…Says he won’t abandon loyalists despite painful political sacrifice
…Insists reconciliation with Wike is in Rivers’ best interest
By Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has directed members of the Simplified Movement, his political support structure, to cease further political operations in order to consolidate the fragile peace agreement between him and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The governor made the declaration during a closed-door meeting with leaders and members of the movement in Port Harcourt, following renewed efforts to stabilise the state’s political climate after months of bitter internal conflict within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Fubara stated that the need for political reconciliation and unity, as brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, supersedes individual interests, stressing that “there is no price too big for peace.”
“We have fought. In my own assessment and in the assessment of anyone genuine in this struggle, we have done what we needed to do. At this point, if you want to be truthful, the only solution is peace,” he said.
Fubara acknowledged the sacrifices made during the prolonged political standoff but maintained that moving forward required strategic compromise.
“Nobody can take away the role the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, played. We might have had our differences, but nobody here will say he doesn’t know the role he played or the risk he took,” the governor noted.
He confirmed that a one-on-one meeting with Wike had already taken place and both men had “spoken as family.”
Fubara urged members of the movement to support his decision to embrace peace, describing it as a collective sacrifice needed to rescue the state’s development trajectory from prolonged political stagnation.
“If you say you are with me and you believe in me, this is the time to show it. It is not even about me. It’s about the overall interest of the state,” he said.
Referencing several abandoned development projects across the state as a consequence of the prolonged rift, Fubara said the cost of continued political warfare was too high.
“In the midst of this crisis between me and the FCT Minister, look at the projects we’ve initiated. Many have been abandoned. We know the progress we would have recorded. So, there’s need for this peace that’s the truth,” he lamented.
Amid concerns from members of the Simplified Movement about political marginalisation, the governor gave assurances that no one would be left behind.
“I cannot abandon you people. This is the time for me to prove to you that I care. Whichever way it goes, I will not abandon anybody,” he declared.
He, however, warned that the cost of sustaining peace would be “heavy” and called for patience and understanding from his followers.
