Governor Siminalayi Fubara has called on his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to relinquish any control he seeks to maintain over Rivers State and allow peace to prevail in the oil-rich state.
Fubara made this appeal during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Monday, emphasizing that he has no regrets about holding the local government elections last Saturday, despite opposition from Wike’s allies within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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“I have all the guts to do these things,” the governor said, asking his predecessor to let go of whatever hold he thought he had over the South-South state.
The governor said he has kept all “understanding” he had with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure peace in the state but the issue has continued to escalate.
“There is nothing I have not done on this earth for peace to reign. I can tell you the number of times I have knelt to beg that let’s allow this issue to go. I have done everything,” Fubara said.
Asked what his message to Wike would be if they met, Fubara said, “I’ll tell him (Wike) that it has gotten to a point where he needs to let go. We need peace in this state.
“You don’t necessarily need to win all the fights; at times, you just let go for the sake of the good people of Rivers State and the love that you have always professed for the state. We need to secure the state.
“Fubara will leave tomorrow. Who knows who is going to come? It might be through him or another person but we need to secure the state.”
Fubara said election periods are over and it’s time for governance. He urged the FCT minister to give peace a chance.
“What I am appealing is: everyone should sheathe their swords. Even to the minister, my oga (my boss), there is no need to destroy this state.
“He (Wike) once ruled this state and the state was an envy of every other state. Another person is there now, what we need now is the support, after four years or eight years, who knows? I will also leave and someone else will take over. That should be the spirit.
“When it comes to the election period, you can fight and do whatever but now is the time for governance. We need all the support,” the governor said.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara has stated that all Nigerians are aware that he had no involvement in the destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers State.
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The governor pointed out that he had raised an alarm on Sunday evening, during the swearing-in of 23 newly elected local government chairpersons, warning that certain aggrieved political actors had mobilized to disrupt the peace in the state the following Monday.
Violent clashes broke out in at least four local government areas, with parts of the secretariats in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua set on fire by political hoodlums, while sporadic gunfire was reported in Ahoada East as some attempted to resist the newly installed council officials.
These incidents of arson followed the withdrawal of police officers guarding the 23 council secretariats, a move ordered by the state’s commissioner of police.
Despite the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and the police opting out of the local government elections, Governor Fubara insisted that the polls proceed as scheduled on Saturday.
The Action People’s Party (APP) secured 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions in the state, while the Action Alliance (AA) won one. Fubara promptly swore in the newly elected chairmen on Sunday, but by Monday, some of these officials faced violent attacks, and several council secretariats were torched by political opponents.
In response to the unrest, President Bola Tinubu ordered the police to ensure the protection of local government secretariats across Rivers State.
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