The sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has appealed to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rivers State Chapter, to play a significant role in fostering peace, reconciliation, and stability amid ongoing political and security challenges in the state.

The Administrator urged CAN to use its influence and preach peace in congregations and communities, promote unity across ethnic, political, and denominational divides, and encourage forgiveness and reconciliation among citizens.

Ibas made the call on Tuesday when CAN leaders paid a courtesy visit to him at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

According to the Administrator, the Church’s moral guidance in restoring harmony, peace, and unity in Rivers State is important.

Ibas noted that his appointment by President Bola Tinubu as the Sole administrator in the state has the mandate to restore law and order, stabilize the polity, and pave the way for the return of democratic governance.

“The unity of the Church is the seedbed for the unity of the State,” he stated. “Where the Church leads in love, the people will follow in peace.”

Ibas assured that his administration remains people-centered, accessible, and committed to justice and equity. He called for collective action, emphasizing that sustainable peace requires dialogue, collaboration, and understanding.

Responding, the leadership of CAN in the state, led by the Most Reverend D.E. Kala-Dukubo, appealed to the Administrator to involve the group in the peace-building process.

They urged the administrator to ensure that critical aspects of governance are not ignored during the period of emergency rule, especially as it affects environmental sanitation.

The CAN leaders decried the volume of misinformation in the publication space and urged the administration to tackle it headlong, adding that the development portrayed the state as a place at war, which may scare potential investors.