Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has appealed to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to join hands with him in developing the state, urging him to leave the struggle for power and control of the state till electioneering time.
Fubara stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, where he mentioned in clear language, that the disagreement between him and the FCT Minister revolves around power control in the state.
The governor was discussing the recent surge in violence in the state which resulted in burning down of two local government secretariats.
He said that some people close to him had been marked for arrest following the violence.
When asked why the relationship between him and his former boss went sour, Fubara said, “Honestly I won’t want to discuss this here; but for those who know the issue it’s very simple; it’s about power control. I even said it in that case that if elections have held in Rivers State and council chairmen have been inaugurated in the whole situation do we need anybody to go obstruct them from entering the secretariats?
“May be there is somebody somewhere who still believes he is above and high than the authority in the state.
“It’s just the issue of power. I don’t want to discuss it and I don’t want to join issues with that. I want to focus on governance and manage the situation as much as I can. That is what is important to me.”
When asked whether he breached an agreement he signed with Wike, Fubara added he kept all the agreements he reached with his predecessor.
He said, “I don’t think there is any understanding that I have not kept. There is no understanding we have that I have not kept. That is the truth.
“As I said I don’t want to discuss those issues. What I feel is that everyone shelve their sword, even the minister, my oga. There is no need to destroy Rivers. He once ruled the state. Another person is there now. What you need is to give him support. After four or eight years, I will also leave. Another person will take the government.
“That should be the spirit. When it comes to election period, you can fight but now it’s time for governance. We need all the support.”
