A member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has described Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s recent visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as a deliberate act of sacrifice for the sake of peace in Rivers State.
Speaking on the visit, which has drawn public attention, Sara-Igbe praised the governor’s gesture, saying it underscored his commitment to dialogue and reconciliation, despite Wike’s more confrontational posture.
“That discussion is not for public consumption, except the FCT Minister wants to make it public,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’ll hear the result.”
He added, “The governor is looking for peace — it is Wike who doesn’t want peace. And if somebody is looking for peace, you must make sacrifices. You can’t get any peace without sacrifice.”
Sara-Igbe stressed that Governor Fubara had approached the meeting with humility and statesmanship, putting aside pride for the collective good of Rivers people.
Confirming the meeting, Wike said during a live media chat on Monday that Fubara had visited him in Port Harcourt, accompanied by two governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and another unnamed individual.
“Yes, he came. He came with two governors and one other person,” Wike said. “Unfortunately, the two governors are APC governors, so I will not pursue them. And he said he wants peace — fine. I want peace.”
However, Wike insisted that the crisis rocking Rivers politics was self-inflicted by Fubara, claiming the governor ignored early counsel from senior political figures including Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, and other former governors.
“When this thing started, I called him. Seyi Makinde was there, Ortom was there, Ikpeazu was there, Ugwuanyi was there. We sat him down and said: ‘This thing is not good for you… Why not be humble and not allow people to push you?’” Wike stated.
In a related development, the FCT Minister addressed concerns over open grazing in Abuja, noting that while the government had designated 100 hectares for grazing reserves, land grabbers had complicated the situation. He assured that the administration is working to resolve the issue carefully and effectively.
“Governance is not like running a private business — you have to tread carefully,” Wike said.
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