…Says he is consistent with truth and poised to serve the people.
…Urges Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation to consider Rivers interest.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has declared that Rivers State under his watch is not leaning on party affiliation but on a revolutionary movement of remaining consistent with the truth and ensuring that democratic values are protected in the state.
Governor Fubara who made the declaration while receiving in a courtesy visit the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, led by the Chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, said he will not be distracted by the calculated blackmail and sabotage from some quarters against his administration.
The governor noted that God has continued to protect the state as one of such plots to create crisis in the state was averted when someone who attempted to detonate a dynamite at the Presidential Hotel area yesterday blew off his own arms.
He stated that despite being the most abused Governor in the entire federation he had deliberately tolerated such invectives to remain focused on the delivery of democratic dividends in the state, noting that those plotting to instigate crisis in the state will fail.
“In our state today we are no longer doing party. We are doing a movement, so you don’t blame me if I don’t go to the side of party too much. The party has failed us here, so what we are doing here is to stand with our two legs on the soil of Rivers State, so that we can defend democracy.”
Governor Fubara decried a situation where the explicit statutory provisions of the constitution on the tenure of local government chairmen will not be applicable in Rivers State and called for a check on such plots to undermine the Constitution to serve some vested interests.
“Where on earth has the tenure of local government chairmen been elongated? Is it that the constitution that governs Nigeria is different from the one that operates in Rivers State? These are pertinent questions we should ask, why should it be that when it comes to Rivers State the law is always silent? Is it that there is somebody bigger than Nigeria? That’s the question I want you to go with.”
“We should be bold enough to look at people and tell the truth. I’m not fighting any body, what we are doing is to defend ourselves. What we are doing is to serve the state. I can also say it here that in this Federal Republic of Nigeria, I don’t think there’s any Governor that can take 10% of what I have tolerated in this state.”
“I’m the only Governor that local government chairmen will abuse, and I overlook it because at the end of the day nobody will look at the fight but your achievements. I know that all those things are distractions, so I need to focus and make sure no matter how difficult and challenging the situation is, I must deliver to the people of Rivers State.”
The Governor thanked the committee for the visit and appealed to them to consider the interest of Rivers State in the privatisation of businesses in the state because Rivers State has the resources to acquire them for protection, viability to the state and the Federal Government.
Earlier in his remark, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, said the committee is in Rivers State to perform its oversight function and decided to pay courtesy visit on the Governor.
Senator Orji Kalu who described leadership as a delicate process, commended Governor Fubara for his peaceful disposition, visionary and people oriented style of governance, and urged him to remain focused on the job, and hold on to democratic principles to promote peace and economic growth in Rivers State.
He admonished against allowing the disagreement and clash of political interest in the state to derail democratic process, noting that those instigating crisis were doing a disservice to the state.
