By Kolawole Ojebisi
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said his administration is making giant strides in his bid to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state contrary to the expectations of his detractors.
He noted that all the promises of his adversaries to scuttle his plans and render him incapacitated have turned out to be elusive.
Fubara slammed allies of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who are members of the state assembly for allegedly not honouring their part of the peace pact.
The governor revealed that he discovered that the peace agreement he signed alongside Wike’s Allies was meant to ambush him adding that he nearly played into the hands of those planning to oust him from office.
Fubara made the revelation during a non-denominational thanksgiving in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The thanksgiving was organized to mark a year he survived a plot to remove him from office by 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking at the event, the governor clarified that it was not the initiator (President Bola Tinubu) of the peace accord that ambushed him, but those he thought were sincere about resolving the emerging crisis were not.
He explained that it was at the point of realising the sinister motives of the other party involved in the peace deal that he decided not to play into their hands.
“We went to Abuja and Mr. President knowing the importance of peace for Rivers State, called out some conditions for peace.
“We came back here, in this state, to do everything that has to do with the conditions of the peace. We went to court immediately and withdrew our matters. And you call yourself honourable when you cannot obey simple instructions.
“I acted as an honourable. I discovered that I was being ambushed not by the person who initiated the peace”, Fubara stated.
The governor thanked all the prominent Rivers people and others who had supported his government in the last year for their belief and resilience to scuttle the plots of enemies of his government.
“I am standing here because of all of you. A lot of people may not understand what happened on the 30th of October, 2023,” he said with nostalgia.
He reiterated his commitment to enthrone peace, acknowledging that his supporters have taken a very difficult part in that last year.
He further said, “We are still complete. Let me tell you, we are still intact. They said we’re not going to last for one week. We are here one year plus.
“They said we would not have local government chairmen. Today, we have local government chairmen.”
“They said commissioners should resign immediately. Today, we have more than 23 commissioners.
“They said they are not going to do anything; they are going to frustrate them, they are not going to succeed. By the grace of God, there are lots of projects that are touching the lives of the people.”
The governor added that his government has demonstrated prudence and transparency in the use of resources of the state, saying that recently, Rivers was commended for showing transparency and accountability by an external body.
To his opponents, he said, “I now ask the question, who is the winner? We are here to appreciate God for the way He did it one year ago, He will do it again.”
Fubara said he would pay contractors, and workers’ salaries and also release local government council funds.
He added, “I ask you again, who is the loser? Who is the loser? You see why you need to be happy? Do you see why you need to celebrate the righteousness of God?.”
