The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has stated that he would always stand for what is right, but won’t give his liver or kidney to anybody in the name of loyalty.
Governor Fubara made the declaration on Sunday in what is believed to be a direct response to his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
It would be recalled that Wike had on Saturday, while speaking at a reception held by the Ijaw Peoples Congress in Rivers State, among other things, said he made Fubara the Governor of the State, but the Governor turned his back against him and others who worked for him after the election.
But speaking on Sunday, at the Inter-denominational Church Thanksgiving Service organized as part of activities marking the 64th Independence Day Celebration of Nigeria at St. Paul’s Cathedral of the Anglican Communion at Garrison Junction in Port Harcourt, Fubara maintained that he belongs to the school of thought that believes in doing the right thing even if they are in the minority.
“As a matter of fact, I belong to that school of thought that if I am the only person that needs to stand on that side of right, I will stand there. I don’t need anybody to stand with me. I cannot give my kidney or liver to anybody, I won’t. If that is the only reason for me to be loyal, I will not be. But, I will not do the wrong thing. I will stand for the side of right,” Fubara said.
Responding to the allegation by Wike that he is behind an attempt to bomb the venue of the grand civic reception by Rivers Ijaw People’s Council, RIVCO, at Rainbow Town, in Port Harcourt on Saturday in his honour, Fubara denied any such responsibility.
The Governor maintained that he has never given instruction for any securityy agency to do something wrong.
He said, “I make bold to say it, there is no security agency in this State that I have called any day to go and do something wrong. I have never. I don’t have a need for it. But I know what they do, and they keep failing because God has left them.”
The Governor also used the opportunity to highlight some of the projects being executed by his administration while responding to the allegations of not doing anything in Rivers State.
Fubara said he has done more in one year than what Wike did in his eight years as Rivers State Governor.
Mocking Wike, Fubara said the psychiatric wing is included in the General Hospital project because those attacking him would need it soon.
The Governor explained that he signed the contractual sum of N200billion loan papers from Zenith Bank to fund the construction of the 50.15-kilometer dual carriage Port Harcourt Ring Road as project started by his administration, adding that his administration is embarking on the construction of the Trans-Kalabari Road project worth N225.1billion, plus the General Hospitals together with the Psychiatric Hospital in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, among others, which nobody can lay claims to at all and that the projects were being funded without borrowing.
“They even say, they don’t know what we are doing. Let me remind them, it is Fubara that signed the paper to borrow from Zenith Bank the N200billion for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road. So, it is my project. It is Fubara that awarded the Trans-Kalabari Road that they couldn’t do. They did only a bridge from Krakrama, but I am the one doing it: the complete span, and it is N225billion. I didn’t borrow.
“It is this same Fubara that is building a General Hospital, which I also included a Psychiatric Hospital because they will need it very soon. So, tell them that what I did in one year is what they did in 8 years. It is only empty container that makes noise. If God has given you opportunity, eat your plantain and keep quiet. God will continue to give us the strength to do the best for our people, without fear.”
“Very soon, you will see what we are doing. It is not about doing roads to your business interest. I don’t have any business interest. Whatever I am doing, I am doing it for the people of Rivers State. We will not take any decision that we cannot defend. We won’t be part of anything that will bring any form of disgrace to our dear State. This State is important to us. It is the only thing that we have.
“It is the beautiful pride. That is why they are struggling, coupled with the improvement in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) we have done. That is why they are struggling, we know. But, do it with modesty, you don’t need to destroy the house,” he said.
In another veiled dig at Wike, Governor Fubara also insisted that making noise is a sign that such a person has lost relevance.
“God has a reason for allowing the devil or the evil one to stay long. It is not that He can’t take him or take them away but He gives them time to repent. And when they continue, He will come heavily, and then, they would say, it would have been better that they had left when they had time. That will be our story in this State. But, you see, anybody that is making noise for recognition, it is a sign that he has lost it. By the special grace of God, I don’t need introduction. I have the name, and I am the one standing here.”
The Rivers State Governor also insisted that he remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the ongoing crisis.
“As a matter of fact, I am a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but I know that there will be election that I am conducting. So, I have to invite you to come and receive prayers. And little did I know, the Bishop gave you the prayers.
“For those of you that are going to participate in the election, please, I want the election to be peaceful, very important. When you emerge, our major concern is the people. Care for the people. We have taken Rivers State into a different driveway,” he said.