2027: Transfer your support to Tinubu – Fubara tells loyalists

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed his loyalists to channel their support towards the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, The Nation Newspaper reported.

The governor made the call on Thursday while inaugurating the Ogbakiri Junction–Waterfront Road in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

Fubara disclosed that he recently held a strategic meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), during which he was urged to mobilise his supporters in Rivers State in support of President Tinubu.

Describing Tinubu’s re-election as a major task ahead, the governor said he assured the APC leadership not to be concerned, noting that his camp had the “right foot soldiers” to deliver the needed support in the state.

He added that the mobilisation process had already commenced, stressing that the turnout of residents who came out to receive him showed that the assignment was already about 70 per cent achieved in the local government area.

The governor commended Chief David Omereji, a prominent son and leader of Ogbakiri, for his steadfast support, expressing confidence that his followers would work closely with Omereji’s political structure to accomplish the task ahead.

Fubara also appealed to residents to sustain peace in their communities to allow development to spread across the state, urging them to safeguard government investments in their areas.

Addressing the crowd, he said, “The task ahead is simple. It might be big, but it is simple because we have started it already. By the grace of God, yesterday I paid a visit to the National Working Committee of our great party, and after the meeting, they gave me a message that I am giving to all of you. It is a simple message. 

“We know that you are very hardworking and you have organic support, so transfer this support to the success of our leader, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu. I told them in the meeting that they shouldn’t worry, but what is important is that we have the right foot soldiers.

“Today I am happy to say that what I am seeing here with the support of the LGA, from the local government chairman, the chiefs, and everyone here, our job is 70% done. 

“We need peace not just in Ogbakiri or Emohua, but we need peace in Rivers State so that development can be spread to all parts. People should learn to protect what is around them. You have a University here, protect it. 

“You have other things of interest by the state government, and some federal assets protect them because in the end the benefit comes to you. I am appealing to everyone of you that we need peace and need to protect everything that is around us. That is the only way I can come here and make promises, and with your support, we will continue to deliver.”

Describing the inaugurated project as significant, the governor recalled that it was initiated at the most trying period of his administration.

He said, “I can’t forget the circumstances that we were facing at that time. We were commissioning the East-West road to Terma junction, and that particular stretch, the Ogbakiri road, was an annex to it; Terma-Abalama-Abonnema, and the other stretch that leads to Buguma. So, it won’t be nice that we commission this stretch and abandon the other part leading to Ogbakiri.

“At that time, with the situation that we were in, we made a promise not just to the people of Kalabari, but also to the people of Emohua and Ogbakiri in particular that we would visit those two aspects of the roads. I am happy today that we are here to commission the one that connects to the Ogbakiri people 

“When we made the first payment for this project, it was when we had the first Court judgment barring us from accessing our federal allocation. But I made a promise when I came here that no matter the situation, God will provide a way for us to finance this project. So when I say the project is significant to us, I know why I say so.”

The governor said the completed project was evidence of service delivery and assured the people that his government would continue to keep its promises.

He said he would consider the request of the council of chiefs on the issue of internal roads and constructing a bridge to connect the other side to ease transportation inconvenience and improve the commercial activities of the people.

He said, “The beauty of this whole thing is that the community gave a very strong support to the contractor and has also chosen the path of peace, the reason you are seeing this level of development. This is a community that was known over the years for crisis and loss of lives, but I am happy that your story is now different.”