What appears to be the beginning of peace in politically tensed Rivers State, happened Friday when the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan and the wife of Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi both signed the condolence register of the First Lady’s mother, Mrs. Charity Oba in Port Harcourt.
They were accompanied by the wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Mrs. Rachael Seriake Dickson.
The deceased died in an auto crash along Elele/Owerri Expressway on her way to neighboring Bayelsa State.
Since the crisis started, both women had kept off from each other, a situation which observers say has worked against the moves by some influential persons within and outside the state to reconcile the feuding factions in the crisis.
The last time the First Lady visited Port Harcourt, according to eyewitnesses, she had ignored Amaechi’s wife, right from the airport where the Rivers First Lady had gone to receive her, merely acknowledging her presence with glances.
Jonathan’s wife has been repeatedly linked to the crisis, by supporting the minister of state for Education, Nyesom Wike and Evans Bipi, the lawmaker representing her constituency, who claimed to have emerged the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly after the alleged impeachment of the speaker, Rt. Hon. Otelemabama Amachree.
Commercial activities in Port Harcourt, and environs went on smoothly when Mrs. Jonathan came calling unlike the visits preceding when commercial activities were almost grinded as police officers cordoned off some major roads, and stood at strategic areas.
Observers had expected Mrs. Jonathan to continue with her cold treatment of the Rivers First Lady, considering that Governor Amaechi has of late been speaking to foreign media, alleging that President Jonathan has been running a one man show in his handling of the affairs of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In less than a week, the Governor granted interviews to London based Financial Times and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), where he made some comments against Jonathan.
Mrs. Jonathan had earlier disclosed in an interview that she has no problem with the Governor, but was quick to point out that trouble started in 2010 when the issue of waterside demolition came up, with the Governor insisting on going ahead with the demolition despite protests by Okrika people, who would suffer the effect.
She however said that Amaechi’s sacking of then council chairman of Okrika, who is related to her was the beginning of the crisis.
But last Friday as Mrs. Jonathan and Mrs. Amaechi walked together silently to sign the condolence register, some present expressed hope that the crisis was gradually coming to an end.
