Governor Siminalayi Fubara mocks political adversaries in Rivers State, asserting their failure in an attempted impeachment plot as he continues to hold his position as the governor of the oil-rich South-South state.
“I want to urge everyone here. Don’t be frightened,” the governor said on Sunday at a crossover church service at St Paul’s Archdeaconry Parish in the Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of the state.
“What they (opponents) want is this red biro,” Fubara said raising a red pen to the cynosure of all eyes. “But it is still with me; they have failed.”
“We are the winners because we are still signing with the red biro. And so long as we are signing with the red biro, development will continue in Rivers State.
“2024 will witness unprecedented height in our state. The only thing we ask from you is your support and prayers,” the governor stated.
In the past three months, Rivers State has witnessed a tumultuous period, particularly within the state House of Assembly, which has become a figurative “boxing ring.” The rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, led to a division among lawmakers, resulting in 27 of them defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party where Wike currently holds a position in the central government.
This discord manifested in parallel legislative sessions, an attempted impeachment of the governor, the demolition of the Assembly complex, and a series of resignations from Fubara’s cabinet, particularly from commissioners aligned with Wike.
Despite earlier interventions by President Bola Tinubu and other elder statesmen in October, the crisis escalated into a full-fledged conflict. Subsequently, in December, the President engaged with Wike, Fubara, and members of their respective camps, leading to reports of a truce being reached.
I want to urge the great people of Rivers State, “do not be frightened…!” pic.twitter.com/RHYim1wvwr
— Siminalayi Fubara (@SimFubaraKSC) January 1, 2024