Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Tuesday urged media practitioners to be more circumspect while reporting issues that could further polarise the country.
Wike gave the advice in Port Harcourt at a meeting held to reconcile Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed.
He advised media houses to play a role in stabilising the peace and unity of Nigeria.
“The press should have a role to play in stabilising the country; it is not everything you must report. You don’t try to escalate things and when you do that you are not helping the country,” he said.
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Wike thanked the two governors for amicably resolving their differences.
“We give God the glory today that the differences have been sorted out,” he said.
Similarly, Ortom thanked Wike and Gov. Ahmed Fintiri of Adamawa for arranging the meeting to reconcile him and his Bauchi State counterpart, pointing out that the outburst between them was unnecessary.
“We have accepted that it was wrong for us to have that kind of outburst that went out, but as from today we have learnt, we are all fallible human beings and we are subject to mistakes and so when we make mistakes, it is a plus for us if we correct them.
“We shall live together, the Fulani and Tiv people have cohabitated for a long time and there is no issue whatsoever,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country.
Gov. Mohammed stated that the outburst between him and Ortom over Fulani herders was regrettable.
“We didn’t mean to divide the country, to divide our people. We are still friends and brothers… we will move forward because most of those issues are fully resolved, the Bauchi State governor said.
On his part, Gov. Fintiri of Adamawa said as national leaders, it beholds on him and Wike to intervene in the disagreement between their Benue and Bauchi State counterparts. (NAN)
