Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has urged politicians to stop demarketing Rivers State.
The governor, however, described the damaging media campaign by some political leaders of the state against the administration as evil acts, warning that such actions were demarketing the state.
Governor Fubara stated this at Kala-Ibiama Town, the venue of the inauguration of the 3.05 km long Kala-Ibiama section of the Kala-Ibiama-Epellema Road and Bridge in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday.
He advised such self-serving individuals to discard such depraved mentality and prioritise the advancement, economic prosperity, and positive reputation of the state over their parochial interests.
The governor said, “I want to assure everyone, especially our leaders, that Rivers State belongs to all of us. The best we can do is to contribute our little quota to better the state. Rivers State, as of today, even in the face of wonderful things that we are doing and that people are beginning to see, is faced with a dangerous media war that is demarketing the state as we are seeing today.
“The previous administration had its own fair share of it, but it wasn’t as barbaric as what we are seeing today, where people come out openly and say, yes, our mission is to demarket the State. Are you demarketing Rivers State for Fubara? Demarketing the State has nothing to do with Fubara. It has to do with all of us suffering the effects.
“We had a session when the Joint Tax Board came to the state for its meeting. They were asking: is it the Rivers State that they painted in the media as if you could be shot in the streets? We are not seeing any of those things said of it in the media. Rivers is peaceful; it is our State. What we owe this State is, wherever we find ourselves, wherever God has placed us, let us contribute to the betterment of the State, not run it down.”
Governor Fubara noted that the obstinate ones had started suffering from the punishment of God, adding that he had no choice but to leave them to the misfortune they had brought upon themselves.
Commenting on the project, Fubara dedicated the Kala-Ibiama section of the road to three important personalities who he described as political associates who shared the same political dreams for the kind of leadership to provide for the state.
Fubara noted that sadly, those associates, who were former members representing Opobo/Nkoro State Constituency from 2015 to 2023, Adonye Kelly Diri; a former deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Dagogo Eli Legg-Jack; and a former PDP chairman in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Senibo Daniel Legg-Jack, are not alive to see the evidence of what has become of the course they once supported.
He said, “It pleased the Almighty God to allow the things that happened in that time to happen. But we will continue to remember them because they started the journey with me. They followed us when a lot of people didn’t believe in our struggle for leadership. In fact, if I must borrow a quote: ‘Leaders are not by title; leaders are by their care.’ When you lead because of title, you mislead, but when you lead by care, you become a good and wonderful leader.”
Fubara expressed delight that the Kala-Ibiama road has been achieved for the people, marking the beginning of many more things that will positively impact the lives of Opobo/Nkoro people. He explained that the Kala-Ibiama community road project was conceived to connect those in Epellema community, as there was no way to connect them through the mini-highway into Opobo Town.
He said, “I am happy today that those of you who are staying far away, and who have not been to Kala-Ibiama for a while, might miss your way if you are entering Kala-Ibiama now. So, we are here to inaugurate the section of the Kala-Ibiama road. It’s about 3 km, well-built by MCC, which has shown itself as a committed company that is supporting us.
“The other section of the road is still ongoing and has a bridge that will connect Kala-Ibiama to Epellema. By the special grace of God, before the middle of next year, we will be inaugurating that section.”
Governor Fubara assured that what is happening in the Opobo axis will be replicated in the Nkoro axis, as there would not be holistic development without integrating all the sections.
He said, “This LGA is Opobo/Nkoro; it is not Opobo only. So, for my other local government neighbours, the Nkoro people, we are also coming to Nkoro Kingdom before the middle of next year to commission a project. So, don’t think that it is only Opobo we are handling. Nkoro, you have a special project that we are going to commission. The project will commence very soon, and I will be there in the next six months to commission it.”
Performing the project inauguration, former Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Adawari Michael Pepple, said Governor Fubara has continued to deliver critical infrastructure across the State, especially in Opobo Kingdom, capable of attracting and encouraging business growth. He pointed out how difficult it has been to access the Kala-Ibiama community, especially during the rainy season, a problem the reconstructed road has sufficiently addressed.
He said that in addition to the development the road will bring, there will be enhanced business opportunities, and the value of land will appreciate, but quickly added that it will not be available for land grabbers.
He explained, “Let us pray that nobody will come to grab it (land) because we shall not allow land grabbing in Opobo. Your Excellency, on the 13th of December, God showed your enemies that He is God. They came all the way from Abuja to celebrate victory. They brought it to the gate of Government House so that when the (Appeal Court) verdict came, there would be gunshots, popping of champagne, and drinking of 40 years.
“But God didn’t let it be. To the contrary, they didn’t cut their cake. When the decision came, they were like them that dream dreams. They couldn’t believe it. And so, God will continue to elevate you. God will continue to conquer your enemies for you. And you are doing roads. You are doing a lot of infrastructural development in Rivers State. You have recorded the highest number of infrastructural development projects ever by any administration in 18 years.
“You have commissioned 28 roads, totaling 291.36 km. You have 26 ongoing road projects. Who has done that before? Have you ever heard it? And you are doing so without flag-off ceremonies! Before, we would see flag-offs; midway, you would see inspection with television, and then, commissioning would become a session to abuse elders.
“Our Governor sitting there has been able to achieve 72 basic things in the education sector. Who has done that before? Nobody. And so, Your Excellency, your works will speak for you. If you go to the health sector, all the primary healthcare centres, not less than 38, have been renovated and brought back to life. 38 in the three Senatorial Districts. Who can beat your record?” he added.
Providing the project description, Rivers State Commissioner for Special Projects, Dr Rowland Obed-Whyte, said the 3.05 km long road has been built to last.
In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam, expressed the appreciation of the people to Governor Fubara for reconstructing the road that has changed the landscape of the area, adding that with the road, a better route has been provided for commutation, improved security, and enhanced socio-economic activities, and pledged the continued support of the people for the success of the administration.