Rivers Violence: Tinubu mentioning only my name is concerning – Fubara

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, says he’s a bit concerned that President Bola Tinubu chose to mention only his name why responding to the violence unleashed on the state by some political thugs on Monday, following the conduct of local government elections.

Fubara who spoke as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, emphasized that he doesn’t have any issue with anyone, while noting that everyone knows who is behind the violence in the state.

The thugs had burnt parts of the buildings in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua councils, while gunshots were fired sporadically in Ahoada East to resist newly elected council officials on Monday.

About five persons were reported to have been killed in the violence that began hours after the withdrawal of the police officers securing the 23 council secretariats by the police early Monday.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the police opted out of the election that produced the newly elected LG chairmen, Fubara insisted that the election be held on Saturday.

The governor’s proxy political party, the Action People’s Party (APP) won 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the oil-rich state, while the Action Alliance (AA) won a seat.

Fubara immediately swore in the 23 newly elected local government chairmen on Sunday.

But some of the LG bosses were attacked upon assumption of office on Monday, even as some council secretariats were set ablaze by political opponents.

In a statement late Monday by Bayo Onanuga, his special adviser on communication and strategy, Tinubu ordered the police to secure the local government secretariats in the oil-rich state.

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The President also “called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, political leaders and their supporters in Rivers State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law”.

But reacting to Tinubu’s statement on the crisis during the interview on Channels, Fubara said he was uncomfortable that the president mentioned his name

“I do not have any issue with it (the President’s statement), but I am a bit concerned when my name was only mentioned,” he said.

“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.

“I believe strongly that with the recent intervention of the Inspector General of Police, maybe we will have a breathing space.

“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.

“I was never of the opinion that the police should pull out completely. No. When they said they were moving out, it was what allowed these miscreants to take advantage of the secretariats to destroy them.”