Amid the political uncertainty rocking Rivers State that has seen seven members of his cabinet resign within the past 24 hours, Governor Siminalayi Fubara reassured investors on Friday that the state is not in crisis.
Addressing investors during the commencement of 20,000 housing units in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, Fubara assured them that Rivers State is highly secure and safe for their investments.
“Rivers State is a haven for investment. What we are doing today is to let the world know; not what you hear on the radio or what you see on the screen of television, ‘Rivers State is not safe, there is a crisis’.
“Rivers State is safe and secure for anybody anywhere to come and invest, your investment is safe in our hands,” Fubara said.
The governor additionally guaranteed the state’s residents that his administration would provide for and protect them. He emphasized that his government has no intention of engaging in conflicts with anyone.
“For our people, I want to assure you that our governance has nothing to do with fighting anybody. Our governance is to take care of and defend our people.”
“I can assure you here that this is the beginning of our service to the people of Rivers State. It is not service to big men like me but like to the low-income people,” he said.
The ongoing political turmoil in the state, sparked by the discord between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has resulted in a fractured state House of Assembly.
In a recent development, twenty-seven lawmakers, originally from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier in the week. However, another faction led by Edison Ehie declared their seats vacant in response to the defection.
Governor Fubara, citing the unsuitability of the structure that had been damaged by fire two months prior, proceeded to demolish the Assembly complex. Subsequently, he presented the 2024 budget to the Ehie-led group at the Government House in Port Harcourt, following a court order that restrained the Martins Amaewhule-led group, perceived allies of Wike, from using the assembly.
The most recent development is a series of resignations from the state executive council, with a total of seven commissioners leaving Governor Fubara’s cabinet.