Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Wednesday boasted that he is still in power, despite the protracted crisis rocking the state.
He mocked the camp of his political opponents, saying he is still in possession of the red biro.
Exuding confidence, Fubara said: “The Red Biro is still filled. It is still here with me. Every plan of the enemy will continue to crash”.
The red biro symbolises the overwhelming power of the governor under the presidential system and the advantage of immunity while in office.
But, a group, Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM), urged the governor to remember his past and how fate catapulted him to the number one seat.
The group also kicked against the recent attack on Wike by former Governor Peter Odili, recalling that the elderstatesman never supported Fubara for governor in 2023.
Governor Fubara spoke at the crossover service held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo, in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, said that his foes had been defeated.
He declared in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, that God would crush Rivers’ enemies in the New Year.
Fubara joined the congregation in singing the deliverance song: “At the mention of your name (God), every knee shall bow. At the mention of your name, every tongue confess. That you are Lord, you are Lord, you are King, you are King of kings.”
He said the wordings of the song were not just consolatory, but a charge to embolden the people to firm up their trust in God, who alone could navigate the path to greater triumph in the New Year.
The Anglican Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese, Dr Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, who conducted the service, recalled the many challenges, including conspiracy, blackmail, attacks, economic hardship, ill-health and near hopeless situation of 2024.
He thanked God that those troubles never overwhelmed the congregation.
Oko-Jaja prayed for the peace, unity, progress and accelerated development of the state in line with the key targets of the 2025 Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development.
The Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) said Odili rejected Fubara’s ambition, wondering why he is now supporting the governor against his predecessor.
He group insisted that Odili opposed Fubara because of his hatred for the Ijaw of riverine area.
Frowning at Odili’s recent remarks about Wike,the group desaid the attack was unfortunate, disappointing and ridiculous.
RRM said in a statement by its Director-General, Johnson Georgewill and Secretary, Mrs Sarima Akpata, that Odili should have conducted himself as a statesman instead of plunging into partisanship for economic gains.
It said: “RRM on behalf of Rivers People takes exception to the direct insult and false allegation on the FCT Minister by Dr Odili we regard as a father”.
The group also wondered when Odili discovered that the FCT Minister was planning to capture Rivers as a private estate.
According to RRM, during the inauguration of Dr Odili’s mansion and the inauguration of the Dr Peter Odili Cancer Cardiovascular Diagnostic Treatment Center, which Wike built, Odili was full of praise him.
It also recalled that Odili made it clear that the Wike administration was the best in Rivers, adding that Wike even performed better than him across the sectors.
The group said: “RRM is wondering where this new found love for Governor Sim Fubara by Dr Odili is coming from when we all know he never supported the emergence of Sim Fubara as candidate of the PDP because of his disdain for the Riverine Ijaws.
“But the political leader of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, stood firm and fought all those so-called leaders that today take front seats in all state government functions, to ensure equity, fairness and justice with the emergence of Sim Fubara from the Riverine axis against all odds.
“RRM and its affiliate groups in the 23 local government areas in Rivers State are sounding this warning that any further media hostility from Dr Odili on the FCT minister will be resisted with the exposures of the horror, pains and tears Rivers people went through from 1999 to 2007 because we just decided to be mute, but we have not forgotten.
“We also want to urge the FCT minister to concentrate on the lovely job he is doing in Abuja as confirmed by President Tinubu during his first live media chat because we know the day of reckoning for all betrayals is close”.
