The executive governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, said that he did not start governing the state fully until February 2024.

Fubara stated that even though he assumed office in May, he didn’t begin making decisions until February of this year, or eight months later.

He made this statement during the state’s Emohua Local Government Area’s internal road opening for Egbeda.

He said that he had performed incredibly well and won the people’s praise since he began completely taking over governance in February.

Fubara has been involved in a political dispute with his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, but he has not provided an explanation for why he did not begin completely governing during his first eight months in office.

Last October, he survived an impeachment plot by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

On two occasions, members of his cabinet loyal to Wike had resigned while the state Assembly has also been factionalised fuelling crisis in the state.

Speaking on Tuesday, he assured the people of the state of quality projects.

Fubara said, “We are just starting but I assure you more attention. If in four months we can do this, and we are getting this level of applause, you can imagine what will happen when we do one year of our record time, two years of our own record time. Rivers State would have experienced something different from the regular governance.

“I know why I said four months. We started full governance in February 2024. That was when we started taking decisions, when we started confronting governance. And I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done.

“What we want to do is to bring governance to our people, service delivery at record time, and in a cost-effective way.”

Fubara said he was operating a government of transparency, adding that there was a record of all his activities.

He said, “Everything that we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along, so, there is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, anytime, it is there. Even the ones I did before this time, I still have all the records.

“If you call me any day, I will bring the records of all my activities in government, because I know that as a civil servant, what is most important is record-keeping so that if you are not there, and something happens, it is just for somebody to pick up the file and he will see the history.

“That is how I am trained, and I have that in my mind before I do anything. So, I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me any day, anytime, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approval and not personal decision,” he said.

The executive governor of Rivers Stat, Siminalayi Fubara, says he acted based on approvals during his time as the accountant-general of Rivers state.

Fubara spoke on Tuesday while inaugurating Egbeda internal roads in the state.

Early this month, Fubara announced the formation of a judicial panel of investigation to look into how Nyesom Wike, his successor and current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), managed the state’s affairs and resources.

Recall that governor Fubara served as the accountant general under the current FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) designated him wanted in May 2022 due to an alleged N435 billion scam. Nonetheless, the governor declared that he is “not scared of anything” and that he has records of everything he did while serving as the state’s previous governor.

“What we bring to our people is service delivery at record time and cost-effective. Everything we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along. There is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, any time it is there,” he said.

”Even the ones l did before this time, I still have all the records. If you call me any day, I will bring my records of all my activities in government. I know that, as a civil servant, what is most important is record-keeping.

“I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me up any day, any time, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approvals and not personal decisions. We are not going to rest until we make everyone happy in Rivers state.”

Fubara said he started taking decisions as governor in February, eight months after taking over the reins of the state.

“I want to thank you for journeying with us in showcasing the activities of our government in four months. When I say four months, I mean it. We started full governance in the month of February. That was when we started taking decisions and confronting governance,” Fubara said.

“I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done. So, our traditional rulers, don’t be worried; we will watch your back. Don’t be scared of the rumours you hear.”

Although the governor did not explain why he could not make decisions eight months into his administration, it is likely related to the feud between him and Wike.

Fubara and Wike have been engaged in a feud over control of the political structure in the oil-rich state.

The political crisis has resulted in the polarisation of the state house of assembly, while some commissioners loyal to Wike have resigned from Fubara’s cabinet.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, dismisses the possibility of a union between Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023, and Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

It portrayed Atiku and Obi as helpless politicians who shouldn’t be given official authority.

The ruling party added that it was certain the meeting between the two opposition candidates would be fruitless and that both parties were desperate to keep President Bola Tinubu out of office when he ran again in 2027.

Felix Morka, the APC’s national publicity secretary, revealed this in a statement headed “Atiku, Obi united by mutual desperation” that was released in Abuja.

Earlier reports had it that Obi, on May 13, visited Atiku at his Abuja residence and the duo met behind closed doors with the viral photographs of the visit on social media. Atiku later revealed this on his X handle, saying, “It was my honour and privilege to host #PeterObi today.”

Obi, the same day, also met with two chieftains of the PDP, the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the erstwhile governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

In 2019, both Atiku and Obi ran on the PDP joint ticket but were defeated by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.

In the run-up to the 2023 election, Obi left the PDP for the Labour Party and emerged as the standard-bearer, while Atiku contested the election on the ticket of the PDP. The two were defeated by President Tinubu of the APC.

After the Supreme Court affirmed Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 election, Atiku called for unity among major opposition parties, stating his readiness to lead a coalition against Tinubu in 2027.

Reacting on Tuesday to the planned coalition, Morka acknowledged that the meeting of the political allies had further heightened the speculations of a possible alliance between both men and their political parties ahead of 2027.

The APC spokesman, however, maintained that it was unclear whether Obi would be willing to make a comeback to Atiku’s PDP or whether the latter would agree to dump his party to seek “rehabilitation” in Obi’s Labour Party.

He said, “The news of Peter Obi’s return to the PDP would be hardly surprising. His reputation as a political wayfarer is only dwarfed by Atiku’s track record as a veteran political wanderer.

“News of Atiku joining the Labour Party will shock no one as he will be living up to his well-established reputation as the country’s most itinerant politician.

“For now, Utomi’s mega party remains a figment with no offering of tangible accommodation for both men.

“Atiku and Obi are united by their mutual desperation to be President of Nigeria and the ignoble disdain for President Bola Tinubu’s focused and extraordinary commitment to the transformation of our nation.

“Their restless drift in search of convenient party platforms to execute their presidential run only belies the self-indulgent and opportunistic essence of their aspirations.”

He said by their character, Nigerians could not trust both Atiku and Obi with power, as they would not be able to handle national challenges.

“Men without the staying power to build or fix their own parties, who flee at the slightest flicker of internal crisis, cannot possibly be trusted by Nigerians to tackle serious and complex national, political and economic challenges that confront our nation.

“We urge Nigerians to stand fast in their invaluable support of our great party and President Bola Tinubu’s determined commitment to deliver a stronger, secure and more prosperous country for us all,” the party spokesman said.