Fubara breaks silence on defection plan
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, dismissed the speculation that he is planning to dump the Peoples Democratic Party as the crisis between him and his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, rages.
While affirming that Rivers State remained a PDP state, Fubara said there was no truth in the speculation that he planned to leave the party.
He spoke while receiving a delegation of the PDP Board of Trustees, led by its Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The meeting was disclosed in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.
According to the statement, the Wabara-led delegate explained that the meeting was to foster peace in Rivers State amid the cold war between Fubara and Wike, as well as their supporters.
Wabara said the PDP feared losing Rivers State, hence, it became important to resolve the crisis.
Fubara, on his part, said the visit of the PDP BoT members was reassuring, adding that if he had doubts about the party’s support, the visit had erased such.
Fubara said, “I want to thank the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees. Honestly speaking, if I was having any doubt about my membership of this great party, I think today, I have a reconfirmation that I am still – not minding the drama around – a member of the party.
“And, I want to thank you for taking all the trouble to come to Rivers State to see the governor and the supporters of the party, genuinely.
“I need to use that word, genuinely, because we, that are here, are members of the Peoples Democratic Party undiluted.”
He said he was particularly happy at the visit of the PDP founding fathers.
“For once, I am happy to see the leaders, among whom are some founding fathers of the PDP, like Chief Bode George, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, joining the delegation here to talk about the unity of the party.
“It doesn’t matter the number of people who watered it (PDP). It has become what it is. I am happy that today, they are with us here to discuss the issue of Rivers State.
“I want to assure members of our party, genuine members of PDP, that are here with us, that this is another hope to show that our decision to stand by the party, still standing by the party, is not a wrong decision.
“The visit by the delegation of BoT is for one purpose: to ascertain what the problem is, that has caused so much dissatisfaction and tearing down the party. How did it start, and how did it degenerate to what it is today.”
He promised to be forthright with the delegation in their fact-finding mission in order to aid the resolution of the crisis in the state.
Fubara said, “I am very conscious of the importance of information. I know that a lot of information is flying here and there. But, I also know that whatever I have said anywhere, I have still maintained that position.
“What I have said in Abuja is the same thing I say in Port Harcourt. If I have had any encounters with anybody in Lagos, I don’t think my story has changed.
“So, I strongly believe that when we go into the executive session, I will let the board members who have visited us to know or to hear my side of the story. “But, so far, what is important this afternoon is that we are still members of the party, and the owners of the party have visited us.
“So, for those people outside who are carrying all sorts of rumour and propaganda, at least, this visit will put that propaganda to rest, and to tell the world that we are and we still remain members of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
In his speech, the PDP BoT Chairman explained that they visited as the conscience of the party in search of peace and unity because of the ungodly tension in recent times that had threatened the PDP in Rivers State.
Wabara, a former Senate President, said the PDP was already scared of losing Rivers State, adding that if that truly happened, then the future of Nigeria would be truly lost, with no abiding hope in Nigerians anymore.
He said, “We, the Board of Trustees of this party, came here in search of peace and unity of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We have been reading all kinds of things on the pages of newspapers and the Internet for those who are Internet-savvy. But, we, as elders of this great party decided to come to hear from the horse’s mouth.
“First of all, we want to thank you for still being there because this party should not be allowed to die. It is for this very reason that I thank you on behalf of my colleagues, and as you can see, it’s not from one geopolitical zone. We are well-represented nationally.
“We were scared, Sir, when we heard or read speculations, perceptions or what have you, that the party, if we are not careful, might lose Rivers State. Of course, if we lose Rivers State, Nigeria has lost its future.
“We don’t want what happened in 2015 and 2023 to repeat itself. These men and women you see here are very neutral. But as the conscience of the party, we must go by the rule of law. And anything you do, going by the rule of law, can never be wrong. It may be delayed, but it cannot be wrong.”
Wabara thanked Fubara for “your resilience, your wisdom, and for the fact that you are still in this party.”
“And to assure you that the Board of Trustees, under my watch and with these serious-minded Nigerians, will deal with the matter as constitutionally allowed,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting with the Governor and other elders and leaders of the PDP in the State, Wabara expressed appreciation to Fubara for giving them the opportunity to hear his own side of the story and noted with optimism, that the political crisis in the State would soon be resolved.
He said the delegation would meet with the other party in the crisis to also hear from them, noting that, “There is always two sides to a coin.”
