Fubara, he advised him to urgently reach out to Wike for reconciliation but unfortunately, the situation had changed.
Igbini maintained that they could still toe the part of peace since the factors that brought and bound them together were too strong to be broken by either of them.
The critic, who said he was not against the state of emergency, however, regretted that if both of them had heeded his advice, the declaration of state of emergency would have been averted.
“It is very unfortunate but we shall overcome,’’ he said.
Also speaking, a public servant with one of the oil exploration companies in state who did not want his name mentioned, said that the President’s declaration was a welcome development.
He said that this would douse the tension in the state and the residents of Port Harcourt would have a moment of rest.
He, however, appeal to the state Administrator to consider the right and freedom of the law-abiding citizens while administering the state.(NAN)
