President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday
expressed concern over the media war between Bayelsa and River states
over oil wells in Soku.
He has therefore ordered the two state governments to cease fire in
order to allow the peace process he had initiated on the matter to yield
positive result.
In a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, on Monday, the
President noted with concern what he described as “unbecoming,
unnecessary and unhelpful media war” between the two states.
In preaching ceasefire, Jonathan also invited Governor Seriake Dickson
of Bayelsa State; his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, and
other stakeholders to a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting is a follow-up to an earlier one Jonathan had with Kalabari elders of Rivers State on Saturday.
The statement read, “The Presidency believes that this media war which
appears to be escalating with each passing day can only hinder and
negate efforts already initiated by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to
achieve an amicable resolution of the dispute in the best interest of
the affected communities, the two states and the nation.
“President Jonathan therefore requests the governors of both states to
facilitate and help to create the right atmosphere for the successful
conclusion of the peace process by ordering an immediate stoppage of all
acrimonious public comments against each other over the dispute.
“Having already had very useful discussions with the Rivers State
Governor and Kalabari elders over the weekend, President Jonathan
intends to take the process forward at another scheduled meeting at 11
am at the Presidential Villa on Friday, November 9, 2012 with the
governors of the two states, leaders of the affected communities and all
concerned stakeholders.
“President Jonathan consequently urges the two governors and leaders of
the affected communities to ensure that no further spiteful or inciting
comments are made against each other to pollute the right atmosphere for
constructive dialogue and brotherly reconciliation which he is striving
to promote for the amicable resolution of the dispute.
“He looks forward to receiving the Rivers and Bayelsa State delegations in Abuja on Friday.”
Kalabari elders had accused Jonathan of complicity in an alleged plot to
cede oil wells in some communities in the state to Bayelsa in order to
shore up the earnings of his home state.
The Presidency on Tuesday denounced the allegation as blackmail.
Meanwhile, the altercation involving the Presidency, Rivers and Bayelsa
states over the oil wells has created tension among the Ijaw communities
in the Niger Delta.
Dickson, had accused Amaechi of blackmailing Jonathan and sponsoring
inflammatory statements capable creating violence in the region.
Our correspondent gathered that the imbroglio was capable of disrupting
the peace and production of oil in the region if not promptly resolved
in the interest of all the parties.
The security agencies including the State Security Service were said to have been placed on alert.
Our correspondent gathered that the SSS had moved into the Ijaw
communities in Oluasiri in Bayelsa and Kalabari in Rivers states to
monitor events and forestall likely breakdown of law and order.
They were said to have been detailed to check the likely movement of
arms and other weapons into the communities and meetings held by
community folks on the matter.
Operatives of the SSS were said to have intensified intelligence
gathering in the communities especially in view of the mutual distrust
between the Ijaw communities in Rivers State and their kinsmen in
Bayelsa State.
Though the State Director of SSS, Mr. Andrew Ioykar was not available
for comment, an official of the SSS told our correspondent that the rift
was threatening the fragile peace in the region.
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