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Tag: Fubara

  • In search of the dividends of the red biro

    In search of the dividends of the red biro

    By Bukola Ajisola

    SIR: Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminilaye Fubara recently introduced a dramatic connotation to the red biro as an imprimatur of power and authority wielded by holders of executive mandates across the states of the federation.

    Using his red biro as a metaphor, he opined that as long as he is still signing documents with his red biro, he is the winner.

    Looking at the economy and levels of development at various states of the federation, would wonder at what is the probative value of the red biro that are so swift in signing off the resources in consumption-calibrated expenditures whilst paying little attention to revenue generating quadrants.

    There is hardly any state in the federation that is not endowed with the extractive resources yet state governors would rather use their red biro to appropriate the receipt of their monthly FAAC allocations.

    The convenient argument is that those resources are within the exclusive constitutional preserve of the federal government.

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    I beg to disagree. Whatever makes these governors to lobby for permission to fix federal roads even without any assurance of a refund should also compel their interests in developing their mineral resources.

    Though both expenditure profiles are for social infrastructures, road construction gratifies more incentives to the red biro in the short run than the mineral resources exploration which requires more investment input but delivers more durable economic sustainability for the states.

    Recently President Bola Tinubu approved that the Federal Capital Territory be excluded from the Treasury Single Accounts systems. This was aimed at making more funds available for FCT’s administration. This was at the instance of the Federal Capital Territory minister who could as well have done the minimal and engaged his red biro in other mundane administrative denouncements like his predecessors.

    The economy of Nigeria has been on a perpetual decline and seems to defy the most ingenious initiatives because the governors, rather than being creative with their red biro have become the weakest links in getting the economy out of the woods.

    The public is also complicit by not demanding from the state governments, accountable stewardship like they would of every administration at the federal levels especially the National Assembly. The question is what about the state houses of assembly?

    Power generation was unbundled at the twilight of the exit of former President Muhammadu Buhari and brought under the concurrent list yet no governor has considered these as investments worthy of super-scribing his red biro. Rather, unbridled importation of generating sets to power government assets have continued unabated.

    So much for the overrated utility of the red biro.

    • Bukola Ajisola, bukymany@yahoo.com

  • Why we picked Fubara as Rivers guber candidate, Wike finally opens up

    Why we picked Fubara as Rivers guber candidate, Wike finally opens up

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he and leaders of the state picked and worked for the emergence of Siminalayi Fubara, as governor to save the unity of Rivers state.

    Wike boasted that if he had wanted his Ikwerre ethnic nationality to still produce his successor, nobody would have stopped him, saying he decided to overlook such interest for the unity and progress of Rivers.

    The former Rivers governor spoke on Sunday, January 7, at a state luncheon he organised in Port Harcourt to mark the New Year.

    To pave the way for Fubara, who hails from the riverine area, Wike said he had to ask others and close friends like a former PDP chairman in Rivers, Felix Obuah to drop his ambition.

    Wike said to avoid acrimony within his political family, he bought all the forms for all the people, who ran elections in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) including the governor.

    He recalled that he invited Obuah, a frontrunner for the governorship poll to his house and asked him to quit his ambition and become the Director-General for the campaign and that Obuah loyally made the sacrifice.

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    Wike recalled other sacrifices Obuah made in the past for him and how his predecessor seized the property of the former PDP chairman but he still chose to stand firm with him.

    He said: “Felix Obuah was in my team as chairman of the party. My predecessor seized Obua’s property, everything he owned, land, schools and hotels. The wife cried to him but he told his wife, ‘don’t worry if it is the will of God there is nothing you can do. He stood firm. They took everything he had.

    “He was one of the frontrunners in 2023 governorship election. I told him in my house to step down that he won’t run. He looked at me but I say you won’t run. He said if that was what I am saying that he won’t run. But I say you will be DG, go and campaign for that election.

    “I say you must be DG and he said if that is what you want I will go and do it. And he did it. I see all kinds of things going on. They are talking evil about him. But he is here and he will still be here.

    “Those who open their mouth to talk, don’t know anything. I was the one who paid for the forms for anybody who wanted to run for elections as governor, House of Assembly and National Assembly. Let one person raise his hand and said he bought forms.

    “We say we are all family members, no need for acrimony. Don’t spend your money we will agree on who will run. The day we took the final decision, the chairman of elders council nearly collapsed. He is here. OCJ was there, Awuse was there. Omehia was there.

    “He nearly collapsed. Why? He wanted a governor from the riverine area. When I looked at him, I say why would I allow this old man to just die. I say let’s not create the impression that there are people who want to monopolise power.

    “Let’s allow everybody to be part of it because we belong to one Rivers state. If I had wanted, nobody would have stopped me. Nobody had what it takes to even near me.

    “And to God be the glory, I don’t regret what I did and I will never regret what I did because I want the unity of this state for us to forge ahead. If I wanted Ikwerre man, nobody would have stopped me”.

    Wike insisted that he was interested in playing politics of unity of Rivers and recalled that when he visited the southsouth chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Victor Giadom, he went there with PDP leaders.

    He said: “The politics we play in this state is the politics of unity of Rivers State, not party. When I visited Victor Giadom, I went with all PDP leaders. Today he is here with all APC leaders. Membership of party is not on radio or television. So all of us must make Rivers state to move forward”.

    Wike declared that he was disposed to the peace agreement initiated by President Tinubu and charged all stakeholders to implement same without conditions.

    Maintaining that he would never disobey Mr. President, he commended the House of Assembly for immediately implementing their own side of the resolutions.

    He said: “I want to make one confession to you. I work with Mr. President and there no way I can disobey Mr. President. It is not possible. The mere fact Mr. President calls you and said look allow peace here, there is no way I can disobey Mr. President.

    “I may not be happy in all resolutions but if Mr. President calls for peace, who are you to say you don’t want peace? I will not attach any condition to what Mr. President wants from me. I will not do it.

    “So, I must obey Mr. President. I must do everything humanly possible to see that the peace arrangement is achieved in Rivers. That is what is required and I am going to do that”.

    The minister apologized to people especially his friends, who obeyed his decisions but were hurt by them.

    He said: “Yes I am not perfect. I won’t say every decision I take I am right. I am a human and I may take decision that may not be palatable with everybody. I accept it and it turns out to be bad forgive me.

    “Let’s move forward for the interest of the state. That is important. I took the decision and you listened to me I want you to also listen to me now. Let’s accept what Mr. President has said. It is for the interest of Rivers and for Nigeria in general.

    “It may not be the best but there is no option. Mr. President took a lot of risk to give me Minister of FCT. People protested but he stood firm. If he could do that, you too should accept his decision.

    “When we came back from Abuja, within the next 48 hours, the speaker and his people took the decision to obey Mr. President without attaching any condition. I thank Mr. Speaker and other members for respecting Mr. President.

    “Whether you are APC or PDP or you don’t belong to any of the parties, we owe a duty to give Mr. President support to move this country forward. Some people said I betrayed PDP, I never betrayed PDP. We stood firm and told Nigerians we won’t do this if this is not done. So the issue of betrayal doesn’t arise”.

    The Minister, who spoke about betrayal said he learnt from President Ahmed Tinubu, who once taught him that betrayal and politics are mother and father.

    He recalled how the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, betrayed all the agreements they had to pave the way for his second term.

    Wike said: “It is not everything you invest that you will reap. Even established companies crumble. You cannot say I did this but I am not benefitting. God knows why it happens the way it happens. What is important in life is to give God the glory that you are alive to see what is happening.”

  • Fubara hails army for tackling insecurity in Nigeria

    Fubara hails army for tackling insecurity in Nigeria

    Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has commended the Nigerian Army for tackling diverse security challenges in the country.

    The governor said that civilian-military cooperation remained the sure way to foster and strengthen a healthy society.

    He spoke at the weekend during the 6 Division Combined West African Social Activities (WASA) at the 29 Battalion Parade Ground, Port Harcourt Barracks.

    Fubara, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, said WASA was ideal for strengthening regimentation and promotion of family values in the Nigerian Army.

    The governor said: “Let me seize this opportunity to commend the officers and soldiers of this Division for your sacrificial contributions in the maintenance of peace and order in Rivers State.

    ” The state will continue to support and collaborate with the Nigerian Army in all its activities. Be assured of our full support in all your operations.

    “The cultural displays and performances witnessed here today are clear testimony of the diversity and strength of Nigeria as a nation.

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    “As you commence your activities for the year 2024, it is my hope that you will approach these activities with renewed zeal, vigour, and commitment.”

    Explaining the reason for the WASA, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Jamil Abdussalam said it was established to strengthen relationships and social interactions among officers, and their families and to display cultural heritage.

    He added that the 2023 training activities were designed to sharpen the capacity of officers and obtain positive gains.

    He said: “In the course of the year, we were able to make 112 arrests, destroyed 233 illegal refineries, and recovered over 356 arms and ammunitions.

    “We will continue to contentiously perform our constitutional roles to defend democratic values in the country. I enjoin you all to remain dedicated and focused in the discharge of our collective responsibility.”

  • Teachers protest exclusion from Fubara’s N100,000 Christmas bonus

    Teachers protest exclusion from Fubara’s N100,000 Christmas bonus

    About 100 primary and secondary school teachers employed by the Rivers State Government have staged a protest at the Government House in Port Harcourt over alleged exclusion from the N100,000 Christmas bonus approved for civil servants by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    The protesters claimed that other civil servants in the state have received theirs along with their December 2023 salaries, but wondered why they didn’t benefit from the bonus.

    Prior to the Yuletide holidays, Fubara approved the bonus for each civil servant, a development which ignited wild jubilation from the workers and both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in the state.

    The aggrieved teachers, who occupied the Government House, expressed displeasure about the development and called on the state government to intervene.

    Speaking to newsmen on Friday, one of the teachers simply identified as Oke said, “We were so happy when we heard that the governor approved a N100,000 Christmas bonus for all civil servants. So we assumed that the last Christmas was going to be very great for us.

    “But as we speak today, this is January, a few of us as you can see have not received the Christmas bonus.

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    “On Monday, schools will be resuming. Most of us travelled and we have returned.

    “We have exhausted all we have. So we are here this morning to register our complaints to our dear loving governor to help us talk to those who are holding our Christmas bonus.

    “Our N100,000 Christmas bonus should be released because it will go a long way in cushioning the effect of the hardship especially in this January.”

    Others who spoke accused their banks and the state Universal Basic Education Board of failing to address the matter.

    An official of the government who addressed the protesting teachers commended them for their peaceful disposition and assured them that their complaints would be looked into.

  • Minority groups laud Tinubu, Fubara over Rivers peace pact

    Minority groups laud Tinubu, Fubara over Rivers peace pact

    President Bola Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara have been commended for putting aside party differences to seal a peace deal for the progress of Rivers State.

    The Coalition of Minority and Indigenous Ethnic Groups in Africa gave the commendation at a briefing on Thursday.

    Applauding President Tinubu and Fubara for displaying sportsmanship, convener Yakubu Dauda also hailed the Governor for implementing the agreement for the return of peace in the state.

    The Governor, by his action, Dauda said has shown tremendous respect to President Tinubu by ensuring that all the warring factions in the state shield their swords in the interest of the generality of Rivers people. 

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    “The Coalition of Minority Ethnic and Indigenous groups in Africa is using this medium to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his laudable initiative that has brought peace to Rivers State,” the statement added. 

    “The action of the President indeed indicates that he is the President for all Nigerians and not a select few. This is commendable and necessary for leadership in a country as complex as Nigeria. 

    “From all indications, the governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, has also displayed a gentlemanly mien throughout the political conflict in the state. He has proven that he is a man of peace, and his actions and inaction are in the interest of the people of Rivers State. 

    “Also, the fact that the governor of Rivers State agreed on the terms of the peace accord indicates that his intentions are not for personal or selfish reasons, as a section of the media has reported. In our opinion, it is for peace to reign in Rivers State, given the history of ethnic restiveness in the state. 

    “The Coalition of Minority Ethnic and Indigenous Groups in Africa salutes the courage of the governor of Rivers State and extends its appreciation to other political actors in the state; they elected to drop their differences in the interest of peace. 

    The group urged the immediate past Governor Nyesom Wike, to give peace a chance in Rivers State by abiding by the interventions of President Tinubu.

  • Diri sues for peace in Rivers as Fubara visits Bayelsa

    Diri sues for peace in Rivers as Fubara visits Bayelsa

    Bayelsa state governor, Douye Diri has urged his Rivers state counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara, to work for peace in order for his vision to develop the state to be actualised.

    Diri stated this on Thursday, January 4, when Governor Fubara and a high-powered delegation visited him at his country home in Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area.

    It was Fubara’s first official visit to the state since he assumed office on May 29, 2023.

    Diri said the importance of peace could not be over-emphasised as no development could take place where there is crisis.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as saying that Rivers and Bayelsa have a long-standing brotherly relationship and whatever affects one affects the other.

    Diri said he had been concerned about the political crisis in Rivers and had worked behind the scene to ensure peace returned to the state. 

    He cautioned against giving ethnic coloration to the crisis, insisting that the Ikwerre of Rivers and the Ijaw of both Rivers and Bayelsa were one and cannot afford to fight each other as it would amount to a senseless battle between brothers.

    He equally urged his Rivers counterpart to be tolerant and patient while focusing on delivering development to people of his state.

    While expressing willingness to forge closer ties with the Rivers governor in the interest of both states, Diri welcomed Fubara’s olive branch to find an amicable solution to the legal tussles between both states. 

    Diri said: “Rivers and Bayelsa are one and the same. That is why during the political crisis, we worked behind the scene to ensure peace reigned in your state. What affects Rivers affects Bayelsa.

    “My thinking is that there has to be peace in Rivers State. God should grant you the wisdom to govern. At this time you must be patient and tolerant. You should also communicate with God and He will guide you. 

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    “Some people wanted to give the crisis ethnic colouration but I said no. We should all look for peace and not escalate it so that the governor will also focus on delivering development to his people. I again call for peace and understanding so that both states will experience development. 

    “We have some cases in court and I am sure you have been briefed. That is why you said we should talk about our issues. I am very prepared to discuss with your government to resolve them.

    “Our politics must be people-oriented. If we serve our people well, we serve God. We also need to meet more closely and explore areas of mutual benefits to both states.”

    Earlier, Governor Siminalayi Fubara said his visit was to foster unity and seek areas of collaboration between both states. 

    He stated that the two states had a lot in common and could not afford to work at cross purposes.

    Fubara noted that the recent crisis in Rivers was unfortunate and said the issues were being resolved as his administration was focused on developing the state. 

    While thanking the people of Bayelsa for their solidarity, Fubara said he will forge a closer relationship with Diri, which would enable both states to make progress.

    He stated that Rivers was willing to dialogue and resolve all the legal issues involving both states, insisting that as brothers an amicable solution can be found to the challenges threatening to divide them. 

    He said: “There is no difference between Rivers and Bayelsa. The creation of Bayelsa was for development purposes. We are one and the same people. 

    “My visit is a unification meeting. We are here to tell our brother that we want to work together for a common purpose, which is the development of both states. 

    “We have a lot of things jointly owned by both states. We need to meet and settle all issues. We cannot be developed in a situation of crisis. Peace is the major ingredient for development. 

    “We appreciate the people of Bayelsa for their solidarity during our trying period. Whatever affects Rivers affects Bayelsa. But equally important is that Nigeria needs peace in Rivers because of our strategic place.”

  • Royal father urges Fubara to deliver more democracy dividend

    Royal father urges Fubara to deliver more democracy dividend

    The Traditional Ruler of Opobo Kingdom, Dandeson Jaja, has advised Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers to ensure that his administration delivers meaningful democracy dividend equitably to all parts of the state.

    Jaja gave the advice at the Opobo  International Charity Day, organised by the Opobo Foundation, USA (OFUSA), in collaboration with different clubs in Opobo Kingdom.

    He said that spreading the dividend of democracy round the state would benefit the people of the state and society at large and endear him more to the citizenry.

    He urged the governor to hold God as his greatest guide in any difficulties that might come his way.

    “We wish him well as the governor of the state as he pilots the affairs of the state,” the royal father said.

    He commended the organisers of the event, saying that they had touched majorly the key important issues in human life, which include health and education.

    He also thanked the group for the medical outreach, scholarship award to 10 indigent students of Opobo origin and donation of food items and cash to the community.

    Jaja advised the beneficiaries of the scholarship to make most of the opportunity and ensure they finished tops in their studies.

    In a speech, the President of OFUSA, Prof. Iyalle Peterside, said that the foundation is a non-profit organisation with an aim to build the future and restore Opobo cultural heritage.

    Peterside said that the group offered scholarships to students in post-secondary education based on merit.

    He said that the scholarship covered tuition, boarding fees and books to ensure that the students would have no reason to drop out of school.

    He urged the parents of the beneficiaries to make sure that their children stayed out of trouble in school during the four years of the scholarship.

    Read Also: Why Rivers lawmaker Edison Ehie resigned, by Fubara

    He gave assurance that the best graduating student would receive another scholarship for a postgraduate study.

    Peterside, a professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery in the University of Pennsylvania, said that the available scholarship funds would run for 12 years non-stop, if  judiciously managed.

    Also, the Chief Executive Officer of Tap Africa Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, appealed that persons with disabilities should be included in the OFUSA scholarship scheme.

    Epelle, who is a member of the Specialist Examination Committee on Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, said that the foundation would ensure that the initiative to empower the indigent and persons with disabilities with cash gifts was sustained.

    He urged organisations to create more awareness about the need for the visually impaired persons to be educated.

    He later made cash donation to 40 indigent elderly and persons with disabilities in the area.

    The Director-General of Steering Group of Opobo/Nkoro International Charity Day, Dr Sofiri-Starson Peterside, said that the initiative, which also aims at reaching out to Opobo and non-Opobo indigenes, would run through the 14 sections of the communities in the kingdom.

    Peterside, a Medical Doctor with First Care Hospital, said that the  health of the people of Opobo Kingdom is paramount, if there would be development.

    He called on corporate bodies to use the group platform in subsequent years to dispense their social responsibility to the kingdom.

    A beneficiary of the scholarship scheme, Mr Jaja Isaiah, thanked the group on behalf of other beneficiaries for the scholarship offered to them.

    Isaiah advised his colleagues to take their studies seriously and live a disciplined life that could help them to take similar opportunities that might come their way in future.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that people received medical checks, including eye, malaria, sugar tests, dispensing of drugs, cash gifts, wrappers and clothing, rice, noodles and exercise books to students, amongst others.

    (NAN)

  • Why Rivers lawmaker Edison Ehie resigned, by Fubara

    Why Rivers lawmaker Edison Ehie resigned, by Fubara

    Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, yesterday said Edison Ehie resigned from the House of Assembly for the sake of peace.

    Ehie was the leader of four members of the House that identified with Fubara during the crisis.

    He quit his position as a member representing Ahoada-East Constituency II, notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a December 29 letter.

    Addressing dignitaries including former Governor Peter Odili and his wife, Mary, at the first state banquet he hosted at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday night, Fubara said Ehie’s resignation indicated the extent he could go to achieve peace in Rivers.

    Referring to Ehie as the immediate past Speaker, Fubara said: “Most of you were worried why the Speaker resigned. It is to tell you what we can do for peace.

    “It is not about what we want to gain. It is not about the power we want to exercise. But at the end of the day, ask what are we leaving for our people.

    “So, we took those decisions, not out of fear, but because at the end of the day when we leave here, we want you to remember us not as leaders with fear but remember us for our simplicity, our care, that we are prepared to give in anything for the interest of our dear state.”

    The governor said he never wanted to speak on the matter but decided otherwise because of what he read somewhere.

    He insisted that all the decisions he took were not borne out of fear, but were compelled by the state’s interest and respect for elders.

    The governor, whose speech intermittently drew applause from the crowd, said though everyone would not like the content of the peace agreement, it was in his place as a leader to enforce it.

    Fubara insisted that he would not like to be involved in any dirty political fight because of its negative implications for peace and development.

    Fubara said: “I had planned not to say anything this night. I have said too much already. But I read something and it will be improper if I don’t, at least, respond to it on a special day like this.

    “First, let me wish every one of you or all of us that are here a very fruitful and prosperous new year.

    “This is because every decision that we have taken is not borne out of fear but because we have the interest of our people in mind and we have respect for elders.

    “The president requested that we do certain things. In as much as it might not be very comfortable with everyone here, it is the place of the leader to say let us go along with it. Because if we don’t have peace in the state, there won’t be that meaningful development that we desire.

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    “So, I’m speaking to everyone, let us embrace the peace. We need this peace because our intention for our state is not because of our interest, it is for the interest of everyone; the interest for the development of our state.

    “So, when we were faced with this type of situation, we considered the actions and reactions, who is going to suffer, Fubara will not suffer, I can assure you that. But one million supporters will suffer.

    “So, those decisions are decisions we took because we want you to feel you’re with me. We want you to see me as your governor and be happy.”

    On why the state hosted the banquet, the governor said: “So, our new year message to our dear State, and more especially this our first inaugural banquet is to show that the government is alive.

    “I want to leave you with only this message. We will not disappoint you. We, also, will not be involved in any dirty fighting because we know that we are going to be the losers.

    “The year 2024 is for all of us. If I could survive, you that don’t have any problems, you’ll survive better than me.

    “So, I am wishing every one of us here a fruitful and prosperous 2024 to the glory of God.”

  • Why Edison Ehie resigned as ‘speaker’, by Fubara

    Why Edison Ehie resigned as ‘speaker’, by Fubara

    Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has broken his silence over the resignation of Edison Ehie as both the factional speaker and member of the state House of Assembly.

    Ehie, who loyally identified with Fubara during the crisis, decided to quit his position as a member representing Ahoada-East Constituency II in a letter dated December 29, 2023 and addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    While addressing dignitaries including former governor Peter Odili and his wife, Mary, at the first state banquet he hosted at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday night, Fubara said Ehie’s resignation indicated the extent he could go to achieve peace in Rivers.

    Referring to Ehie as the immediate past speaker, Fubara said: “Therefore, whatever it will take as seen in our decisions; yesterday most of you were worried why the speaker will resign. It is to tell you what we can do for peace.

    “It is not about what we want to gain. It is not about the power we want to exercise. But at the end of the day, ask what we are leaving for our people.

    “So, we took those decisions, not out of fear, but because at the end of the day when we leave here, we want you to remember us not as leaders with fear but remember us for our simplicity, remember us for our care, remember us that we are people, who are prepared to give in anything for the interest of our dear state”.

    The governor had earlier said he never wanted to speak on the matter but decided otherwise because of what he read somewhere.

    He insisted that all the decisions he took were not borne out of fear, but were compelled by the state’s interest and respect for elders.

    The governor, whose speech intermittently drew applause from the crowd, said though everyone would not like the content of the peace agreement, it was in his place as a leader to enforce it.

    Fubara insisted that he would not like to be involved in any dirty political fight because of its negative implications for peace and development.

    Read Also: Why my detractors are unrelenting, by Fubara

    Fubara said: “I have planned not to say anything this night. I have said too much already. But I read something and it will be improper if I don’t, at least, respond to it on a special day like this.

    “First, let me wish every one of you or all of us that are here a very fruitful and prosperous new year.

    “This is because every decision that we have taken is not borne out of fear but it is because we have the interest of our people in mind and we have respect for elders.

    “The president requested that we do certain things. In as much as it might not be very comfortable with everyone that is here, it is the place of the leader to say let us go along with it. Because if we don’t have peace in the state, there won’t be that meaningful development that we desire.

    “So, I’m speaking to everyone, let us embrace the peace. We need this peace because our intention for our state is not because of our own personal interest, it is for the interest of everyone; the interest for the development of our state.

    “So, when we are faced with this type of situation, we consider the actions and reactions, who is going to suffer, Fubara will not suffer, I can assure you that. But one million supporters will suffer.

    “So, those decisions are decisions we took because we want you to feel you’re with me. We want you to see me as your governor and be happy”.

    On why the state hosted the banquet, the governor said: “So, our new year message to our dear State, and more especially this our first inaugural banquet is to show that the government is alive.

    “I want to leave you with only this message. We will not disappoint you. We, also, will not be involved in any dirty fighting because we know that we are going to be the losers.

    “2024 is for all of us. If I could survive, you that don’t have any problems, you’ll survive better than me. So, I am wishing every one of us here a fruitful and prosperous 2024 to the glory of God.”

  • Why my detractors are unrelenting, by Fubara

    Why my detractors are unrelenting, by Fubara

    • They want my ‘red biro’, says governor

    Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has given an insight into why his detractors are unrelenting. He said his enemies have been fighting with the sole motive of collecting his red biro.

    Governors sign documents in red ink.

    “All they want is this red biro. But it is still with me”, Fubara said on the eve of the New Year during a crossover service at St Paul’s Archdeaconry Parish in Opobo Town, Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area.

    In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on  Media, Boniface Onyedi, the governor said he was not pretentious about his commitment to providing quality leadership, despite the efforts by his enemies to dampen the spirit of Rivers people and forcefully truncate the pace of development.

    The governor, who said his enemies had failed, encouraged Rivers people not to be disheartened over the ongoing crisis insisting that nothing would stop him from steering the affairs of the state successfully.

    He said: “We are the winners because we are still signing with the red biro. As long as we are signing with the red biro, development will continue in Rivers State.”

    Fubara emphasised that nothing would stop his administration from getting to its destination because its foundation was laid solidly in God, “who alone will give the grace to complete the process of building”.

    The governor said that there was already a designed development agenda and level of progress for Rivers this year, stressing that he would not relent in working for the good of the state.

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    Fubara expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the fatherly role he played when he intervened to assist in the process of restoring peace in Rivers.

    The President’s intervention ended the feud between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is the Federal Capital Territory Minister (FCT).

    The truce also restored peace to the troubled Rivers Assembly where four members suspended 27 lawmakers, who dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The four lawmakers picked Ehie Edison (Ahoada East State Constituency II) as ‘factional speaker) and declared the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant.

    Ehie resigned membership of the Rivers Assembly through a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu at the weekend.

    Fubara was quoted as saying: “Like I keep saying, it takes a responsible man to be a father. He acted like a father. On our part, we will continue to give him all the necessary support because if he does not succeed in Rivers State, he will not succeed as a president.

    “So, as a state, we will continue to give him every support. We are not pretenders. Our support is genuine and it is to uplift his programmes. Our sacrifices are part of the support.”

    Fubara also thanked Rivers people for their unwavering support, describing them as believers in true Rivers and urged them to trust the decisions that he took insisting that no one would be thrown overboard while standing firm in defence as their governor.

    In his sermon, Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta, Rev Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, said God would surely restore Nigeria to its expected height of glory and stable economy.

    Oko-Jaja said that it was God’s will not to disappoint those who put their trust in him this year because they would enjoy his providence and guidance.