The wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan has implored the warring parties in Rivers state to allow peace to reign.
Mrs Jonathan spoke on Thursday at a symposium organised to mark the 60th anniversary of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
The former first lady delivered a speech on ‘Public relations, value reorientation, and economic transformation’.
Speaking on the Rivers LGA crisis, Mrs Jonathan mentioned that it is a recipe for chaos for elected officials to want to stay in office beyond the constitutional limit.
“Let me at this point plead that the election has come and gone, and now it is time for governance,” Patience said.
“As a peace advocate, I would like to call on the warring parties in Rivers state because it is my state and it is where I am quite interested.
“So, whatever happens there concerns me, knowing fully well that no development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos.
“As a political officeholder, remember that power is transient. It will end someday. Therefore, holding on to power after the expiration of your tenure is an invitation to violence and anarchy.”
Speaking on the aftermath of the 2015 presidential election, the former first lady stated that she did not tell her husband to stay in office after he lost the poll.
She disclosed that aid Jonathan “willingly relinquished without a fight,” saying that the former president has become a model for democracy as a result of his actions.
“When we failed the election, I was with him (Jonathan). We were in the room when we were told you had lost. I did not whisper to him that he must stay because we will shed blood,” she said.