Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has apologised to the people of the state for what he called ‘regrettable anxiety’, following the political crisis that rocked the state earlier this week.
Governor Fubara also thanked President Bola Tinubu, Rivers Elders and his brother governors for their intervention.
In a statement that he signed, titled “Peace Is Priceless”, the governor recalled the events from the fire incident at the State Assembly Complex on Sunday night to the division in the House and his visit to the complex, the Governor maintained that his actions were aimed at restoring peace and stability in Rivers State.
He said as a man of peace, the advancement of the state is his primary concern and that no sacrifice is too much for him to take to achieve this objective.
Fubara also said his predecessor and Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, shares a collective responsibility with him to leverage on their positions and influences within and outside the state to advance the progress, security and well-being of the people of Rivers State.
Read the full statement below:
RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
**PEACE IS PRICELESS*
MY DEAR GOOD PEOPLE OF RIVERS STATE.
I CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO ISSUE THIS PRESS STATEMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE PAST FEW DAYS IN OUR DEAR STATE.
LATE ON SUNDAY NIGHT, 29TH OCTOBER 2023, I WAS INUNDATED WITH REPORTS THAT THE HALLOWED CHAMBER OF THE RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN GUTTED BY FIRE. THE BLAZE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE SERVICE, AFTER WHICH SECURITY AGENCIES TOOK CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.
MY VISIT TO THE ASSEMBLY COMPLEX ON MONDAY, 30TH OCTOBER 2023 WAS TO ASSESS THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE AND UNDERTAKE REMEDIAL MEASURES TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE ASSEMBLY COMPLEX. I CHARGED THE SECURITY AGENCIES TO THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT AND REPORT TO ME.
SHORTLY AFTER, I GOT REPORTS THAT THE STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN INTO TWO FACTIONS: ONE CLAIMING TO HAVE IMPEACHED AND SUSPENDED THE HOUSE LEADER AND 3 OTHERS PREPARATORY TO INITIATING AN IMPEACHMENT ACTION AGAINST ME, AND THE OTHER RIVAL FACTION IMPEACHING THE SPEAKER AND DEPUTY SPEAKER, THUS SPARKING OFF SOME FORM OF POLITICAL CRISIS.
I WISH TO THANK THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR, FOR HIS FATHERLY INTERVENTION WHICH OPENED A SERIES OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO FACILITATE THE TIMELY RESOLUTION OF THE FESTERING CRISES. I WISH TO ALSO THANK OUR ELDERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY INTERVENING IN THE MATTER.
LET ME CLEARLY STATE THAT MY ACTIONS ARE AIMED AT RESTORING PEACE AND STABILITY IN OUR STATE. I AM A MAN OF PEACE AND AS GOVERNOR, THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR STATE IS MY PRIMARY CONCERN. CONSEQUENTLY, NO SACRIFICE IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO MAKE TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE.
FURTHERMORE, IT IS THE COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE IMMEDIATE PAST GOVERNOR AND MINISTER OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, HIS EXCELLENCY, CHIEF BARRISTER, EZENWO NYESOM WIKE, GSSRS, LIFE BENCHER AND MY HUMBLE SELF, TO LEVERAGE ON OUR POSITIONS AND INFLUENCES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE STATE TO ADVANCE THE PROGRESS, SECURITY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR PEOPLE.
WE MUST THEREFORE NOT ALLOW CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD RETARD ALL EFFORTS AT ACHIEVING GREATNESS FOR OUR PEOPLE TO PREVAIL.
ON MY PART, I AM ALWAYS WILLING AND READY TO EMBRACE THE PATH TO LASTING PEACE AND TRANQUILITY WITH A COMMITMENT TO CONSUMMATING ALL EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES BY MR. PRESIDENT AND OTHER WELL-MEANING NIGERIANS, INCLUDING MY BROTHER GOVERNORS AND THE ELDERS.
I ASSURE THE GOOD PEOPLE AND YOUTHS OF RIVERS STATE, THAT PEACE WILL CERTAINLY PREVAIL AND WE SHALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE PEACE, SECURITY, PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STATE.
AS GOVERNOR, I SINCERELY APOLOGISE TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF RIVERS STATE FOR THE REGRETTABLE ANXIETIES OF THE LAST FEW DAYS, WHILE THANKING YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONCERNS, AND CONTINUED SUPPORT, LOVE, AND PRAYERS.
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS OUR DEAR RIVERS STATE.
Signed
HIS EXCELLENCY,
SIR SIMINALAYI FUBARA, GSSRS,
GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE.
3RD NOVEMBER, 2023.
