Rivers Crises: Former President Cautions Judiciary

<h4>Rivers Crises<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<h4><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife Nigeria<&sol;a><&sol;strong> reports that former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria&comma; Dr&period; Good luck Ebele Jonathan&comma; had cautioned political actors with vested interests in Rivers State not to derail the country&&num;8217&semi;s democratic journey<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p><em>I am aware that the local government election taking place in Rivers State today&comma; October 5&comma; has been a subject of great interest to political actors&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>The political happenings in Rivers State in the past days is a cause for serious concern for everyone&comma; especially lovers of democracy and all actors within the peace and security sector of our nation&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Elections are the cornerstone of democracy because they are the primary source of legitimacy&period; <&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>This process renews the faith of citizens in their country as it affords them the opportunity to have a say on who governs them&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Every election is significant&comma; whether at national or sub-national levels as it counts as a gain and honour to democracy&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>It is the responsibility of all stakeholders&comma; especially state institutions&comma; to work towards the promotion of sound democratic culture of which periodic election stands as a noble virtue&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Democracy is our collective asset&comma; its growth and progress is dependent on governments commitment to uphold the rule of law and pursue the interest of peace and justice at all times&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Institutions of the state&comma; especially security agencies must refrain from actions that could lead to breakdown of law and order&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Rivers State represents the gateway to the Niger Delta and the threat to peace in the state could have huge security implications in the region&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Let me sound a note of caution to all political actors in this crisis to be circumspect and patriotic in the pursuit of their political ambition and relevance&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>I am calling on the National Judicial Commission &lpar;NJC&rpar; to take action that will curb the proliferation of court orders and judgements&comma; especially those of concurrent jurisdiction giving conflicting orders&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em> This&comma; if not checked&comma; will ridicule the institution of the judiciary and derail our democracy&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>The political situation in Rivers State&comma; mirrors our past&comma; the crisis of the Old Western Region&period; I&comma; therefore&comma; warn that Rivers should not be used as crystal that will form the block that will collapse our democracy&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>State institutions especially the police and the judiciary and all other stakeholders must always work for public interest and promote common good such as peace&comma; justice and equality&period;<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>&&num;8211&semi; GEJ<&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;