APC GOVERNORS ADVICE AMEACHI TO MEET JONATHAN

Barely 72 hours after four of their counterparts from the Peoples Democratic Party were booed and pelted with stones and other missiles at the Port Harcourt Airport, eight Governors in the All Progressives Congress camp on Thursday paid a solidarity visit to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State following the political crisis that has plagued the state for some time now.

The governors advised Gov Amaechi to personally visit President Goodluck Jonathan and brief him of the poor security situation in the state.

The governors are: Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti; Babatunde Fashola, Lagos; Ibukunle Amosu, Ogun; Rauf Aregbesola, Osun; and Abiola Ajumobi, Oyo State. Deputy governors of Imo, Nassarawa and Zamfara states, represented their governors.

They met with Amaechi in a closed-door, while their spokesman, Fayemi, told newsmen that their mission was to stress the importance of their concern for the security of Rivers.Eight-governors

Fayemi said that the issue of security in the country was “far more of a major concern’’ to Nigerians. According to him, we have met with our brother and chairman of our forum in an extensive discussion and he has briefed us on the situation on ground here.

“We do feel strongly, having listened to him that it is quite important for him to actually go and brief Mr President, who is our leader and the chief security officer of the country on the very challenging security situation here in Rivers.

“We believe that our chairman and brother will give serious consideration to that particular concern we have expressed to him.

“It is important, as the chief security officer of Rivers, to take the opportunity to go and brief Mr President on the security situation in the state.

“In our discussion with our brother, we talked on the importance for the hierarchy of our police authority, the Inspector General of Police, to help in restoring the confidence of the people of Rivers in police.

“For us, we believe that this is a matter that requires the moral authority of Mr President as well; it is about saving the democracy; it is about ensuring that peace reigns in Rivers.”

He added: “the tension in Rivers is avoidable and we want all parties to sheathe their sword and to help restore the peace and security of the state.’’

The Zamfara Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Anka, believed that Amaechi briefing Jonathan would help find a lasting solution to the crises. (NAN)