Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said he is neither scared of anything nor anybody, saying he has records to show all his activities followed approval.

The governor said everything he is doing is in a white paper devoid of any manipulation.

Fubara assured that his administration will continue to deliver projects that impact positively on the people directly while also empowering them to live better lives.

The governor stated that the Egbeda Internal Roads Project has been accomplished to both satisfy the needs of the people by making them happy and solving the perennial flooding problems experienced in the area.

He gave the assurance at Egbeda Community Secondary School field, the venue of the inauguration of the Egbeda Internal Roads project in Emohua Local Government Area on Tuesday.

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Acknowledging the support of the people before, during and after the elections, he said what his administration owed them was the dividends of democracy that included projects and social service delivery.

He said, “One thing is awarding a job, another is delivering in record time. I want to thank the contractor for standing by his words.

“Let me also thank the great people of Egbeda, and by extension, the Emohua Local Government Area for your support before, during and after the elections. You have shown so much support.

“And for us, what do we owe you? We owe you the dividends of democracy. And what are the dividends of democracy? Service to our people!”

Fubara further said, “There is nothing wrong in rebuilding a road, there is nothing wrong in promising to develop an area. But what is important is when you want to do those things, do them to the satisfaction of the people.

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“And what we have done here in Egbeda today is not just building the internal roads, but meeting your needs, solving your flood problem, that is what we have done.

“So, I want to also thank you for your support, because you cooperated with the contractor, that is why he delivered in record time.”

Fubara reiterated that the projects people are seeing were accomplishments of four months because his administration started taking decisions and confronting governance in February 2024.

He said, “We are just starting but I assure you more attention. If in four months, we can do this, and we are getting this level of applause, you can imagine what will happen when we do one year of our record time and two years of our own record time, Rivers State will have experienced something different from the regular governance.

“I know why I said four months. We started full governance in February 2024. That was when we started making decisions when we started confronting governance. And I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done.

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“What we want to do is to bring governance to our people, service delivery at record time, and in a cost-effective way.

“Everything that we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along, so, there is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, anytime, it is there. Even the ones I did before this time, I still have all the records.

“If you call me any day, I will bring the records of all my activities in government, because I know that as a civil servant, what is most important is record keeping; so that if you are not there, and something happens, it is just for somebody to pick up the file and he will see the history.

“That is how I am trained, and I have that in my mind before I do anything. So, I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me any day, anytime, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approval and not personal decision,” he said.

In response to the request made by the Egbeda community, Fubara granted the extension of work on the road from Egbeda to Omerelu and promised to upgrade the community secondary school without inclusion of boarding facilities.

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Performing the inauguration of the project, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, said he drove with Governor Fubara on the road while accessing the venue of the event, and can testify of the commitment of his brother governor to sustain infrastructure development in the State.

He said, “This road project at Egbeda bears true testimony of the commitment of the Rivers State Government towards fulfilling its promise of sustainable infrastructure development of the State.

“It is reassuring that these all-season roads will economically empower, not only the people of Egbeda but the entire Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“With these roads, the people will enjoy better socio-economic empowerment and integration between the local government and the rest of the state.”

Describing the project, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Atemea Briggs, said the construction of the Egbeda Internal Roads project was delivered within schedule and fully paid for.

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He explained that the internal roads were initially awarded by the immediate past administration on March 9, 2023, to Monier Construction Company Nigeria Limited (MCC) at a cost of N3.87bn.

“Later on November 27, 2023, the contract was reversed to include additional roads to better serve the Egbeda community. As a result, the reverse contract sum was increased to N12bn.

“Before our Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara took office on May 29, 2023, only N1.5billion of the contract sum had been paid by the previous administration,” he said.

Engr Briggs said the roads entailed an increase of the total lanes from 9.32 kilometres to 21.5 kilometres, and the total drainage length to 25.4 kilometres.

On his part, the Chairman, Board of Directors of Monier Construction Company, Senator John Azuta Mbata, expressed gratitude to the governor for giving them the honour to handle the project.
PUNCH

Elder statesman and national leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, has asked the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdulahi Ganduje, to dissociate themselves from the alleged attempt by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to bring down the government of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Clark made the call in a letter dated May 20, 2024 and addressed to both party chairmen.

The letter was made available to The PUNCH on Monday

According to him, the letter was in the interest of peace and stability in the country, adding that the support given to Wike by both men resulted in the attempt to topple the Fubara-led administration.

“I am therefore appealing to you, in the interest of peace and stability in Nigeria to disassociate yourselves from plan by Wike for no just cause to bring down the government of his successor, Governor Fubara.

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“I strongly advise both of you to retrace your steps and take charge of your political parties in Rivers State and not leave it for Wike who is neither PDP nor APC.

“The support given to Nyesom Wike by both party’s chairmen has made him courageous enough to intimidate and anger the Rivers State Governor and government and this is seen as an act to overthrow the duly elected Governor, which is criminal”, the letter read.

He faulted the Chairman of the APC for relating with the Caretaker Committee in the state, whom he alleged Wike appointed under the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, after the legitimate Chairman, Emeka Beke, was suspended.

“One may be tempted to ask the National Chairman of the APC why he chose to deal with a caretaker committee of APC which the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, had earlier presented the committee to him in the APC secretariat in Abuja, before constituting it as a caretaker committee.

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“But curiously, you now deal with a caretaker committee instead of the elected Chairman. I hope you are aware of the court action filed against you and APC by the elected Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Emeka Beke. The old APC members by law are the APC leaders because they were never removed before the illegal caretaker committee was imposed on Rivers State, who are loyalists to Wike.”

The Ijaw leader similarly questioned the PDP Chairman’s knowledge of the FCT Minister’s anti-party activities, by seeking court injunctions against certain party chieftains, to prevent them from attending the National Executive Council meeting of April 18, 2024.

“Ambassador Damagum cannot honestly claim to be unaware of the grave anti-party activities being executed by Wike when he (Wike) secretly took court injunction against founding and senior members of PDP and senior officials from Rivers State like the former National Chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus, His Excellency Celestine Omehia, former Governor of Rivers State, Austin Okpara who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Abuja, Dr Abiye Sekibo, former Minister of Transportation, Sen Lee Maeba, etc to prevent them from attending the PDP NEC meeting of 18th April 2024.”

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Clark therefore asked the party chairmen to caution Wike and to withdraw from what he described as the “madness of politics” of Rivers State while alleging that both men were equally involved in the crisis.

“As a patriotic old statesman, I strongly believe that I should address this letter to you to call to order FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike because he is dancing naked in the open market in the politics of madness in Rivers State with one leg each in the two parties.

“I know both of you are fully aware of and involved in the political crisis in Rivers State, which is caused by Wike, who is controlling the two parties in Rivers State, particularly the PDP. I strongly advise both of you to withdraw from the madness of politics of Rivers State to avoid the dangerous crisis facing Rivers State, one of the most important states producing the resources used to sustain the economy of this country,” he added.

…targets 40,000 new votes

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has boasted that his government plays politics of evidence amd achievement, not lies or propaganda.

The Governor boasted at the inauguration of over 200 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Committee for Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) for the September 21 2024 Governorship Election in the state.

The governor, while inaugurating the Campaign Committee at the Party’s Secretariat along Airport Road in Benin City on Monday, noted that his administration’s performance over the last seven and a half years will guarantee the party’s victory in the forthcoming guber poll.

He described Oredo as the barometer of politics in the State, noting that the party was presenting the best and most qualified candidate with the know-how to sustain the State’s growth trajectory.

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He said, “We are changing the politics in Oredo to ensure the voters’ turnout is high as against the low turnout recorded before. Our pensioners will not vote for people that will eat their money.

“Our campaign is based on what we have done and achieved in the last seven and half years. We have done well in terms of infrastructure, schools, health, sports, and other areas.

“We have the best candidate in this election and will support him as he is not new. He knows what to do to continue from where we will stop. We all must participate in this election as it’s for the future of our youths.”

Obaseki continued: “The Committee that we are inaugurating today is to manage the election, and we must focus on the units. In the last election, INEC created new units and people can’t find their new units. We should help people find their new units.

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“Help and make sure all those young people that don’t have PVCs register and get their own. This election is for the youth and our future. It’s to show the young people and assure them that hope is not lost as we have brought the right candidates in this election to support what we have done and to ensure it continues.

“We have a 30-year development plan that will guide Edo State and Asue Ighodalo knows what to do. He is an experienced manager of men and materials. He will not go through what I went through.”

The governor added, “I have laid the foundation and he will build on it. I worked to build the foundation and system and we have achieved that today. I will not leave you but will give you all the support you need to succeed in your assignment.

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“I am here to launch the campaign team and support you. We will give you all the list of roads we have done and our achievements. We know we will win but are concerned about the landslide victory in this election. I formally inaugurate the Oredo Campaign Committee for the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for the 21st of September, 2024.”

The Director General (DG) of Oredo Federal Constituency, Raymond Enogieru said politics is all about results, noting that “this is not a time to experiment.”

A party leader in the Council area, Edose Ebonwonyi said Oredo is special in the political landscape of the State, adding, “We will not make excuses but deliver our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.”