The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State chapter has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to mind his business and utterances in order not to overheat the already tense political atmosphere in the state.
The party’s publicity secretary in Rivers, Tambari Sydney Gbara, spoke in reaction to Akpabio’s earlier remarks at an event in Port Harcourt where he appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to look for somebody from the Ogoni extraction to take over from Governor Siminialayi Fubara.
Tambari argued that in as much as he believed in the Ogoni governorship project, it was not the right time for Akpabio to make such utterances considering the tense political atmosphere in the state and the fact that the election was still very far away.
The party’s spokesperson explained that Fubara enjoyed immense support from the Ogonis, whom he described as good neighbours to the people of Opobo and also in the same Senatorial District.
He disclosed that Fubara had started the development of Bori town, the headquarters of the Ogoni people with the ongoing construction of the internal roads in the city including other people-oriented projects.
He said: “The Senate President, who is a notable leader in the Southsouth region is expected to make utterances that will calm the already tensed political situation in the state and not one that will aggravate it.
“Senator Akpabio’s statement knowing fully well, that there is a sitting governor in the state, is demeaning of the office of the governor, which he would not have tolerated in his time as Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara Governor of Rivers State is the leader of the PDP and will choose his successor at the end of his tenure, with the support of Rivers people as the former governor did in his own time”.
Tambari said at a time when people were passing through excruciating pains, suffering, hardship and hunger following the bad state of the nation’s economy, the senate president chose to make comments to provoke the majority of Rivers people to resolute in their support for the present administration, led by Sir Sim Fubara.
He said: “It would have been better if the Senate President had said things that would encourage them to continue believing in the “Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rather than talking about the 2027 election, which clearly shows that the Senate President does not care about the welfare of Nigerians”.
The PDP Publicity Secretary, Sydney Gbara advised Rivers People to ignore Akpabio’s statement and continue to stand with Fubara and support his dream of taking Rivers to an enviable height.
He also appealed to the people not to allow themselves to be provoked, but rather pray for Mr President to have wisdom and understanding to pilot the country out of the bad economic situation.
