‘It’s regrettable,’ Fubara apologises over Rivers political crisis

 

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has apologised to the people of the state over the recent political crisis.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that an impeachment plot against Mr Fubara on Monday resulted in the bombing of a part of the Rivers House of Assembly Complex, and some police operatives firing teargas and water cannons at the governor along a road in Port Harcourt.

Many people, including a former federal commissioner for information, Edwin Clark, have accused Mr Fubara’s predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, of being responsible for the impeachment plot.

The police would later explain that they fired teargas and water cannons because Governor Fubara was in the midst of “aggressive” people who were marching towards the Rivers House of Assembly Complex.

They stressed that they fired the teargas and water cannons to disperse the “riotous and uncontrollable protesters” and maintained that they did not deliberately attack the governor, or even attempt to hurt anyone during the incident.

The governor, on Wednesday, also attempted to play down the crisis and the rift between him and his predecessor, when he said the crisis was merely a problem between “father and son.”

Mr Wike, on his part, said that his grouse with Mr Fubara is that he is hobnobbing with his (Wike’s) political adversaries.

‘It’s regrettable’

Mr Fubara, in a statement on Saturday, said the crisis was regrettable and expressed his willingness to restore peace in the state.

As governor, I sincerely apologise to the good people of Rivers State for the regrettable anxieties of the last few days, while thanking you all for your concerns, and continued support, love, and prayers,” he said.

How it began

The governor, while narrating how the crisis began, said he was at Rivers Assembly Complex to assess the level of damage at the complex after it was gutted by fire.

He said he was also at the complex to “undertake remedial measures” to protect lives and property within the area, adding that he had asked security agencies to investigate the fire incident which was earlier put out by firefighters.

“Shortly after, I got reports that the State House of Assembly had broken into two factions: One claiming to have impeached and suspended the House leader and three others preparatory to initiating an impeachment action against me, and the other rival faction impeaching the speaker and deputy speaker, thus sparking off some form of political crisis,” he recalled.

Tinubu’s intervention

President Bola Tinubu mediated in the crisis during Tuesday’s meeting of the National Police Council, which he (Tinubu) presided over.

Mr Fubara, in the statement, thanked Mr Tinubu for his “fatherly intervention”. He said the president’s intervention “opened a series of communication channels to facilitate the timely resolution of the festering crises.”

He also thanked some elders in the state whom he said were currently intervening in the matter.

“Let me clearly state that my actions are aimed at restoring peace and stability in our state,” he said.

The governor said he has “a collective responsibility” with Mr Wike to leverage their “positions and influences within and outside the state” to advance the progress, security and well-being of residents of the state.

We must, therefore, not allow circumstances that could retard all efforts at achieving greatness for our people to prevail.

“On my part, I am always willing and ready to embrace the path to lasting peace and tranquillity with a commitment to consummating all efforts and initiatives by Mr President and other well-meaning Nigerians, including my brother governors and the elders,” Mr Fubara said.

“I assure the good people and youths of Rivers State that peace will certainly prevail and we shall continue to work together to advance the peace, security, progress and development of our state.”

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