Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, said that the ongoing political crisis in the State was allowed by God to give him and the people freedom.
Gov. Fubara spoke on Tuesday evening when the Primate of the Anglican Communion, Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Henry Ndukuba, led other bishops to pay him a visit in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Gov. Fubara recalled the earlier efforts of the Primate to resolve the crisis but said all the interventions failed to yield the required results.
Addressing the Primate, he said: “I start first in a very unusual way to say thank you to the Primate. This appreciation would have come much earlier and many of you may not understand why I am thanking him.
“When our crisis started in this state as a man of God who believes that the two parties involved are people from his own communion he made every effort to bring peace.
He noted that the Primate made several phone calls and booked several appointments to broker peace but none of the efforts were granted. “So, I want to thank you for what you did even though it didn’t yield the required result, but you see God has a way of doing his things.
According to him, “Maybe if you had succeeded with that peace deal, I won’t be enjoying the freedom that I have today. So at times God will be saying let the trouble be so that there will be peace. And that is not also to say that we encourage trouble. Peace remains the best thing, both internally and externally that can attract development”.
The governor expressed happiness that the Diocese was holding the Standing Committee Meeting in Rivers saying it came at a time his government needed all the prayers to stand and keep functioning.
Sir Fubara stated that the theme of the meeting, the Bond of Peace, was apt saying the daily events and occurrences indicated that peace is urgently needed in the country.
He said God is the one directing the activities of his government and that he will not take the glory and power that belongs to God.
He thanked the Bishops for standing with his government by supporting and encouraging him and his team with prayers.
“I want to thank you for all of it and you are seeing the results. You are seeing it with what we are doing in the state. The kind of governance we are providing is not the one seeking for attention. It is governance of peace, freedom for people to operate, a government that listens and admit at any point that we are faulty to make amends. It is only your prayer that is giving us those directions and wisdom”.
The governor assured them that his administration will not deviate from the fear of God and continue to support the work of God by ensuring the progress of the Christendom in helping to mould the character of children in the society.
“This is when the work is needed the most, we need the church now with technological explosion so that morality and fear of God should be the key thing to mould our children.”
In his response, Primate Ndukuba, explained that they were in Rivers to hold the Standing Committee Meeting of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.
Describing leadership as a sacred trust from God, the Primate said they would pray for the governor and appreciate his achievements in the state.
Addressing the governor, he said: “In spite of the challenges that you are facing, we thank God that you have kept focus and you are executing the things that you needed to do as the Governor of this State.
“Once God spoke, twice we have heard that excellency of authority and power belongs to God and it is in His hands to give to whoever, He wishes. So as the sovereign Lord, He has the power to raise and to remove, but it has pleased Him that you are there today.
Primate Ndukuba noted that though the situation may be challenging they have seen the enormous work that the governor is doing and promised the continuous prayer of the Church for him.
