Rivers State governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, according to media reports has revealed that his administration inherited a huge debt burden from the immediate-past administration of Nyesom Wike.
According to Sir Fubara, under his watch, the Rivers State Government has awarded nine (9) new road projects, valued at N534.332billion but he inherited 34 uncompleted projects, valued at over N225.279billion spread across 13 local government areas of the State.
The Governor also berated the political crisis that was waged against his administration, just three months after resumption on May 29, 2023.
The Governor stated this while presenting an Account of Stewardship and Scorecard to mark One Year Anniversary of his administration at Dr Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, May 29.
The Governor said: “We started this journey with a bang. We were focused. We were determined to make the change we promised with a sense of urgency.
“But then, somehow, we suddenly found ourselves in the cesspit of crisis barely three months into our tenure. It was not just an ordinary political crisis. It was a vicious existential crisis.
“But thank goodness, the worst is over. We have successfully defended our rights and opportunity to govern our State and advance its progress in freedom, and we will continue to prevail.”
It could be recalled that Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was governor of oil-rich Rivers State from 2015 to 2023. He was elected on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
His now estranged successor, Fubara was a key member of his government and served as Accountant-General of the State. Fubara, prior to the PDP gubernatorial primary election in Rivers State was having issues with anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bordering on the financial management of the State.
Expectedly, the then outgoing governor, Wike had fought to install Sim Fubara as his successor against the wishes of other politicians in the state.
Our paper gathered that problems started when Wike, who fell out with his party, the PDP in the course of the Presidential primary ahead of the last election, opted to work for the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. Wike had contested for the PDP Presidential ticket and lost to a former Nigerian Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Upon Tinubu’s victory, Wike, a PDP Chieftain was appointed Minister in an APC government and up until the time of this report, has not defected formally to the national ruling party.
It was learnt that Wike/Fubara face-off deepened when the former governor reportedly asked his successor to defect to the APC; a demand Fubara reportedly declined.
The crises that ensued led to the defection of majority of members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from PDP to APC.
The last of the Rivers political crisis has not been heard.
More details later.