The feud between the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his estranged godfather, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, degenerated further at the weekend, as Fubara told Wike the state was nobody’s enterprise.
Wike had during a civic reception organised for him by a group, Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress, in Port Harcourt mocked Fubara for supporting Action Peoples Party (APP), which he described as a lesser party to PDP.
Wike, the immediate past governor of the state, claimed that he determined how the PDP structure worked in the state. He also said all the ongoing projects in the state were initiated by him.
But in his response, Fubara stated that those antagonising his administration were merely expressing frustration at seeing how firmly the affairs of the state had been conducted, and the milestones achieved.
Fubara made the assertion on Sunday at an 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 Church, in Port Harcourt.
HE SAID, “With due respect my Dean, when you said our national anthem was changed, for me, I like this new one, more especially where it says – a nation built, where no man is oppressed – it is so unique.
“If that is where I stand, you should understand, I can’t be a party to oppressing anybody. And for the fact that I can’t be a party to oppress anybody, by the special grace of God, nobody can oppress me. Please, we need to join hands together to sustain and develop our state.
“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.”
The governor accused his political enemies of being determined to lay hold on the soul of Rivers State to control it as their personal estate. He insisted that his administration had taken charge of the state already to secure, saying it is commonly owned by all Rivers people.
In order to correct what he described as wrong narrative peddled in some quarters, Fubara explained that he signed the contractual sum of N200 billion loan papers from Zenith Bank to fund the construction of the 50.15-kilometer dual carriageway Port Harcourt Ring Road, a project started by his administration.
He also stated that his administration was embarking on the construction of the actual Trans-Kalabari Road project worth N225.1billion, plus the General Hospitals, together with the Psychiatric Hospital in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, among others.
The governor added 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 N225billion. I didn’t borrow.
“It is this same Fubara that is building a General Hospital, which I also included a Psychiatric Hospital because they will need it very soon. So, tell them that what I did in one year is what they did in eight years.
“It is only empty container that makes noise. If God has given you opportunity, eat your plantain and keep quiet. God will continue to give us the strength to do the best for our people, without fear.”
Blessing Ibunge
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