Bayelsa West Senator, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Friday met with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, the lawmaker revealed that during the visit, he and Fubara “discussed the extreme political developments in the State in the last couple of weeks.”
The former Bayelsa governor said he appreciated Fubara's “calmness and peaceful disposition in the midst of unprecedented turbulence.”
Senator Dickson also commended Rivers people for maintaining peace and order “even in the midst of this extreme and rare political development as I have seen that while the state appears peaceful, it may very well be the peace of a graveyard which, any little trigger can alter the balance of peace in the state and across the region.”
He appealed to all the youths in the state, particularly those of Ijaw Nation across the Niger Delta, to “continue to be peaceful and resist any provocation or incitement to violence.”
The lawmaker urged the youths to refrain from violence and destructive tendencies, particularly the destruction and vandalization of strategic oil and gas facilities in the region, stating that such action has the capacity to cause further pollution-damage to “our already compromised environment.”
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on stakeholders, particularly the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Fubara, to find a “common ground for tolerance and accommodation for a quick resolution. As I have always said, there are no perfect fathers and sons.”
“On the part of the President, I would like to state that the Ijaw Nation is not at war with the Federal Government or with the President, and we are looking up to him as the leader of the nation to lead in the resolution of the issues and restore normalcy and democratic rule.
“I call on all leaders from the Niger Delta at the state and national level to play an active part in the resolution of this issue.
“The Ijaw Nation is not at war with the President or the APC-led Federal Government. On the contrary, the Niger Delta and the Ijaw Nation have always stood for a restructured and truly Federal Nigeria where power is properly devolved, accelerated infrastructure and human capital development, environmental justice and fairness for all, and an inclusive Nigeria.
“On all these issues, we are encouraged to see the President as a partner from his antecedents and not a foe irrespective of party differences as some may portray,” the statement added.
