Nigeria is good. There is no pun intended. It has enough arable land for farming including animal husbandry and plenty body of waters for fishing and other purposes. It has enough forest cover and other vegetation suitable for the growth of different food crops, fruits and vegetables.
There is no doubt that nature is indeed prodigal with the country that it graciously endowed her with enormous human and material resources, enough to satisfy our needs but not our greed. We have oil, gas, coal, iron, gold silver, palm oil, cocoa, rubber and groundnut. We have diverse foods, fruits and vegetables that are almost available in the country all the year round.
Every region and even every state is blessed with certain crops, fruits and vegetables. Like prodigal children, we have squandered all the riches and goodies nature gave us with our high appetite for greed. It is time we examine our conscience and come back home to rebuild what we have destroyed with our greed.
I still believe that the problem with Nigeria is not necessarily about its multi-ethnic composition, many cultures, religions and big size, but our politicians.  Nigerians live, work and trade with one another anywhere they find themselves in the country happily and peacefully.
It is the politicians that keep dividing them with tribe, religion and other mundane indices that please them. It is the politicians that do lopsided appointments. It is the politicians that fight themselves and make parts of the country ungovernable because of their political ambitions.
It is the politicians that develop some parts of the country and neglect others and play one ethnic group against the other. That is why they don’t want a strong opposition to be. It is time we practice true federalism as we had in the defunct regional administration of the first republic. I say this because that, till date, remains the best in our political history.
Last week, I decried the subtle moves to hound members of the opposition party, especially in Rivers and Ekiti by the ruling party. Today, I am drawing attention on the need for peace to reign in all the political camps in the country. Nigerian sky is big enough for all the political eagles and kites to fly and perch. My thesis is let all the parties be, none should be swallowed by the other in the political rat race. There is no need for those in power to hound the opposition.
While they are after Ayodele Fayose over alleged arms money traced to his personal bank account, an accusation the governor has stoutly denied, they are planning to drag Rivers government to court over alleged suspicious withdrawal of its money with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Mind you, the money in question belongs to Rivers State.
These matters, in tandem with the culture of media trial, have as usual hugged the headlines. While Fayose has challenged the freezing of his account in court, Rivers State government has also denied all the allegations levelled against it over suspicious withdrawals. While these matters are still evolving, it appears they have indirectly moved to another PDP state, Abia, where two kings are contesting the seat of power.
It is a pity that Abia is in the news again for controversial reasons. While some Abians see the hand of those in power in what is happening in God’s own state, those in government say it is a judicial matter which has nothing to do with the central government. The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has denied such allegation and advised all parties involved in the dispute to wait for the courts to resolve the crisis.  Nigerians are anxiously waiting to see the conclusion of this epic legal battle between Uche Ogah and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu by the courts over who should sit on the governorship stool in Abia. It is my humble guess that the matter is likely going to reach the Supreme Court before it can be finally resolved.
As the Rivers State government has denied the allegation of suspicious withdrawal of its own money, and added that it is accountable to the Rivers State House of Assembly and the people of Rivers State and not the Attorney General of the Federation, I think that it should be left alone to continue to offer quality governance to Rivers people.
Since coming to power one year ago, Governor Nyesom Wike has not disappointed the Rivers electorate and all Rivers people. He has demonstrated enough capacity that he is there to provide good governance to the entire people of Rivers State.
He has ably shown that in his road construction, education, healthcare and provision of other amenities in the oil-rich state. What the party political parties in the state should do now is to team up with Wike in his resolve to improve the lives of Rivers people in all sectors. Fighting him or trying to destabilize the state for selfish political reasons is not in the best interest of Rivers people.
Those still thinking that they can truncate Wike’s administration’s people-oriented development agenda should desist from such unpatriotic and divisive acts. Those nursing the ambition to cause bad blood and disaffection in Rivers because of political differences should do a rethink, sheathe their swords, and embrace peace.
There is no valour or honour in fomenting trouble and creating avoidable crisis all in the name of politics in one’s state. Those thinking that they can use the conclusion of the suspended poll coming up later in the month (July 30) to cause more trouble in the state should better perish such evil thought.
Both INEC and the security agents must ensure that the suspended poll is actually concluded in a peaceful atmosphere. That is what INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, should worry about. Let them provide adequate security to ensure that the poll is free, fair, credible and hitch-free. Rivers State has had its fair share of bloody electoral violence. A repeat of such unconscionable orgy of violence should be avoided by all means in the concluding poll. Rivers people deserve peace. Therefore, let there be peace in the state.

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