By Kolawole Ojebisi
President Bola Tinubu has lent his voice to the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, urging political stakeholders to exercise restraint.
Tinubu advised both warring factions to sheathe their swords and allow peaceful resolution of their grievances.
The president’s admonition is contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday.
According to the statement, Tinubu directed the police to maintain order and secure local government workers and property.
Tinubu also urged aggrieved party to seek redress of their grievances by approaching courts
“In response to recent tensions following last Saturday’s local government council election, the President expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state.”
“He urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions.
“President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.” the statement stated.
The president reminded the political actors to avoid taking laws into their own hands to settle political scores as it’s criminal.
“While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions.
“President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism.
“He stressed that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy.
“The judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of this election should be no exception.” the statement concludes.
This is the first time the president is intervening in the months long crisis rocking Rivers State this year
The first move to broker peace between the factions involved in the crisis was last year and his effort proved futile.
The president had summoned stakeholders to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with a view to settling the dispute but the meeting only resulted in momentary truce.
The supremacy battle between Governor Fubara and his erstwhile ally, Nyesom Wike heightened days before the local government elections conducted on Saturday.
The Nigeria Police Force had withdrawn its participation in the election citing court order as the reason for the action.
But the elections were eventually held in all the 23 local government in the state.
The All Peoples Party believed to belong to Fubara and his loyalists won all but one chairmanship seats in the local government.
The remaining one chairmanship seat was won by the candidate of the AAC.
The outcomes of the elections were totally rejected by the pro-Wike camp.
Meanwhile on Monday the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, order ef the withdrawal of police personnel guarding the council secretariats in the state.
But hours later, there was a deluge of attacks on local council building secretariats.
At least three Local Government secretariats were reportedly torched by suspected hoodlums since the order of the IGP.
Eleme, Ikwere and Emouha are among the secretariats that were destroyed by the hoodlums following the victory of Action Peoples Party (APP) in the LGA election.
