Politics
One Year In Office: Gov Fubara Answering Critics With Projects Delivery (1)
Against the surging wave of high political brinkmanship almost immediately after assuming office on May 29, 2023, Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has continued to prove his mettle as a committed and focused leader, dispensing quality governance to the State and its people.
This is evident in the harvest of projects delivered in the State as he celebrates one year in office as the Chief Executive of Rivers State in the face of unabating distraction and provocations.
Activities marking the anniversary celebration started on Monday, May 13, with the commissioning of the Ebubu, Ete-o- Aleto road, also known as old Bori Road, in Eleme Local Government Area.
Speaking during the project commissioning, Governor Fubara declared that his response to the provocations by his detractors will be to deliver good governance and execute quality projects that will have positive impact on the lives of the people.
Accompanied by his Abia State counterpart, Governor Alex Otti, who was the Special Guest of Honour, and other critical stakeholders at the event, the Rivers State Governor said he embarked on the project, which is a by pass, to lesson the burden on the East-West Road, and as such complement the efforts of the Federal Government.
He explained further that his administration has the full support of the Federal Government but was being sabotaged by self serving unpatriotic politicians, and faulted the insinuations by political dissidents in the State that his administration was not in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Against the claims of non-indebtedness by the previous administration on projects executed, Governor Fubara revealed that contractors who handled projects under the immediate past administration were still coming to demand balance of payment.
“I’ll continue to identify with good governance, I will continue to identify with those that want to better the lots of the people. We are aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda to complement the efforts of the Federal Government with good projects”, he said.
The Governor who started his early years of career development in Eleme, thanked the people for their support to his administration and cooperation with the contractors which led to the successful completion of the project, and assured that his administration will execute more projects in the area.
He pointed out that he invited the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, to commission the project because he is not a man of artificial integrity but a man of action who is embarking on transformational projects in his State in the face of daunting challenges as well.
In his remarks, Dr Otti said Governor Fubara came prepared to serve Rivers State as nothing would distract him from attending to the welfare needs of the citizenry and urged Rivers people to continue to support the administration of Governor Fubara.
On Thursday, May 16, Governor Fubara flagged off the 33km Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road at Egbeda Town in Ikwerre Local Government Area, with a commitment to continue to deliver quality projects across the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Fubara condemned the attack on his supporters at Eleme by some unscrupulous elements shortly after the commissioning of the Aleto, Ete-o Ebubu, (Old Bori Road ), stating that such actions intended to justify loyalty to a political overlord was totally unacceptable.
He cautioned local council chairmen across the State to guard their utterances and actions, reminding them that they were left with only a few days in office and would be made to pay for hurting anyone unlawfully.
Governor Fubara maintained that he had endured the verbal abuses of his person and attacks on his followers because he had opted to tow the path of peace based on the promise he made to President Bola Tinubu, warning that his peaceful disposition should not be taken for granted.
The Governor declared that his administration came prepared for governance and was ready to account for every money spent in projects delivery, stating that he invited Senator John Mbata as the Special Guest of Honour for the flag off because the Mbata dynasty is a repository of honour and integrity in Ikwerre in particular, and Rivers State in general.
He pointed out that the dualisation of the Elele-Egbeda- Omoku road project will be financed through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and 50per cent of the total cost of the contract had been paid to the contractors in advance in order to avoid variations as a result of fluctuation of prices while charging the contractors to deliver the project in record time.
“Our mission isn’t different from President Tinibu’s Renewed Hope to Nigerians; we’re here to give hope, we’re doing it genuinely for the service of the people. We’ve started our journey of showcasing what we’ve done in the state.
“We’re a government that’s ready to serve the people; we’re transparent and genuinely care about the people. When the road is completed, commercial activities will become easy, that’s caring for the people. We’re ready and prepared for the task of governance”, he stated.
In his remarks, Senator John Mbata congratulated Governor Fubara on his one year in office and expressed delight that Rivers State has a governor of his caliber at this period in time.
He commended the Governor for his “humanity, humility, propensity and preference for peace and tranquility”, and assured to join force with stakeholders to support the Governor to emancipate the people and bring development to Rivers State.
On Friday, May 17, the newly constructed Emuoha – Kalabari Road was commissioned by former governor of Bayelsa State and serving Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.
In his speech at the commissioning ceremony, which held at Tema junction in Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Governor Fubara stated that his administration will not misappropriate funds but judiciously use the resources of the state and tax payer’s money for the development of the state.
“ Out of the total cost of N22billion, the previous administration paid N6billion. I can boldly say that the balance of N16billion, which is 70per cent of the total cost, has been completely paid, therefore we can boldly say that this project was delivered by this administration”, he said.
The Governor further approved the extension of the Emuoha-Kalabari Road from Tema junction to Abonnema Town, assuring that the Ifoko extension will be completed before the end of his administration.
In his remarks, Senator Dickson commended the Rivers State Governor for prioritising peace as the necessary recipe for development and his taste for life changing projects in Rivers State, noting that the construction of roads in the Niger Delta region is difficult and only a governor that has the love for his people can embark on such ventures.
“As a lover of Niger Delta culture and tradition, I’ve taken this road several times to most of the communities in Kalabari Kingdom. I share in the joy of those who are directly impacted”, he said.
He described Governor Fubara as a man of discipline, focus and prudence, with the capacity to rise above the altitude of distraction to dispense good governance to the people, and urged Rivers people to give the governor their unrelenting support to succeed.
From there, Governor Fubara, on Saturday, May 18, commissioned the Andoni Section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road project, completed by his administration after 24 years, declaring that the achievements recorded by his administration within the past three months have surpassed those of the previous eight years.
At the commissioning ceremony at Ngo Town, headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Governor Fubara commended the efforts of previous administrations on the project, stating that its completion and commissioning will positively impact the lives of the people of Andoni.
The governor thanked the people of Andoni for their support during his election and directed the award of contract for the extension of the road from Ngo to Oyorokoto, a coastal fishing community that is reputed to be the largest fishing settlement in West Africa.
Governor Fubara who promised to focus the attention of his administration on the development of the health, education and agriculture sectors, along other critical sectors of the state’s economy, decried a recent statistical report that scored Rivers State below benchmark in healthcare delivery, declared that his administration will carry out a total overhaul of the sector within the next six months.
By: Taneh Beemene
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar
A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.