Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has urged political stakeholders to put aside rivalry and work towards peace and prosperity in the state.
Speaking at an interdenominational thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt on Sunday, September 14, Ibas said Rivers had endured months of turbulence but was now on the path of healing.
He reminded leaders, elders, and citizens that the state’s progress should take precedence over political ambitions.
“The seeds of reconciliation have been planted,” he said. “These seeds need your deliberate nurture to take root. Politics must never be an excuse to destroy the very state we are called to serve.”
The Administrator reflected on Rivers’ journey since President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in March, describing the period as one of instability, broken trust, and uncertainty.
He said the state had weathered storms—
political, social, and economic—and credited God’s faithfulness for the peace that has since returned, along with the successful conduct of local government elections.
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Ibas stressed the need for forgiveness and reconciliation, noting that no political gain was worth the blood of citizens.
He also cautioned young people not to allow themselves to be used as instruments of violence.
“Channel your energy into building, creating, and sustaining peace. Your future, our collective future, depends on it,” he advised.
He added that elders must continue to offer wisdom, faith leaders should keep praying for stability, and the youth must focus on work, learning, and creativity.
Expressing gratitude, Ibas thanked President Tinubu for his support, as well as Rivers residents for their patience over the last six months.
He concluded with a prayer that Rivers would remain “a shining light of hope, stability, and progress in Nigeria.”