Why I remained silent despite provocation from Wike’s loyalist- Fubara

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday vowed to surprise those who consider his decision to implement the presidential peace agreement as a sign of weakness.

President Bola Tinubu had in December last year invited the governor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and other political leaders in Rivers to a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in a bid to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in the state.

Despite opposition to the agreements signed at the meeting, including the reinstatement of the 26 loyalists of the FCT minister who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Fubara in a statewide broadcast on Christmas Day promised to implement the peace pacts.

However, the matter has not been fully resolved with the warring parties accusing each other of breaching the peace agreements.

The Assembly last week threatened to resume the impeachment proceedings against Fubara over alleged breach of the constitution.

The governor, who spoke when members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) from the 23 local government areas of the state visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt, said he had been inundated with several comments about the implementation of the peace initiative.

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He added that he chose to be silent on the matter out of maturity and wisdom.

The governor noted that he had commenced implementation of the agreement solely because of his respect for President Tinubu and warned other political actors taking his humility and compliance as a sign of weakness.

Fubara urged the people to continue to support his administration and peacefully obey the rules.

He said: “Let me say it here for record purposes: What is happening here in our dear state is somebody who has respect for an elder. Mr. President invited all the parties to Abuja, and came out with a resolution that we should go and implement. That resolution, I am implementing. It is not a constitutional implementation. It is a political solution to a problem.

“And I am doing it because of the respect I have for Mr. President. But, let me say it here, if that action that I have accepted to take would be seen as a weakness, I will surprise them. I want this message to go to them.

“Some days ago, somebody said we are busy renting a crowd for thanksgiving. But what I have seen here today, it’s not different from what is happening at those thanksgiving rallies. People are just appreciating God and good governance.