Fubara prevents rivers from becoming anyone’s personal property – Odili
Former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, has praised Governor Siminalayi Fubara for navigating political challenges over the past year and more since the crisis began in October 2023.
Odili stated that Governor Fubara’s struggles were not motivated by personal gain but rather by the collective good of Rivers State, emphasising that the fight is to ensure that the state is not reduced to any individual’s personal property.
“The battle he fought was not for himself or his family but in the interest of our dear state,” the governor said.
“It was an existential fight for the soul of our state, to reaffirm and reassert that Rivers State can never be anybody’s personal property.”
Odili made these statements during a special Christmas Ballad organised by his family in celebration of Governor Fubara’s family at his home in Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
Reflecting on Governor Fubara’s leadership, Odili, who served as Rivers State governor from 1999 to 2007, expressed confidence that God would complete the positive changes that were already underway in the state.
He also complimented the administration’s attempts to restore a sense of contentment among federal servants and the general public, reminiscent of the pre-2007 era.
“Someone called us a few nights ago and said that the last time they saw such happiness, smiles on people’s faces, and cheers in the hearts of civil servants was before 2007,” Dr. Odili told us.
Since October 2023, Rivers State has experienced significant political turbulence, primarily involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The crisis, which began with a fire in the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, led to an attempt by 27 House members, led by Speaker Martin Amaeehule, to initiate an impeachment proceeding against Governor Fubara, resulting in the Complex’s demolition for renovation.
In December 2023, 27 Assembly members, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal divisions within the party.
In response, the Assembly, led by Edison Ehie, a state court-appointed Speaker, declared their seats vacant and requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hold by-elections.
The political turmoil sparked numerous legal battles, and in January 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja confirmed Martin Amaewhule as the genuine Speaker, notwithstanding the defections, despite the Fubara camp’s claim that the matter of defection was not before the court.
The court then overturned the 2024 Rivers State budget, concluding that it had not been properly presented to the Assembly.
In October 2024, another court ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop releasing monthly allocations to the Rivers State Government, claiming constitutional infractions in budget execution.
A Federal High Court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to refrain from delivering voter registration forms to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the purpose of holding local government elections.
However, the Court of Appeal reversed decisions on both the local government elections and the state allocation, favouring Governor Fubara.
Throughout 2024, tensions between Governor Fubara and Minister Wike lingered, with Fubara alleging Wike of seeking to dominate state activities and Wike accusing Fubara of being ungrateful.
Despite these hurdles, Governor Fubara has demonstrated tenacity, citing public support and divine intervention as sources of strength.