From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The leadership of the former Rivers State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and members of the PDP in Rivers State have declared their support for the governments of President Bola Tinubu and Rivers State Governor, Siminialayi Fubara.
Members of the PCC in the state said they believed Tinubu and Fubara were duly elected by Nigerians and Rivers people respectively, as affirmed by the Supreme Court judgements.
Former Director-General of the PCC in Rivers, Abiye Sekibo, while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, urged President Tinubu and Governor Fubara to work together for their good of Rivers people.
He said: “We have just risen from a meeting of the leadership of the former Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council and members of the PDP in Rivers State who stood by the party after the National Convention of our party produced our Presidential Candidate His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar.
“The elections are since over and the Supreme Court has ruled on the finality of that contest, pronounced His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR) as the duly elected President of Nigeria.We stand by that verdict.
“As law-abiding citizens, and responsible leaders of our party in Rivers State, we recognise the elected President of our country and pledge our full support for the success of his administration for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“In effect, we subscribe to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the President’s efforts at strengthening our economy, promoting peace and harmony in our dear country, Nigeria.
“In the same vein, His Excellency, Amaopusenibo Sir Siminalayi Fubara was elected democratically as Governor of Rivers State, and also confirmed by the Supreme Court.
“As indigenes of Rivers State, we have no choice, but to give our dear governor our total loyalty and support for the progress of our State.
“In that same vein, we urge our Governor and Mr. President to work together for the good of Rivers people. With the elections over, now is the time for real governance for the progress of our people.”
The leadership of PCC in Rivers expressed worries about the political unrest witnessed in the state in the last few months, which has threatened the peace of the state and appealed on President Tinubu not to overlook the crisis.
Sekibo declared: “Today, we are sad. In the last few months, the peace of our state has been disturbed by the foolish actions of one selfish man who believes that more than seven million Rivers people are his slaves. Our people are not a conquered lot and would never subscribe to the mentality of conquest. This is a young man whom God blessed, and elevated from absolutely nothing to the position of Governor of our state for eight years.
“Unfortunately, he has consistently abused the privilege that God bestowed upon him through the votes of the people of Rivers State, by committing crimes against the interest of the State.
“For eight years, he personalised the revenues of Rivers State Government and treated projects as though they were his personal donations. He traded with the future of the youths of Rivers State. He created no jobs neither did he empower the youths and women of our State, except a few fanatically misguided cultists who he consistently used to insult and harass those who dared to call him to order.
“He has misappropriated our commonwealth, bought all the Rivers State Government-owned landed assets; civil servants quarters, the old NDDC building along Aba Road Port Harcourt, the Shopping Mall opposite the NDDC building on Aba Road Port Harcourt, the Catering Rest House on Harley Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Government-owned Nigerian Engineering Works (NEW) in Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout, the Rivbank Building on Aba Road, and several other landed prime assets, and Government-owned guest houses in Old and New Government Reservation Areas of Port Harcourt.
He acquired vast parcels of land in Emohua and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and other Local Government Areas in the name of Rivers State Government and later converted them to his personal estate.
“Lately, he has resorted to insulting our revered leader, and former Governor, His Excellency Sir Dr Peter Odili, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); and his wife Her Excellency Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili, CFR, JSC, DSSRS because they refused to support him in his failed attempt to impeach the duly elected Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Grand Service Star of Rivers State (GSSRS).”
Meanwhile, the group has stated that it has nothing against President Tinubu compensating former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, with the office of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The PCC, however, advised Tinubu to keep a close watch on the FCT administration, because the minister said he would replicate his governance in the area.
The group stressed: “We wish to also let the President know that we are solidly with the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, and will not allow an illegal and unconstitutional assembly of any sort, try to impeach him or disrupt the smooth governance of our dear state and cause a breach of the public peace. Rivers State is too economically strategic for the nation to be toyed with.”
Among the PDP stalwarts at the briefing were: Senator Lee Maeba Former Chairman, Presidential Campaign Committee (PCC); former governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru; former National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus; Celestine Omehia and Austin Opara.