FURTHER details have emerged concerning a recent peace meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of Rivers state, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, which held in Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The meeting between the president and Amaechi held some two weeks ago, ahead of the president’s meeting with five northern governors.
In the estimation of many political watchers, the meeting was against the run of play as several efforts to take Amaechi to the President in the early stages of the crisis rocking Rivers state were not explored by the Rivers helmsman.
Sources, say when information from security circles filtered into some Government Houses about the interpretation of the visit of five northern governors to Amaechi, the governor and his affected northern counterparts decided it was time to see the president.
It was gathered that the movement orchestrated by Governors Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso of Kano, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Aliyu Wamakkao of Sokoto and Sule Lamido of Jigawa, was being interpreted in different ways in the security circles and that the governors decided to explore some links to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to break the ice.
It was learnt that Amaechi made efforts to see the president through the NSA.
The NSA was then said to have reached the president and pleaded to be allowed to bring Amaechi, whom he said was seeking peace.
“In view of what was described as adverse security reports on some developments related to the Rivers crisis, the governor made the move to have peace and at least explain himself to the president. He saw no other route than that of the NSA, since he was said to have rebuffed similar offers earlier made to him at the start of the crisis.
“The NSA actually drove him to the Villa that night and he was alone in the car with the NSA.
The source said that while the crisis in Rivers is viewed as an issue to be resolved politically, attempts to externalise it by involving different groups was seen as unduly heating up the polity.
The crisis between the Presidency and Governor Amaechi broke out when the governor sought another term as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), against the perceived interest of the Presidency, which supported Dr Jonah Jang of Plateau State.
From then, there had been accusation and counter-accusations that some elements in the PDP and Presidency were behind the crisis that ensued.
While this was going on, some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly hatched a plot to impeach the governor, thus bringing about the crisis in the House, which later spilled onto the streets of the state capital when supporters of the governor and those who opposed him clashed.
The decision of the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to speak publicly on how Amaechi had demolished the settlements of her people in Okrika, despite pleading with him against taking such action, therefore, brought about another angle to the crisis the governor is facing.
Amaechi, also used the media, at home and abroad, to point accusing fingers at those he perceived to be behind the crisis heating up the polity in the state.
