The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to set up an independent Truth and Reconciliation Committee to address the lingering political crisis in Rivers.
The President of NCSCN, Mr Blessing Akinlosotu, made the appeal while addressing newsmen in Abuja.
The committee, he said, should comprise of elder statesmen outside Rivers, such as former Presidents, past Vice Presidents, former Senate Presidents and Speakers of the House of Representatives and others.
Akinlosotu said that the committee should be mandated to make unbiased and in-depth enquiry into the root and proximal causes of the crisis, extract vital facts and figures that would lead to sustainable and generally satisfactory resolution of the crisis.
”We will communicate to the committee is set up some issues that can be made public during personal engagements and interactions with both the Presidency and the Sole Administrator, retired Vice Adm. Ibot-Ete Ibas.
”Before the declaration of State of Emergency in Rivers, we sounded words of caution and decorum, during the crisis that engulfed the state.
”The Supreme Court pre-empted the decision of Tinubu, by affirming in its judgment that there was no government existing in Rivers, following the demolition of the State House of Assembly.
”The demolition of the house amounted to destroying the symbol of democracy, adding that such an act took the matter too far,’ he said.
Akinlosotu said that if Rivers had been left to plunge into full blown violence, the effect and consequences would had been more devastating than the temporary setback of declaration of state of emergency.
He said that the decision of Tinubu and response of the National Assembly could be understood in a way.
“A stitch in time, they say, saves nine others. It is better to be responsive and proactive than defensive and reactionary.
“It may even be considered too extreme a measure in addressing the situation, yet it is wiser to save precious lives and valuable properties, than to respond after costly damages had been done, and irreversible loses occur.
“For us here in the Civil Society Council, the milk has been spilled already, and it is too late to cry over the spilled milk.
“However, we advice that, if possible, the state of emergency in Rivers should be terminated within next three months.
”The wisdom behind and success of the State of Emergency will be tested and attested by the level of peace, stability, progress and political harmony achieved in the state by the sole administrator,” he said.
