Rivers State Governor, Siminialayi Fubara, has lamented that he has suffered immensely in the course of the state’s lingering political crisis because he chose not to present his own narrative publicly.

Fubara, who insisted that he had never refused to meet with members of the state House of Assembly, said he had been wrongly judged because people heard only one version of events.

“I am a gentleman and a very principled person. The reason I am saying this here is that I have suffered too much because of single story,” he said.

According to him, “A lot of things happened and nobody has heard my own side. I want to say it here, Speaker and members of the Assembly, I have made effort to meet with you. I am just waiting for that meeting to be fixed.”

Fubara clarified that the delay in meeting the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, and other lawmakers did not come from him, but from the insistence that such engagements must be arranged by the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said: “I have made every effort. I believe that the leadership of the state council that is led by Ferdinand Anabraba can attest to this.

“I have made every effort to meet with them, but they don’t want me to call them directly. It was for my leader to arrange the meeting, which up till this moment, that meeting has not been fixed.”

The Rivers State Governor insisted that he had never avoided the legislators.

“So, how people go about saying I don’t want to meet them and attend to their demands, that is pure lies. I don’t have any reason to do that,” Fubara said.

He stressed that he is committed to addressing any concerns the lawmakers may have. “I have personally said whatever is their need, I am ready to meet it so that we can have peace in the state… Whoever is telling you that I don’t want to meet members of the Assembly is not true,” the Governor reiterated.

‘I Don’t Want to Divide the House’

The governor explained that his refusal to bypass party leaders in arranging the meetings was deliberate.

“I have met with our leaders and they said they are going to arrange meeting, but I don’t want to go behind them. Let it not be as if I want to divide the house,” Fubara noted, adding that his interest is not personal, but for the progress of Rivers State.

“Please, we need to come together for the interest of this state. It is not about me. It is about this state,” he stressed.

Naijaonpoint reports that Fubara made these remarks during the commissioning of the extended and dualised Ahoada-Omoku Road in the Rivers West Senatorial District, executed by Julius Berger.

He noted that the project was a fulfilment of his campaign promise and commended the people for supporting both him and President Bola Tinubu.

“I want to thank the Almighty God for making this day possible… We are celebrating with our people for their support. To tell them that even in the face of our challenges, we are still focused in delivering the dividends of democracy,” the Governor said.

The governor also spoke on his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the move was not personal but for the sake of development and peace.

“We can’t thrive in an atmosphere of rancour. Development can’t come to our state when there is continuous disunity. And you are also aware that we are standing because of the support of Mr President,” Fubara said assuring the people that the renewed hope agenda would spread across all local government areas.

“Let it be clear to everyone that the renewed hope agenda is here with a vigour that you can’t imagine. We are out, we are ready to drive it to every door… We will continue to deliver the dividends of democracy,” he said,

Fubara emphasised that he harbours no ill feelings toward federal and state lawmakers.

“I do not personally have any disagreement or anger anywhere with my members of the National Assembly. Even that of the state.

“Let me be very clear, I do not have problem with members of the state Assembly here. I don’t have any issue with them,” the Governor added.

DOWNLOAD NOW