Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed concerns over being singled out by President Bola Tinubu in his response to the recent violent incidents in Rivers State, where local government secretariats were set ablaze.
Fubara, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, reacted to the destruction of Secretariat in several local government areas, including Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua, which were targeted by political hoodlums.
In Ahoada East, shots were fired as resistance flared up against newly elected council officials.
The chaos erupted after the police withdrew their officers from securing the 23 council Secretariat earlier that Monday.
Despite the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and police opting out of the elections, Fubara had pushed forward, conducting the local elections on Saturday.
The Action People’s Party (APP) secured 22 out of the 23 chairmanship positions, while the Action Alliance (AA) claimed one.
Fubara quickly swore in the newly elected chairmen on Sunday, but the unrest followed as some chairmen faced attacks while assuming office, and several council secretariats were torched by political adversaries.
By Monday evening, President Tinubu, through his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, ordered the police to restore security to the local government secretariats in the state and urged political leaders, including Fubara, to show restraint and uphold the rule of law.
Responding to the President’s statement, Fubara expressed his unease about being singled out:
“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.”
Fubara also hinted that the situation may have worsened after the Inspector General of Police withdrew officers from the secretariats, which allowed hoodlums to exploit the lack of security.
“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,” Fubara added.
He concluded by expressing his view that the withdrawal of police had created the perfect opportunity for miscreants to cause destruction, saying, “I was never of the opinion that the police should pull out completely.”
