Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, says those seeking to remove him as the chief executive of the state “have failed”.
Fubara spoke on Sunday at a church service in Opobo, Opobo/Nkoro LGA of Rivers state.
The governor, who did not mention anyone in particular, said his adversaries have not succeeded in removing him from office.
“I want to urge every one of us here, don’t be frightened. What they want is this red biro but it is still with me. (he retrieves a pen from his chest pocket),” he told the congregants.
In Nigeria’s public service, red biro is used by higher-ranking government officials to sign documents.
“It is still with me,” he said.
“They have failed. We are the winners because we are still signing with the red biro. As long as we are signing with the red biro, development will continue in Rivers state.”
“2024 will witness unprecedented heights in our state. The only thing we are asking from every one of you is your support and prayers.
“Also, believe in every decision that we take. We are not going to throw any of you under the bus. I wasn’t a governor when I used to stand for you. So, now that I am the governor I will stand for you.”
Fubara and Nyesom Wike, his successor and minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), had been at loggerheads over the political structure in the state.
In the wake of the crisis, Wike’s associates in the Rivers house of assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor.
Fubara’s allies kicked against the impeachment moves.
Thereafter, 27 lawmakers in the state house of assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Subsequently, Edison Ehie, factional speaker of the Rivers assembly at the time, declared the seats of the lawmakers who defected vacant.
Amid the political crisis, some commissioners resigned from Fubara’s cabinet.
On December 18, the governor and Wike agreed to end the political feud between them after President Bola Tinubu intervened in the stand-off.
Some of the resolutions reached at the meeting were that: All matters instituted in courts by the different factions should be “immediately” withdrawn, the 27 lawmakers who defected to the APC should be taken back as members of the assembly, and the impeachment proceedings against Fubara should be withdrawn.
The 27 lawmakers who signed the impeachment proceedings subsequently withdrew the notice against the governor.
On December 29, Ehie, an ally of the governor, resigned as a member of the legislative chamber.
Although Ehie didn’t give a reason for his resignation, it is believed to be a fallout of the political crisis in the state.
