Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has debunked reports of any strained relationship with members of the national and state assemblies, describing the report as “pure lies.”
Fubara made the clarification yesterday at the commissioning of the extended and dualised 28.4-kilometre Ahoada–Omoku Road, barely 24 hours after he announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting to a video on a national television alleging that he snubbed lawmakers and refused to attend to their demands, Fubara said he had made every effort to meet with them, explaining that it was the responsibility his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other key leaders to convene a meeting.
“I personally do not have any disagreements or any anger anywhere with my members of the National Assembly, even of the state.
“I have made every effort… the arrangement wasn’t for me to call them directly. It was for my leader, the minister, to arrange the meeting, which up to this hour has not been fixed.”
He described as false the claims that he had rejected proposals or avoided the legislators, saying, “When people go about saying I don’t want to meet them, that is a pure lie. I don’t have any reason to do that. I am ready to meet whatever needs that are presented so that we can have peace in the state.”
He said he didn’t want to contact the lawmakers independently to avoid creating the impression that he was trying to divide the house.
“I’m a gentleman and a very principled person. I have suffered so much because of a single story. A lot of times, things have happened and nobody has heard my own side.”
He appealed to the Speaker and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to disregard insinuations of hostility, stressing that he was still waiting for the agreed meeting to be scheduled.
He assured residents that his administration would not take their support for granted and warned that the state’s stability must not be undermined even as he urged Rivers people to maintain unity and support President Bola Tinubu.
“We are now out, ready to move everywhere to preach without any limitation, the gospel of Asiwaju in Rivers State. We cannot develop any part of this state when there is a crisis. Let us continue to take the path of peace,” he appealed.
He reaffirmed his commitment to development, noting that the Ahoada–Omoku Road would ease movement, boost commerce and strengthen the socio-economic well-being of communities along the corridor, even as he assured residents that more projects were underway.
Meanwhile, Fubara had on Tuesday, December 9 announced his defection while addressing stakeholders at a meeting held at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
His defection came barely 72 hours after 17 members of the State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, who were also elected on the platform of the PDP, resigned and joined the ruling party.
Addressing the gathering, Fubara said he had good news for the people of the state, adding that he met with President Bola Tinubu on Monday to brief him on developments in the state.
After eulogising Tinubu for his support to the state and for what he described as helping the state overcome its recent political crisis, he told his supporters: “It is better for us to move from where we are to where it is better for Rivers State.”
With Fubara’s defection, all the six states in the South-South geopolitical zone are controlled by the APC, heightening public concern among some observers that Nigeria could be drifting towards a one-party system.
