By Jude Opara
As the political crisis rocking Rivers state rages, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has cautioned the warring combatants to think about the citizens of the state who are directly affected by their fight.
Obi in a tweet on Tuesday concerning the crisis, noted that the situation in Rivers is a classical example of how not to render service to the people under a democratic government.
He said: “It is unfortunate that 60 years after independence and nearly 30 years of our celebrated unbroken civil rule, our democracy is still marred by undemocratic practices and values.
“A significant percentage of our elections are deeply flawed—manipulated to serve the interests of a select few rather than reflecting the true will of the people.
“Governance at most levels does not reflect the genuine values and aspirations of the people because the welfare of the citizens is often neglected in practice.
“Looking at the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, we see yet another glaring example of how our democracy and governance are not serving its purpose, the welfare of the people of River State”.
The former governor of Anambra state further regretted that the crisis is not about how to improve the lives of the people but rather on the personal aggrandizement of the political elites.
“The disagreement is not about improving the measurable indices of development: education, healthcare, or lifting people out of poverty but rather for reasons that do not in any way benefit the people of Rivers State and Nigeria in general.
“I fully understand the impact of what is happening in Rivers State. The real losers are the people—their welfare and the future of the society their children will live in.
“My respectful appeal to all those involved is to reconsider their positions and reflect on the grace God has bestowed upon them as leaders. They must think about the suffering people of Rivers State and work towards a better future for their children”.
Obi who urged all Nigerians to continuously remember Rivers state in their earnest prayers also appealed to the Federal Government, in the spirit of true democracy and good governance, to use their offices to restore normalcy and bring an end to this crisis.
