Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, says he is not pretentious about his commitment to providing quality leadership.
He stated that those fighting his administration wanted to dampen the spirits of Rivers people and forcefully truncate the pace of development but they had failed.
He, therefore, encouraged Rivers people not to be disheartened over the ongoing political crisis rocking the state, assuring the residents that nothing would stop him from steering the affairs of the state successfully.
The PUNCH reports that an impeachment move by Rivers lawmakers against the governor saw the factionalisation of the state Assembly.
The impeachment move by 27 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike was resisted by five lawmakers loyal to Fubara.
The crisis led to the destruction of the Assembly complex with an explosive on the night of September 29, 2023, and its eventual demolition by Fubara on December 13.
Fubara’s estranged political godfather and successor accused the governor of destroying “the structure” he left in place, indicating that a feud between them was at the root of the crisis.
Speaking on Sunday night at the New Year’s Eve crossover church service at St. Paul’s Archdeaconry Parish in Opobo Town, Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Fubara said his detractors, who wanted him out of office, had failed.
A statement on New Year’s Day by his media aide, Boniface Onyedi, quoted Fubara to have said, “What they want is this red biro, but it is still with me. 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.”
He vowed that nothing would stop his administration from getting to its destination because its foundation was laid solidly in God “who alone will give us the grace to complete the process of building.”
The governor, who said he had already designed a developmental agenda for Rivers State in 2024, stressed that he would not relent in working for the good of the state.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the fatherly role he played to douse the Rivers crisis, by convening a parley in Abuja, during which an eight-point resolution was signed.
“Like I keep saying, it takes a responsible man to be a father. He (Tinubu) 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,” he said.
He thanked Rivers people for their unwavering support, describing them as believers in true Rivers State and urged them to trust the decisions that he takes because no one would be thrown overboard as long as he remained their governor.
In his sermon titled “I will never forget you,” the Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta, Right Revd. Emmanuel Oko-Jaja assured Nigerians that God would restore and stabilise the nation’s economy.
