Niger Delta leaders have asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the warring groups in Rivers State to embrace dialogue for an amicable resolution of the political crisis in the state.

President Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended the state governor, Sim Fubara, and his deputy for six months.

Members of the state House of Assembly were suspended for six months following the political crisis in the state, but the development received heavy bashing from opposition parties, civil society organisations and many other Nigerians.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the President of the Host Communities of Nigeria, producing oil and gas, His Royal Highness, Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi, (Akpolokpolo 1, of Mein Kingdom), who was flanked by many other traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders said the best way to resolve the crisis is for the president to personally prevail on the warring groups to stop hostilities.

The Niger Delta leaders who endorsed President Tinubu for a second term during the press conference said, “We want to seize this opportunity to appeal and beg Mr President, as the father of the nation, to use his good offices to ensure an amicable resolution of the political imbroglio, which has engulfed River State.

“We urge Mr President to prevail on the warring groups in Rivers State to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the people of the state. We know and trust that Mr President has the capacity to restore peace and sanity in the crisis-torn state. We are sure that Mr President will do this for us.”

They said resolving the crisis would lead to the socioeconomic development of the state and the Niger Delta region at large, adding that President Tinubu should be re-elected in 2027, to enable him to complete the projects he has embarked upon in the Niger Delta region and other parts of the country.