Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that those who ruthlessly attempted to end his administration undemocratically, had boasted then to achieve their purpose quickly to boot him out of office within one week but failed woefully.
The governor said he had not only stayed in office for more than one year and still counting, his administration is forging on strongly with sterling leadership, focused on delivering social services and quality projects to Rivers people.
Fubara was speaking at the Rivers State Day of Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship, held at the Main Bowl of Alfred Diette-Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt Old Township last Wednesday.
The session was a gathering of thousands of enthusiastic residents and indigenes in Rivers State, including reputable worship leaders, clergies and gospel singers, who joined in the commemoration service to thank God over the botched attempt to abruptly end the administration of Governor Fubara on 30th October, 2023 by undemocratic elements and haters of the State.
He expressed gratitude to God for divine rescue by frustrating the schemes of detractors, acknowledging that without the overwhelming but organic support of Rivers people, his winning over his transducers would not have been entirely as sweet as it is now.
The governor said, “If you were not with us, if you had not stood with us, we won’t be here at this hour. A lot of you might not understand what happened on the 30th of October, 2023. It was an assassination to the people of Rivers State, indirectly and assassination at me directly.
“Since they can’t kill every one of you, they need to kill one person so that everybody will be declared dead. But somehow, somewhere, by the special grace of God, they failed. And the God that we are thanking today, what they meant for evil, God turned it to good.”
He mocked his detractors who had remained determined to derail governance, and insisted that despite their antics, his administration has demonstrated prudence, transparency and accountability in handling the financial resources of the state.
Such public financial diligence, he noted, has attracted commendations from BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation that assessed Rivers State as maintaining the Number One spot in the 2024 Fiscal Performance Ranking among the 36 states of the federation.
He said, “I can tell you, they said we are not going to last for one week, we are here, we have done one year plus. We are also doing one year anniversary of their attack.
“They said those buccaneers will not leave as local government chairmen, today, we have the 23 local government chairmen sitting here with us. They said their commissioners should resign so that we will be crippled. Today, we have more than 23 commissioners.
“They said, in a programme in Rivers State University, that we are not going to do anything, and that they want to frustrate us. They are going to make us not to succeed. But by the special grace of God, we have embarked on projects that are touching the lives of Rivers people.
“We didn’t end there. We have shown prudence that we are not here to steal your money; that we are here to be accountable. And yesterday, we saw it, it was declared by BudgIT that Rivers State has shown Transparency and Accountability and has ranked us in Number One position.”
The governor told the people that, so far, the journey of governance has been rewarding, adding that the most difficult part of the struggle has been experienced. He insisted that there is nothing happening now that cannot be surmounted, and urged all Rivers people to brace up, be strong and be assured that the unity and peace is still intact.
He said, “I now ask the question: who is the winner? So, I tell you, this evening, we are here to thank God, to appreciate God, to say God, the way you did it one year ago, we know you are going to do it again for us much more.
“So, you don’t need to bother about the stories on social media. That one is the least of your trouble. By tomorrow, I am still going to pay my contractors.
“First, we did everything that has to be done with those conditions. We went to court immediately, withdrew our matters, but they did not. And you call yourself honourable, when you cannot even obey simple instruction, and you blame it on Fubara.
“How is Fubara the problem? Fubara is not the problem! It was because we withdrew our matter, even the matter you filed, and we said we don’t want to continue: you took advantage of it, and went and got judgment. Is it not fraud?”
Governor Fubara said such dishonourable persons should not come to the public to demand that people must listen to them.
He insisted that he acted more honourably, believing that the agreement should be what should bind everybody together.
“But you know such smartness, no matter what you call yourself, it is still foolishness before God. That is why, as they said, those other things that they are looking for, to make them feel they are coming back to life, we will not do it. So, let me see how they will come to life when we don’t do it.”
Governor Fubara agreed with the preacher of the day who declared the evening an enactment of the peace of God enthroned in Rivers State.
He said Rivers people are leaving the arena confident that God is taking them to greater height of peace in this State because of the genuine hearts craving for people.
Fubara enjoined all true Rivers people to be strong and remain keyed into the overwhelming peace reigning in the state.
He stressed, “My promise to you all Rivers people is that our administration will do things that will stand the test of time. No matter what it is, we will continue to do those things that even when we leave, people will see them and say, yes, it is done for the good, not for personal interests.
“Not doing a road because I have a farm; not expanding a road because I have a business interest along that street. But I mean doing things that even when we leave, we will be remembered for leaving such legacies.”
In a short exhortation, Rev. Uma Ukpai harped on the importance of peace in every individual’s life and in Rivers State, emphasising that God abhors trouble makers whose activities are geared towards disrupting the peace and creating uncomfortable living environment.
Rev Ukpai declared that enough is enough for such people while demanding for peace, and invoking the wrath of God on disobedient persons who think they are so powerful to kick people out of their land or from any position of appointment because, according to him, God has arisen to preserve his own.
Highlights of the event included performances by Government House Choir, Preye Odede, Mbata, Ada Zion, Jackson Jones, Okopi, St. Jude’s Military Church Choir, Asu Ekiye, Frank Edwards, and Joe Praise, among others.