Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara says he is not bothered about a second term in office. Fubara told traditional rulers, chiefs, and leaders of Kalabari-Ijaw who visited him in Port Harcourt that his current preoccupation was ensuring peace and development in the state.
Sounding philosophical, he said: ‘’power resides with God.’’
Fubara referred to a politician (Abubakar Audu ) who was elected governor of Kogi State but never lived to witness his inauguration.
He was also quick to tell the delegation that his supporters needed not worry about his re-election because “when we get to the bridge we will cross it.”
His words: “Power belongs to God. There is a late governor-elect, from one of the northern states, he won an election. After winning, he didn’t live to be sworn in, not even sworn in, to be declared before swearing-in.
“So, I believe that when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. So, you don’t need to worry when we get to that bridge we will cross it. It will be in a way that our enemies will be struggling and they won’t see when we are passing and they will wake up to see that we are on the other side of the bridge.”
The governor said people should realise the limited nature of life and know that the most important task remained to be peaceful with themselves and their neighbours.
“It (peaceful co-existence) reduces every acrimony. It is only when there is peace that there will be development. It is only when there is peace in our communities that government can come in to do things,” Fubara said.
The governor said he was overwhelmed by the calibre of Kalabari people that visited him and mocked those, who he said could not mobilise five percent of his visitors for a reception.
He said: “What I see here is only the Kalabari, we have not added the Igbanis or the Okrika and Ogu/Gbolo people. Some people organise a reception in the name of Ijaw but they did not have five percent of what we have here and the quality of chiefs that we have here, including the traditional rulers that are here. So, we have here, the right people sitting with the true Kalabari ethnic nationality.
“There is no story anywhere and nothing to be said. Look at the faces of the people here. These are the true faces of the Kalabari people, anybody who is not here, there might be a reason, probably an issue of nature. The truth about it is that you have spoken and everybody has heard you. The message is clear and I am secure.”
The governor commended his visitors, saying that his gestures towards their communities were not borne out of his desire for votes but ‘’out of responsibility to make their lives better.’’
Fubara said: “You have given me so much energy and a reason to dare other areas within your place where others are scared to enter. We entered the first, then we can enter the second one.
“It is usually said that honesty is very expensive and you don’t expect it from cheap people. My heart is very clean and my commitment to governance is pure.
“So, when you see what we are doing, you will understand that we are not cheap people, we are honest and expensive with the quality of the things we are doing. Don’t expect it from others, you can only get it from those their intentions are pure”.
The governor explained that his administration ventured into the Trans-Kalabari Road with its eyes open.
“It isn’t a joke. it is a big project and we believe that at the end, the level of development that it will attract to that line entry into Kalabari will be unprecedented”, he said.
Fubara commended his visitors and promised that his government would visit issues of shore protection and reclamation of more land. swamps and creeks.
The governor, who also spoke on tertiary education in the state, said: “It won’t be like those campuses created but not self-sustaining, and as of today there is a memo requesting that those campuses be consolidated back to the main campus of the university. Ours won’t be that way.
He praised Kalabari sons and daughters in his administration, especially the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Tammy Danagogo for their overwhelming support.
On the characters of the Ijaw, he said: “You know our people, our Ijaw people no matter the ethnic group whether the Igbani, the Kalabari, the Wakrike and even part of Abua, they are people with character. We have conquered because of our strong will.
“We are a people that even if you are feeding us when you do the wrong thing we will ask you to take your food, but we will stand by the truth.
‘’I want us to continue to be that strong people. They will come in different ways to divide us, but we must remain strong. You have been standing. Continue to stand with us.
“Be assured that we will continue to defend you. Those of you who have legal battles because you are supporting us, we will not abandon you. Your success is our success. I am happy to talk to you people and honestly very emotional.”
