Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has told the executive chairmen of the local government areas in the state that they have a few days to vacate their offices.
Reacting to the LG Chairmen’s claim that the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly extended their tenure to six months in an amended law, Fubara told them to shun violence and warned that they would not be forgiven if they relied on their “useless support to hurt anybody in the state.”
The Rivers state Governor also expressed his disappointment with miscreants attacking some persons who attended the inauguration of the Aleto-Ogale-Ebubu-Eteo Road project on their way home. He described such actions as utterly needless.
He said; “Let me also say this here. When we left Aleto the other day, some people went there and attacked our people. There is no need for that.
“Nobody has the monopoly of violence. I should even be the one who should come out and shout that I will do this and that. But I don’t need to do that because both sides belong to me. I have taken an oath to protect all.
“So, I am advising those people who call themselves local government chairmen: you have a few days in office. Please, conduct yourselves in a peaceful manner.
“Politics will come, politics will go, but we will still live our lives. Let nobody deceive you, if you deliberately hurt anybody, because of expressing your useless support, nobody will forgive you. You will pay for it.
“So, I’m begging everyone, please, conduct yourselves. As a matter of fact, I am the one who is most hit and abused as a Governor who doesn’t know what to do with power. Is it not? Have I said anything?
“So, please, just endure until when you finish, then you go your way. I don’t want trouble. I don’t want anything that will bring any problems in this State. I know what they want to do, but we will not give them the opportunity.
“We have made our promise to our leader, who happens to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that we will take the path of peace and that is the part we are taking.
“We will continue to take that path. Don’t mind what they say. Don’t mind what they do. Peace remains the path to take. While taking the path of that peace, it does not mean that we won’t defend ourselves, or let me describe it this way: we will not just be like a tree seeing someone coming to cut it down and won’t do anything. No, no no. We need to also protect ourselves in a lawful manner.”
