Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed shock and worry over President Bola Tinubu’s mention of his name in his statement on the destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers State.
Fubara was a guest on Channels Politics Today programme, said, Violent clashes erupted in at least four local government areas — with parts of the buildings in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua council premises set ablaze by rampaging political hoodlums, while gunshots were fired sporadically in Ahoada East to resist newly elected council officials on Monday.
The burning of LG secretariats followed the withdrawal of the police officers securing the 23 council secretariats by the police early Monday.
Though the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the All-Progressives Congress (APC), and the police opted out of the election that produced the newly elected LG chairmen, Fubara insisted that the election be held on Saturday.
The Action People’s Party (APP) won 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the oil-rich state while the Action Alliance (AA) won a seat. Fubara immediately swore in the 23 newly elected local government chairmen on Sunday but some of the LG bosses were attacked upon assumption of office on Monday. Some council secretariats were also set ablaze by political opponents.
Late Monday, Tinubu, in a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, ordered the police to secure the local government secretariats in the oil-rich state. The President also “called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, political leaders and their supporters in Rivers State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law”.
Reacting to Tinubu’s statement on the crisis, Fubara said, “I do not have any issue with it (the President’s intervention) but I am a bit concerned when my name was only mentioned.
“The issue is very simple. It’s as simple as ABC, everyone in Nigeria, everyone in Rivers State knows where this issue is coming from. It’s not rocket science. We know what the issue is and the issue is not Fubara, it is not.
“I believe strongly that with the recent intervention of the Inspector General of Police, maybe we will have a breathing space.
“Maybe as a result of him pulling his men out of those secretariats might be one of the reasons, they (hoodlums) took advantage of the situation but I will appeal that while the men are there, the elected officers should have the opportunity to do their work, at least, let them provide security for them, which was even what I was thinking of.
“I was never of the opinion that the police should pull out completely. No. When they said they were moving out, it was what allowed these miscreants to take advantage of the secretariats to destroy them.”