Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has called on his supporters and members of his Simplified Family to embrace a new peace agreement with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at a meeting in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Fubara described the terms as “heavy” and “bitter” but essential for the state’s development.
Fubara acknowledged Wike’s significant role in his political journey, stating, “Nobody can take away the role my oga played; that’s the truth, yes, we might have our differences, but nobody here will say he doesn’t know the role the man played.”
He revealed that President Bola Tinubu urged reconciliation, saying, “President Tinubu clearly said, ‘I want you and your oga to settle.’”
However, the peace pact has created an air of disappointment among Fubara’s supporters who believe, they have been thrown under the bus.
Fubara emphasized the human aspect of their rift: “At this point, I’ve met him, and we have spoken; you can’t take away his not being hurt; he’s a human being. I also have my own share of pains too.”
The governor underscored the necessity of peace, noting, “I did say that there’s no price that is too big for peace; I meant it, and I’m still ready to follow it to the end.”
He appealed to his supporters, saying, “I want to appeal to everyone, I have accepted that we must accept this peace no matter how it looks, no matter how you feel, we must accept it.”
Fubara stressed that the agreement prioritised Rivers State’s progress, lamenting abandoned projects amid the crisis: “In the midst of this crisis with me and my oga, look at the projects we’ve initiated, many have been abandoned.”
Pledging loyalty to his supporters, Fubara assured, “I can’t abandon you people; that’s one thing I need to say here. This is the time for me to prove to you that I care for you, and I make my commitment here that whichever way it goes, I will not abandon anybody.”
He added, “You all will definitely be integrated into the big family. If you say you are with us and you believe in me, this is the time for us to see it.”
Using a metaphor, Fubara likened the situation to tilapia fish: “The mother tilapia used to tell the kids that if they want to grow up to my own size, hide your head inside the mud. Everyone of us should understand that at this time we’ve done our best and what we need now is this peace so that we can grow.”
He concluded, “Without a total reconciliation, which, by the grace of God, the both of us have gotten to, there’s no way we can make progress in this state.”