Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara has appealed to his predecessor and Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to allow him govern the state in peace.
He made the appeal while reacting to the arson and explosion that rocked three local government area secretariats following the last Saturday council elections in the state.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV on Monday, Mr Fubara said there was no need for anybody to destroy the state under the guise of expressing grievances.
He recalled that the state was envy of all during the tenure of Mr Wike, hence the need to provide him with all the necessary support to succeed.
While reminding the minister that he can’t win all the battles, Mr Fubara said it was time for governance and not politics.
He said: “My appeal is that everyone should shield their sword. Even to the Minister, my oga, there is no need to destroy things. He once ruled and the state was the envy of every other state.
“Another person is there now; what he needs is to give his support. After four years, or who knows eight years, I will also leave, and another person will take over. That should be the spirit.
“When the election comes, you can fight and do whatever. But now is time for governance. We need all the support.
“We are complaining that Nigeria oil production is low and we are trying to improve our production stage, we have the problems in Emohua and Degema we are trying to manage it and we are now adding in-house issues. This is an in-house issue that ought not to be out.
When asked to reveal the cause of the rift between him and his erstwhile benefactor , Mr Fubara said, “We all know the issue. It is very simple. It has to do with the issue of power and control. You have all seen it in this case.
“If elections had been held in Rivers and council chairmen had been inaugurated in a normal situation, do we even need anybody to go and obstruct them from entering the secretariats?
“Maybe there is somebody somewhere who believes that he is higher than the authority in the state. It is all issues of power.
“I don’t intend to discuss it and I don’t want to take issues with that. I want to focus on governance and manage the situations as much as I can.
He also said he has honoured every agreement reached with his political godfather.
” I don’t think there is any understanding we had that I haven’t kept. There is no understanding that we had that I haven’t kept. Like I said, I won’t want to discuss those issues,” he added.
On the interventions of President Bola Tinubu directing the police to restore normalcy in the state, Mr Fubara said: “I don’t have any issue with the President’s intervention.
“But I am a bit concerned when my name was only mentioned. But like I said, since it is coming from the President, I have no comments about it.
“This issue is simple. It is as simple as an ABC. Everyone in Nigeria and Rivers knows where this issue is coming from. It is not rocket science. The issue is not Fubara.”
Mr Fubara also attributed the total withdrawal of policemen from the secretariats by the Inspector-General of Police for the attack on the secretariat.
He said: ”I believe strongly that with the recent intervention of the IGP we would have peace. Maybe as a result of him pulling his men out of those secretariats was one of the reasons why they took advantage of that. If the officers had been there and the elected officers would also have the opportunity to do their work. They should provide security.
“It was what I was thinking. I was never of the opinion that the Nigerian police should pull out completely. But when they said they were moving out it was what gave the opportunity for these miscreants to take advantage of the secretariats to destroy them. I understand that. They should come back and join hands with the chairmen to protect the councils’ property”.
