Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers, has stated that no single individual can control the state.

The governor made this statement on Sunday during a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers.

On Saturday, the elders forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state apologized to Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), over the ongoing rift between him and Fubara.

The PDP elders offered the apology at an event organized by the Ijaw Peoples Congress in honor of the FCT minister.

The party elders requested Wike’s forgiveness, attributing Fubara’s actions to a lack of political skill.

Wike, who also spoke at the event, took credit for making Fubara the governor of Rivers state.

While addressing the congregation at St. Paul Cathedral of the Anglican Communion, Fubara asserted that he doesn’t need anyone to apologize on his behalf.

Fubara remarked that he “cannot give his kidney” to demonstrate loyalty to Wike, further claiming that the FCT minister is “desperate for recognition.”

“Nobody can apologise for me. As a matter of fact, I belong to that school of thought that if I am the only person that needs to stand on that side of right, I will stand there. I don’t need anybody to stand with me. I cannot give my kidney or liver to anybody. I won’t. If that is the only reason for me to be loyal, I will not be,” Fubara said.

“But I will not do the wrong thing. I will stand for the side of the right. I will stand with the truth for Rivers people. That is my commitment today. I will not mortgage my kidney or my liver. So, don’t worry about that because I know that is what they do because they can’t talk.”

He continued, “If it has to take my kidney, then I will honourably just go back to my wife then we will manage ourselves. But I will not give my kidney. What is important is to protect this state. It does not belong to anyone. Rivers state is nobody’s enterprise. So, you have to stand strong.”

“God has a reason for allowing the devil or the evil one to stay long. It is not that he can’t take him or take them away but he gives them time to repent. And when they continue, he (God) will come heavily, and then, they would say, it would have been better we had left when they had time.

“That will be our story in this state. But, you see, anybody that is making noise for recognition, it is a sign that he has lost it. By the special grace of God, I don’t need an introduction. I have the name, and I am the one standing here.”

Wike and Fubara have been at odds over the control of the political structure of the PDP in Rivers state.

The dispute between the two politicians has caused a division within the party and among members of the state house of assembly.

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, believes the Edo state governorship election outcome truly represents the people’s will.

In an interview with Channels Television, Oshiomhole rejected opposition parties’ claims of rigging in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Monday Okpebholo, APC’s candidate, the winner on Sunday.

Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, who got 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third with 22,763 votes.

On Monday, Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO), said the election failed the integrity test, adding that the collation process was marred by inconsistencies, which suggests vote manipulation.

The PDP has rejected the outcome of the election while asking INEC to review the results.

However, Oshiomhole said Okpbeholo represents the choice of the people, adding that the APC candidate won the poll because he “communicated” with the voters.

Oshiomhole criticised Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, over PDP’s refusal to sign the peace accord ahead of the September 21 election.

“It was not rigged. This election is a reflection of the will of Edo people. Are you not surprised that it is not possible to rig election without violence? Edo people have spoken about their choice,” Oshiomhole said.

“Obaseki refused to sign the peace accord, which shows that he is a worse version of godfather since you call people like us godfathers. He is a worse version. He did not allow the candidate (Ighodalo to sign the peace accord).

He described Okpbeholo as a “poor man” who lacks the financial resources to buy votes like the other candidates in the election.

“The election was won by Senator Monday Okpbeholo. He has the mandate of the people, and that is what we call legitimacy,” he said.

”You just told me that this man (Okpbeholo) is weak, and yet he was able to rig out these directors with their money and wealth. A poor man like Monday. How?”

The senator insisted that the APC won the election “fair and square” and that the governor-elect will justify the confidence reposed on him by the people.

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, claims Godwin Obaseki, the current governor of Edo, will lose his political influence after the September 21 governorship election.

This statement comes after INEC declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner with 291,667 votes, surpassing Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obaseki’s preferred candidate, who garnered 247,274 votes.

Speaking on Monday on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television, Oshiomhole said Ighodalo’s loss should sound the death knell on Obaseki’s political career.

The former governor of Edo also faulted Obaseki for visiting the INEC office in Benin City in the wee hours of Sunday, as the commission prepared to commence collation of results.

“I was a governor. Once I finish voting, if I like I’d wait at the polling booth for a bit, chat with people and then I go home. If I find that my appearance is attracting more attention, I just quietly head home,” Oshiomhole said.

“How can a sitting governor go to a collation centre? To intimidate or possibly influence the results or to change the results? What was he doing there? How can a governor go to a collation centre when collation is going on?”

Obaseki had said his mission to the INEC office was to find out why the electoral umpire had not commenced collation.

Oshiomhole also criticised the outgoing governor for labelling the election a “do-or-die affair” days before the polls.

“Obaseki said the election was a do-or-die affair. He told you that here. He insisted. Now, the people have done it, he’s dead,” the senator said.

“Now the people have done it, I guess he’s politically dead. I know so. The verdict is out.”

Oshiomhole said Okpebholo should not be judged on the basis of his inability to communicate in fluent English.

The governor-elect shunned a handful of television invitations before the election, with many often referencing his smattering English on the campaign trail.

“So, if you can speak good grammar because you sit on a board, nobody knew how you became a board chairman… Edo people have spoken,” he added.

“When a man goes to a village and speaks his dialect, he has more impact on those communities than when you speak high profile English that when you finish, people will ask ‘what did he say’?

“Monday communicated with the Edo electorate and it worked.

“The mistake you TV hosts make, many of you, is to assume that anyone who doesn’t appear before you… you exaggerate the importance of television viewers.”

Oshiomhole also described the governorship poll as “free and fair”.