By Deborah Nnamdi
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed concerns over Monday’s violence, including touching of council secretariats over the outcome of Saturday’s local government council elections.
He admonished Rivers people to carry out their political business responsibly, stating that politics should not degenerate to the level of killings and destruction of government facilities built with taxpayers’ money.
Fubara made the assertion when he visited the Ikwerre Local Government Council Secretariat, Isiokpo, to ascertain the level of damage after the council was set ablaze by political thugs suspected to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
He said, “I feel very sad seeing what has just happened in this Council. I want to say this to the entire Rivers State: If you are called upon, play your politics with a sense of responsibility. We don’t need to kill ourselves. My time will come, and I will leave; do I need to burn the Government House?
“This Council Secretariat was built by the immediate past chairman, and for me, we know the history of this council, how he sought the funds, and how it was executed. This is supposed to be a legacy project for him that whoever is going to come after now will continue to remember that, at a certain time, certain persons built this for the LGA. But, look at what we are seeing here today. Must we go low in politics?”
The Governor expressed dismay that funds that would have been deployed to develop the councils will now be used to rehabilitate the councils to the detriment of the people, advising Rivers people to always act responsibly in all they do, irrespective of the level of provocation.
He said, “There was an election on Saturday, and the new Council Chairmen were inaugurated (on Sunday). We are aware of the boasting that they would not be allowed to access the secretariats. And we were happy in the early hours of this morning when the Inspector General of Police (IGP) directed his men to vacate the premises for easy access for the newly elected officers to resume office; and immediately, they took advantage of that space to destroy government facilities.
“Who is the loser? With the new Council Chairmen that are coming in, the funds that would be applied to other things would now be used to fix this place. Are we not really acting as irresponsible people? This is an act of irresponsibility! Even if one advises you to go and destroy a government facility, are you not supposed to think twice?
“We all know where this is coming from, that is the truth. Everybody knows that this is not from my supporters. But, I leave all to the security agencies to do a thorough work, and let us know the people that are behind this assault” on the institutions of democracy”, he added.
