Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed the behaviour of individuals seeking societal recognition as trivial and unworthy of prestige, alleging that such people were determined to lay hold on the soul of the state to control it as their personal estate.
The governor made these statements during an inter-denominational church thanksgiving service as part of the activities to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebration, held at St. Paul’s Cathedral of the Anglican Communion in Port Harcourt.
Governor Fubara, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabra, stated that those antagonizing his administration have continued to express frustration at seeing how firmly the affairs of State have been conducted and the milestones achieved.
The governor accused such people of being determined to lay hold on the soul of Rivers State to control it as their personal estate, but insisted that his administration has taken it already to secure it as commonly owned by all Rivers people.
Fubara said, “The frustration you are seeing in their faces today is about this point we have gotten to. So, please, be strong. All the Babylonians that we are seeing today will not see them again.
“God has a reason for allowing the devil or the evil one to stay long. It is not that He can’t take him or take them away but He gives them time to repent. And when they continue, He will come heavily, and then, they would say, it would have been better that they had left when they had time. That will be our story in this State.
“But, you see, anybody that is making noise for recognition, it is a sign that he has lost it. By the special grace of God, I don’t need an introduction. I have the name, and I am the one standing here”, he added.
“They even say they don’t know what we are doing. Let me remind them, it is Fubara that signed the paper to borrow from Zenith Bank the N200 billion for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road. So, it is my project.
“It is Fubara that awarded the Trans-Kalabari Road that they couldn’t do. They only did a bridge from Krakrama, but I am the one doing it: the complete span, and it is N225 Billion. I didn’t borrow.
“It is this same Fubara that is building a General Hospital, which I also included a Psychiatric Hospital in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, because they will need it very soon. So, tell them that what I did in one year is what they did in eight years.
“It is only empty containers that make noise. If God has given you an opportunity, eat your plantain and keep quiet. God will continue to give us the strength to do the best for our people, without fear”, he added.
Governor Fubara insisted that if they continue to deride the grace of God in his life, they will continue to struggle for needless public recognition or approval that depicts how much they have fallen out of grace themselves.
The Governor explained that his policy in office is not to embark on a mere jamboree of groundbreaking for projects but to be assured that any project started will be inaugurated and actually put to public use.
Governor Fubara said: “Very soon, you will see what we are doing. It is not about doing roads to your business interest. I don’t have any business interests. Whatever I am doing, I am doing it for the people of Rivers State.
“We will not take any decision that we cannot defend. We won’t be part of anything that will bring any form of disgrace to our dear State. This State is important to us. It is the only thing that we have.
“It is the beautiful pride. That is why they are struggling, coupled with the improvement in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) we have done. That is why they are struggling, we know. But do it with modesty; you don’t need to destroy the house”, he added
