Why I shunned Rivers deputy Gov in P’Harcourt - Patience Jonathan
According to media reports, the first lady
shunned the deputy Governor of Rivers
State who came with other government
officials to receive her at the airport in
Rivers state on Sunday as she arrived in the
state for a private visit to make
arrangements for her late mum's burial. In
a statement released yesterday, Mrs
Jonathan explained that the reason she
shunned the deputy governor and other
state officials was because the governor of
Rivers state, his wife and other top officials
of the state didn't pay her a condolence
visit when she lost her foster mother. Read
the statement below...
The attention of the First Lady, Dame
Patience Jonathan, has been drawn to
reports carried in some sections of the
media alleging that top officials of the
Rivers government, including the
Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru who came
to receive the First Lady, were shielded
from Dame Jonathan on her arrival at
Port Harcourt International Airport on
Sunday, (18/08/2013). Some of the
media reports went to the extent of
alleging that Dame Jonathan
“snubbed” the Deputy Governor.
It is important to set the record straight in
order to prevent the public from being
misled. The First Lady arrived in Rivers State
yesterday (on Sunday) for a private visit, to
make arrangements for the burial of her
late mother with members of her extended
family.
Customarily, the wife of the State Governor
receives the First Lady whenever she visits
any state. That is why the wife of Bayelsa
State Governor traveled from Yenagoa to
receive the First Lady. Ordinarily, one would
have expected the same complement from
the wife of the Rivers State Governor.
It is instructive to note that since the death
of Mrs. Charity Oba, the mother of the First
Lady, several groups and individuals from
across the country have come to condole
the First Family at the State House, Abuja.
They include Executive State Governors and
their wives from all the political divides;
Nigeria’s former Presidents and Heads of
State and their wives, captains of industry,
female Ambassadors and High
Commissioners of Nigeria, other members
of the diplomatic corps, royal fathers and
traditional leaders - the list is too numerous
to call. However, the Governor and the wife
from the State which the First Lady hails
have not paid such a visit.
It should be clear to all that for quite some
time now, the First Lady has refrained from
commenting on issues relating to the
politics of Rivers State. Dame Patience does
not want her name to be used to heat up
the polity. We therefore urge that the name
of the First Lady be left out of the politics in
Rivers State.
The First Lady, like any Nigerian, is free to
visit the state of her birth. But we are
forced to ask: why the presence of the First
Lady in Rivers State always generate
rumpus? Dame Jonathan bears no grudge
towards anyone as she is an individual
who continues to tirelessly advocate for
peace and harmony in Nigeria. We
therefore reiterate that the First Lady’s
name be left out of the politics in the State.
shunned the deputy Governor of Rivers
State who came with other government
officials to receive her at the airport in
Rivers state on Sunday as she arrived in the
state for a private visit to make
arrangements for her late mum's burial. In
a statement released yesterday, Mrs
Jonathan explained that the reason she
shunned the deputy governor and other
state officials was because the governor of
Rivers state, his wife and other top officials
of the state didn't pay her a condolence
visit when she lost her foster mother. Read
the statement below...
The attention of the First Lady, Dame
Patience Jonathan, has been drawn to
reports carried in some sections of the
media alleging that top officials of the
Rivers government, including the
Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru who came
to receive the First Lady, were shielded
from Dame Jonathan on her arrival at
Port Harcourt International Airport on
Sunday, (18/08/2013). Some of the
media reports went to the extent of
alleging that Dame Jonathan
“snubbed” the Deputy Governor.
It is important to set the record straight in
order to prevent the public from being
misled. The First Lady arrived in Rivers State
yesterday (on Sunday) for a private visit, to
make arrangements for the burial of her
late mother with members of her extended
family.
Customarily, the wife of the State Governor
receives the First Lady whenever she visits
any state. That is why the wife of Bayelsa
State Governor traveled from Yenagoa to
receive the First Lady. Ordinarily, one would
have expected the same complement from
the wife of the Rivers State Governor.
It is instructive to note that since the death
of Mrs. Charity Oba, the mother of the First
Lady, several groups and individuals from
across the country have come to condole
the First Family at the State House, Abuja.
They include Executive State Governors and
their wives from all the political divides;
Nigeria’s former Presidents and Heads of
State and their wives, captains of industry,
female Ambassadors and High
Commissioners of Nigeria, other members
of the diplomatic corps, royal fathers and
traditional leaders - the list is too numerous
to call. However, the Governor and the wife
from the State which the First Lady hails
have not paid such a visit.
It should be clear to all that for quite some
time now, the First Lady has refrained from
commenting on issues relating to the
politics of Rivers State. Dame Patience does
not want her name to be used to heat up
the polity. We therefore urge that the name
of the First Lady be left out of the politics in
Rivers State.
The First Lady, like any Nigerian, is free to
visit the state of her birth. But we are
forced to ask: why the presence of the First
Lady in Rivers State always generate
rumpus? Dame Jonathan bears no grudge
towards anyone as she is an individual
who continues to tirelessly advocate for
peace and harmony in Nigeria. We
therefore reiterate that the First Lady’s
name be left out of the politics in the State.
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