Following the ruling of the Supreme Court which affirmed Gov Siminalayi Fubara as the duly elected governor of the state, the governor has expressed his gratitude to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike for his support.
The Matrix had earlier reported that Fubara and Wike had been at loggerheads and it took the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the conflict.
Hours after the verdict, Fubara, who clinched the position under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last year, did not mince words in appreciating Wike even in the face of the political tussle between the duo.
“About an hour ago, the Supreme Court revalidated our mandate in the election. It is a victory for the entire State. It is important for us to note that we need this victory to consolidate the purpose of governance. Prior, we have had a few distractions here and there,” he said, also lauding Tinubu for his support. “And the good news that came to us this morning is a refreshing strength that will ginger us to continue the good works in governance.”
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“First, I want to commend the president for his fatherly role on every issue that concerns our state. Not just the crisis but also this particular litigation that we also overcame. It would also be unfair not to appreciate the minister (Wike) my oga. I want to say ‘Thank you’ for their support,” Governor Fubara said.
“We have a dream of making it a highly competitive State that will measure, if not up to Lagos but close to becoming like Lagos. We can only achieve this in an atmosphere of peace.
“So, I am calling on everyone, not just on our internal issues but those members from other parties. The issue is settled. Come and let’s build the Rivers State of our dream”.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, Tonye Cole, has accepted the decision of the Supreme Court which dismissed his legal challenge against the emergence of Sim Fubara as governor.
Mr Cole made this known via a video which he posted to his social media accounts hours after the verdict.
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“Great people of Rivers State, I acknowledge the recent Supreme Court pronouncement of Governor Siminalaiyi Fubara as governor of Rivers State. As a committed democrat, I respect the rule of law and therefore pursued the electoral process diligently,” he said on Thursday.
He not only congratulated the Governor but also extended a hand of fellowship saying: “Our collective goal is peace and I pledge to collaborate with all well-meaning individuals in and out of government to revive Rivers State to a place where commerce thrives”.
