The sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas has called on residents to set aside personal rivalries and self-interest to safeguard peace and foster lasting development.
Speaking on Sunday at interdenominational thanksgiving service held at the Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt to mark the state’s return to democratic governance after local council elections, Ibas stressed the need for unity and tolerance.
Appointed in March by President Bola Tinubu to oversee the state during a six-month emergency rule, the former naval chief recalled that Rivers was “riven by divisions, instability and broken trust” before the federal intervention.
He said his administration had worked deliberately to “sow seeds of love and peace,” urging residents to nurture these gains.
“By God’s grace, and with the support of President Bola Tinubu and all of you, we have walked through those difficult days together. The survival and relative stability we enjoy today are testimony to God’s faithfulness,” Ibas stated.
He appealed to politicians to put the state first, warning: “No political victory or personal ambition is worth the blood of any Rivers citizen. The progress and prosperity of Rivers must be placed above personal or partisan interest. Politics must never become an excuse to destroy the very state we are called to serve.”
Ibas also advised young people not to allow themselves to be used as agents of violence, but to channel their energy toward building a peaceful and prosperous Rivers. He further urged elders, community leaders and religious figures to continue offering guidance, wisdom and prayers to sustain the state’s stability.
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