Senator Seriake Dickson Visits Fubara, Calls for Calm and Reconciliation

As the political crisis in Rivers State continues to deepen, former Bayelsa State Governor and current senator, Henry Seriake Dickson, has paid a visit to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in Port Harcourt.

The visit comes in the wake of heightened tensions following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state, which also included the suspension of all elected officeholders, including Governor Fubara.

During the visit, which took place at the private residence of Governor Fubara, Senator Dickson sympathized and solidarized with the embattled governor. He commended Fubara for maintaining a calm and dignified position in the midst of the political upheaval, urging him to keep working towards peace in spite of the then raging volatile situation.

“I would like to commend you for your peaceful disposition in the midst of such provocation,” Dickson stated. “But I must also say that what is seeming peace in Rivers is very deceptive. Any little catalyst can lead to a rupture that will spread across the Niger Delta.”

Dickson’s statements reflected growing regional concerns about the broader implications of the crisis, especially in a zone as politically sensitive and economically crucial as the Niger Delta. He warned that any escalation would undermine national stability, particularly given the region’s contribution to Nigeria’s oil production and revenue profile.

Bayelsa senator appealed to the youths of Rivers State and the Ijaw Nation at large to remain peaceful and avoid any temptation to resort to violence or vandalism, especially on oil and gas installations.

“Destruction of our own resources will not solve the matter,” he advised. “The damage to our environment and economy is irreversible.

He also urged President Bola Tinubu to act more decisively in the crisis, requesting him to get top political leaders, including Governor Fubara and the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to the negotiation table. The political divide between the two leaders has been widely regarded as one of the propellants of the Rivers State crisis.

“This is the season of leadership and maturity,” Dickson stated. “The Ijaw Nation is not at war with the Federal Government. We are believers in a peaceful, inclusive, and restructured Nigeria.”

Senator Dickson also had some words for the newly appointed Sole Administrator of Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, urging him to avoid policies or actions that would increase tensions or make reconciliation more difficult.

“You are not an elected governor,” he said to him. “Be careful and do nothing that will jeopardize the chances of peace and development in this state.”

The visit and the message of the senator have been widely seen as an effort to douse the crisis and reassert the role of political dialogue in the resolution of conflicts, particularly in such sensitive regions as the Niger Delta.

As Rivers State is still caught in political limbo, stakeholders and observers are calling for an urgent resolution to prevent a total collapse of order and governance in the oil-rich state.