Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers has ‘the instruments to shake up the table” in the ongoing crisis rocking the state.
He said this on Monday when he received a delegation of Ijaw leaders from Bayelsa led by former Governor Seriki Dickson.
The media was recently awash with how the lawmakers in the state overrode the governor and issued a fresh threat to him.
Addressing his guests at Government House, Port Harcourt, Fubara said, “Those group of men who claim that they are assembly members are not existing. I want it to be on record.
I accepted that peace accord to give them a floating (soft-landing). That’s the truth. There is nothing in that peace accord that is a constitutional issue. It is a political solution to a problem. I accepted it because these are people that were visiting me and we were together in my house.
“These are people that I have helped in many ways, when I wasn’t even a Governor. Yes, we might have our disagreements, but I believe that one day, we could also come together. That was the reason I did it.
“But I think it has gotten to a time when I need to make a statement on this thing, so that they understand that they are not existing. Their existence and whatever they have been doing is because I allowed them to do so. If I don’t recognize them, they are nowhere, that is the truth.
“So, I want you to see the sacrifice I have made to allow peace to be in our State. I can say here, with all amount of boldness, I have never called any police man anywhere to go and harass anybody. I have never gone anywhere to ask anybody to do anything against anybody. But what happens to the people that are supporting me? They are being harassed, they are being arrested and detained. There is no week that somebody doesn’t come here with one letter of invitation for trump-up charges and all those things.
“I am saying all these because of what my senior said here: restrain. I don’t think the other party has shown any restraint. I am the one that has shown restraint in the face of this crisis. I am the one that is badly hit, even when I have all the government instruments to shake up the table. But, why will I do it? I believe that peace is the best relationship to cultivate.”
Fubara thanked the delegation for coming to solidarise with him and his government, noting that
Rivers is incomplete without Bayelsa State and vice versa.
He said, “We were separated because of political purposes to expand development, but we need to be united so that the economies of these two states will grow.
“There is no need for us to have any argument over assets, there is no need for us to have disagreement over issue of who owns this or who doesn’t own that. One way or the other, we are even inter-related. That is the truth. So, there is no need for fight.”
Governor Fubara said he took the initiative of going to see Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State because he wanted an end to the toxic relationship that existed in the past administrations.
In his remark earlier, leader of the delegation said the visit was one of solidarity with Fubara and Rivers people who have shown maturity in the face of the political crisis.
He said, “Your Excellency, we will agree that no true brother or even good neighbour can stay unconcerned when the house of a brother or neighbour is on fire or have issue. Even if there is a small flame, a neighbour or a good brother should be concerned.
“We have come here as your brothers and as good neighbours also. But also in our own right as Rivers people because this State is our Mother State.
“And we are here to show support and solidarity with you, your Government, and most importantly, solidarize with the good people of this State.
“We have also come with a message Your Excellency, of peace and reconciliation, forgiveness, unity, mutual respect, political maturity and tolerance by all.”
He added that if there is peace and development in Rivers State, the people of Bayelsa will benefit, and if there is crisis in the state, his people will suffer as well, calling on all sides to give peace a chance.
