He has therefore ordered the two state governments to cease fire in order to allow the peace process he had initiated on the matter to yield positive result.
In a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, on Monday, the President noted with concern what he described as “unbecoming, unnecessary and unhelpful media war” between the two states.
In preaching ceasefire, Jonathan also invited Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State; his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, and other stakeholders to a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting is a follow-up to an earlier one Jonathan had with Kalabari elders of Rivers State on Saturday.
The statement read, “The Presidency believes that this media war which appears to be escalating with each passing day can only hinder and negate efforts already initiated by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to achieve an amicable resolution of the dispute in the best interest of the affected communities, the two states and the nation.
“President Jonathan therefore requests the governors of both states to facilitate and help to create the right atmosphere for the successful conclusion of the peace process by ordering an immediate stoppage of all acrimonious public comments against each other over the dispute.
“Having already had very useful discussions with the Rivers State Governor and Kalabari elders over the weekend, President Jonathan intends to take the process forward at another scheduled meeting at 11 am at the Presidential Villa on Friday, November 9, 2012 with the governors of the two states, leaders of the affected communities and all concerned stakeholders.
“President Jonathan consequently urges the two governors and leaders of the affected communities to ensure that no further spiteful or inciting comments are made against each other to pollute the right atmosphere for constructive dialogue and brotherly reconciliation which he is striving to promote for the amicable resolution of the dispute.
“He looks forward to receiving the Rivers and Bayelsa State delegations in Abuja on Friday.”
Kalabari elders had accused Jonathan of complicity in an alleged plot to cede oil wells in some communities in the state to Bayelsa in order to shore up the earnings of his home state.
The Presidency on Tuesday denounced the allegation as blackmail.
Meanwhile, the altercation involving the Presidency, Rivers and Bayelsa states over the oil wells has created tension among the Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta.
Dickson, had accused Amaechi of blackmailing Jonathan and sponsoring inflammatory statements capable creating violence in the region.
Our correspondent gathered that the imbroglio was capable of disrupting the peace and production of oil in the region if not promptly resolved in the interest of all the parties.
The security agencies including the State Security Service were said to have been placed on alert.
Our correspondent gathered that the SSS had moved into the Ijaw communities in Oluasiri in Bayelsa and Kalabari in Rivers states to monitor events and forestall likely breakdown of law and order.
They were said to have been detailed to check the likely movement of arms and other weapons into the communities and meetings held by community folks on the matter.
Operatives of the SSS were said to have intensified intelligence gathering in the communities especially in view of the mutual distrust between the Ijaw communities in Rivers State and their kinsmen in Bayelsa State.
Though the State Director of SSS, Mr. Andrew Ioykar was not available for comment, an official of the SSS told our correspondent that the rift was threatening the fragile peace in the region.
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