Rivers crisis: Ex-presidential aspirant sues for peace

A former presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tein Jack-Rich, has called for calm in the wake of Monday’s attack on the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Jack-Rich also called on the political gladiators in the state to sheath their swords and ensure that the crisis did not escalate to a stage that it could not be managed.

The House was set ablaze by suspected political thugs on Monday, following a threat by the lawmakers to commence impeachment proceedings against the Leader of the House, Edison Ehie, and Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.

In a statement on Wednesday, the CEO of BelemaOil Producing Limited, said, Jack-Rich said: ”At the early hours of Oct. 30, 2023, I received multiple calls and reports of an immense attack and the desecration of Rivers State House of Assembly, being the beacon of democracy.

”It is important to understand that keeping the temple of our democracy is a sacred oath we all took as political actors, irrespective of class.

”Therefore, any tendency to attack the legislature or hijack is not for anyone’s security, rather a display of political weakness.”

According to him, when the legislature comes under attack anywhere in the world, democracy is threatened.

”We cannot afford to sacrifice the peace of the democratic journey on the altar of fear of dictatorship or authoritarianism.

”My appeal is peace, and for Rivers State to be allowed to key into President Bola Tinubu’s administration at the federal level in order to take advantage of its economic master plan,” he said.

According to him, this will enable the state to fix its economic policies to attract private capital development, in order to provide jobs for the youths who are currently struggling with massive unemployment.

”We cannot afford the crisis brewing to snowball into a more chaotic situation, which is capable of exacerbating huge economic hardship in Rivers State,” Jack-Rich noted.

The Rivers-born philanthropist therefore, called for calm.

”Let all those involved sheath their swords, in the interest of peace and development of our dear Rivers State,” he said.

According to Jack-Rich, the onus was now on all patriotic sons and daughters of the state to put on the garb of civility and deploy dialogue in order to resolve any differences.