Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that the season of Nigeria’s 64th Independence celebration reminds him of the beginning of the quarrel between him and his predecessor and benefactor, Nyesom Wike.
He recollects the beginning of the crisis that would have seen his removal from office in less than one year as the state governor, saying that it took the intervention of God for him to remain the governor of the state one year later.
The Governor made the assertion on Sunday at the Inter-denominational Church Thanksgiving Service organised as part of activities marking the 64th Independence Day Celebration of Nigeria at St. Paul’s Cathedral of the Anglican Communion, Garrison Junction in Port Harcourt.
He expressed delight at the opportunity of marking another Nigerian Independence Day anniversary in office in a few days, recalling that about a year ago, he was in church on such a day to appreciate God.
“So, we want to say that our marking this Independence Day is very special. Special, because we symbolise peace, and our prayer for this state is peace. And in extension, because of our peaceful disposition, we strongly believe that things should be done right, and when it is done right, from here Nigeria will get better.
“This celebration today is for a purpose. It coincided with what happened last year. So, I assure you of our support to make all the plans come to reality. We will get there, and we are already there. God does not start and stop halfway. He takes you to the end.”
“So, don’t be scared of anything; we have gone past the most difficult stage. That is the truth; we have gone past it. A few of our decisions might not be favourable, but we have to move on as a family.
“Because at this time, what is important is to protect the soul of this state. It does not belong to anyone. Rivers State is nobody’s enterprise. So, you have to stand strong and fight,” Fubara stated.
He responded to his critics, saying that in order to correct the wrong narrative peddled in some quarters, he was the one who signed the contractual sum of N200 billion loan papers from Zenith Bank to fund the construction of the 50.15-kilometre dual carriage Port Harcourt Ring Road as a project started by his administration.
He also stated that his administration is embarking on the construction of the actual Trans-Kalabari Road project worth N225.1 billion, plus the general hospitals together with the psychiatric hospital in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, among others, which nobody can lay claim to, adding that the projects were being funded without borrowing.
He said, “They even say they don’t know what we are doing. Let me remind them, it is Fubara that signed the paper to borrow from Zenith Bank the N200 billion for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road. So, it is my project.
“It is Fubara that awarded the Trans-Kalabari Road that they couldn’t do. They did only a bridge from Krakrama, but I am the one doing it: the complete span, and it is N225 billion. I didn’t borrow.
“It is this same Fubara that is building a general hospital, in which I also included a psychiatric hospital because they will need it very soon. So, tell them that what I did in 1 year is what they did in 8 years.
“It is only empty containers that make noise. If God has given you the opportunity, eat your plantains and keep quiet. God will continue to give us the strength to do the best for our people, without fear.”
Governor Fubara said he has always stood on the path of truth and will not need anybody to apologise on his behalf for doing the right things for the good of the state.
He said, “As a matter of fact, I belong to that school of thought that if I am the only person that needs to stand on that side of right, I will stand there. I don’t need anybody to stand with me.
“I cannot give my kidney or liver to anybody; I won’t. If that is the only reason for me to be loyal, I will not be. But I will not do the wrong thing. I will stand on the side of the right.
“I make bold to say it; there is no security agency in this state that I have called any day to go and do something wrong. I have never. I don’t need it. But I know what they do, and they keep failing because God has left them.”
On the October 5 local government elections, the state pleaded, “I will beg everyone of you; God has given us this opportunity; we must safeguard it. They are the ones looking for a way to destroy it.
“They didn’t believe we would get to this point, and I can tell you I had a reason for inviting all the candidates for the local government election for this service.”
“For those of you that are going to participate in the election, please, I want the election to be peaceful, which is very important. When you emerge, our major concern is the people. Care for the people. We have taken Rivers State into a different driveway.”
Gov. Fubara dispelled fears in the minds of Rivers people about the political crisis that erupted in the state and assured that the most difficult stage of that experience had been overcome.
On the nation’s 64th Independence Anniversary, Gov. Fubara pointed out that one of the greatest challenges facing the state, and indeed Nigeria, is that of oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism lamenting their huge toll on the national economy.
He insisted that such acts of economic sabotage should not be allowed to continue and urged traditional rulers to ensure they end such acts in their domains.
He said, “The security agencies are doing their best. As a government, we are also planning to have a special committee to tackle this problem.
“We need to improve the level of our production. That is the only way that we can get out of this situation. The situation is bad. There are no two ways about it. But we must come together as one to support what the centre is doing, so our lives can change.”
He stressed, “We must protect our national treasures. The only thing we have now is this oil. Rivers and Bayelsa are the flashpoints, and because of that, it is affecting the level of production, and in turn, affecting the output and the revenue we make.
“Nigeria needs money now; the only way we can save Nigeria from this situation is increased production. Please, I am begging everyone, especially the leaders of the most impacted local governments: Degema and Emohua. The traditional rulers that are covering these areas, you must do something about it.”
Preaching on the topic “Navigating the odds in our nation, Nigeria,” the Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Most Reverend Blessing Enyindah, bemoaned Nigeria at its 64th Independence anniversary, saying it seemed like a country under siege wherein its citizens are held up as captives with no hope.
Archbishop Enyindah, who is also the Bishop, the Diocese of Ikwerre, and Dean of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, blamed leaders across sectors, particularly political leaders, for the nation’s woes because, according to him, instead of liberating the people from social, economical, and political imprisonment, they accentuate poverty, economic hardship, and soaring prices of goods.
The clergyman said if political leaders stopped enacting irrelevant policies that exercised chaos, resisted the temptation of perpetuating themselves in office, and judicial officers broke away from issuing conflicting judgements that promoted miscarriage of justice, a new culture where everybody does what is right would emerge, and Nigeria would truly become the country it should be.
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