Settle Your Differences, Let Rivers Enjoy Peace, Banigo Urges Wike, Fubara

Former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to resolve their political differences in the interest of peace and stability in the state.
Banigo made the appeal while speaking with journalists shortly after she was disqualified from contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries for Rivers West Senatorial District.
According to her, both Wike and Fubara have shared a long-standing political relationship and should be able to come together to settle their disagreements for the good of Rivers people.
“They have been together for a very long time and know themselves very well. So, if anything goes wrong, the two persons concerned can come together and resolve it, and there will be peace all over the place. That is what Rivers people have been asking for, and that is also what I advocate,” Banigo said.
The former deputy governor, however, rejected her disqualification by the APC primary election committee sent to conduct the senatorial primaries in Rivers State.
She stressed the need for the APC to field credible and experienced candidates capable of effectively representing the state at the national level.
“National politics is where you have to bring out your best so that you can bring back the best to your communities. What determines what you get is the quality of people you send there to represent you. By this, I appeal to our national party, the APC, to look into this matter and do what is right,” she stated.
Banigo also urged the national leadership of the APC to consider the low representation of women in the Senate, noting that only four women currently serve in the 10th National Assembly.
“We have only four women in the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and this is the time when we should be seeking to increase that number. Those already there have gained oversight and representative experience which they need to build upon in a second term. That experience would make them more effective in bringing home the dividends of democracy than bringing in greenhorns,” she added.
Political observers believe Banigo’s disqualification may have been influenced by moves to pave the way for former Sole Administrator of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency, Felix Obuah, a known ally of Chief Wike.