THE Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, now suspended for six months following, the proclamation of a state of emergency in the state by President Bola Tinubu, has exonerated himslef and blamed the Federal capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, for the lingering political crisis and what has befallen the state.
Recall that Tinubu, had in the broadcast announcing emergency rule in Rivers State, blamed Fubara for much of the crisis, alleging, among others: “It is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis.
“A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot…
“Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them…
“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them.”
However, responding in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Nelson Chukwudi, issued on Thursday, March 20, Fubara denied the allegation that he did nothing to dissuade criminal groups and militants from making good their threats to attack oil installations.
He also said that not true that he abandoned the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex after it was demolished, saying that the new complex was under 80 per cent completion.
According to the statement: “There was also another claim that after demolishing the hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly on Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the governor did nothing to rebuild the facility.
“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the statements as mere results of lack of adequate information to the Presidency by those tasked with the responsibility of providing same to guide decision-making, but it has become imperative to set the records straight and correct the erroneous impression such narratives are creating in the minds of the Nigerian people.
“First, it is important to clarify that Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and also did not in any way ‘telegraph’ the reported attacks on any oil facility in the state.”
He attributed some developments in the state to a controversial comment made vy Wike about the Ijaw, saying he refused to tender an apology when the people asked him to do so.
Fubara listed other instances when Wike’s supporters alleged stoke tension, while his loyalists maintained calm, noting: “It is on record that the reaction of stakeholders in the Niger Delta, especially elders, chiefs, women, Ijaw National Congress (INC), its youth wing- IYC, as well as militants, among others, was triggered by remarks by Wike, in a live media chat, during which he dismissed the Ijaw as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity, saying that the Ijaw are not the only ones that are militants and can blow up pipelines; that Ogonis, Ikwerres and others are also militants and can as well blow up pipelines.
“Most Ijaw groups and leaders even demanded an apology from the FCT Minister, which he rebuffed.
“Available public records show that Fubara, on several occasions and at every forum, including all the project commissioning events, as well as the handover of the AW139 Helicopter to the Nigerian Air Force, between March 3 and 13, 2025, made it clear that his administration was committed to the peace, security and safety of oil facilities in the State.
“He often recalled his pivotal role as a member of the Presidential Committee on the Protection of Oil Installations in the Region and repeatedly emphasised the need to protect oil pipelines and other facilities in the state, urging his supporters and the people of the state to avoid acts capable of destabilising the state or sabotaging the nation’s economy.
“Since inception as the Chief Executive of Rivers State, Fubara has prioritised investment in upscaling the welfare and operational equipment of all personnel and arms of the Armed Forces and security agencies in the state by building livable office and residential accommodation for officers and men and donating vehicles, gunboats, helicopters and other critical needs of the formations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of their duties.
“His commitment to total peace and good governance in the state has contributed significantly to increased oil production and revenues for the country since May 29, 2023, as the continuous rise in the accruable revenue from the state into the Federation Account has shown over the months.
“On the claim that the governor acted with impunity to demolish the hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly and did nothing to rebuild the chambers, 14 months after, it is on record that the governor acted based on professional advice and guidance.
“Let it be clarified that the former governor and now FCT minister repeatedly criticised the dilapidated and leaking Assembly Complex, and during the commissioning of the Assembly Quarters in August 2022, challenged the lawmakers to take responsibility for the poor state of the edifice, rejecting requests to rebuild it to ensure a conducive legislative environment for the lawmakers.
“It must be noted that immediately after the incident of October 29, 2023, on experts’ reports, the government decided to heed the age-old demands of the lawmakers to rebuild the facility and promptly demolished the dilapidated structure to give way to a state-of-the-art Assembly Complex, which is now nearly 80 per cent completed.
“It would be recalled that in the wake of the most peaceful and violence-free local government election in the state on October5, 2024, supporters of the FCT minister violently attacked and razed facilities in some local government council secretariats without any reprisals from Fubara’s supporters.
“It is also pertinent to draw the attention of security agencies to the fact that LGAs where those attacks were unleashed are the same places that have repeatedly witnessed violence perpetrated by detractors of the Fubara-led administration.
“This is why it is important for the security agencies to focus on the real purveyors of violence, critically evaluate these incidents, and diligently undertake investigations to unravel the elements behind the crimes and bring them to justice without let or hindrance.
“It is clearly untrue that somebody who has all the while preached peace and non-violence, even in the face of extreme provocations, would be “telegraphing attacks on oil pipelines” and breaching the peace he has worked so hard to promote and sustain for the good of the people of the state.”
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