The ongoing verbal and political battles between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor and political benefactor, Nyesom Wike might not be ending soon as the duo are not sheathing their swords.
Fubara in his latest salvo described Wike as an empty container, saying, “It is only empty containers that make noise”.
The governor’s latest attack on Mr Wike, the FCT minister, is in response to the minister’s claim that he (Wike) initiated the multi-billion Ring Road project in Rivers when he was the governor of the state.
Wike made the remarks on Saturday at a reception organised in his honour by the Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress.
“I stand tall to challenge anybody in this state, local government by local government (and) even those who are following whoever they are following. I did everything to their communities so I can challenge anybody.
“The Ring Road was my initiative – the Ring Road was me. I initiated it, thinking that we were all going to work together. I said continue from here, this is where I stopped,” Mr Wike said, alluding to Governor Fubara.
“They are now bragging that they are the ones (that initiated it) – it was me,” Mr Wike said in a speech intermittently interrupted by applause and cheers from his supporters.
Governor Fubara on Sunday hit back at Mr Wike, describing his predecessor’s claim on the road as a “wrong narrative” that must be corrected.
“They even say they don’t know what we are doing. Let me remind them that Fubara signed the paper to borrow (money) from Zenith Bank – the N200 billion for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road.
“So, it is my project,” the governor said, dismissing Mr Wike’s claim on the project.
The governor stated this at the interdenominational Thanksgiving Service held on Sunday at St. Paul’s Cathedral of the Anglican Communion at Garrison Junction in Port Harcourt.
Besides the 50.15-kilometer dual-carriage Port Harcourt Ring Road, Mr Fubara mentioned other key projects of his administration.
“It is Fubara that awarded the Trans-Kalabari Road that they couldn’t do. They only did a bridge from Krakrama, but I am the one doing it: the complete span, and it is N225 billion. I didn’t borrow.
“It is this same Fubara that is building a General Hospital, which I also included a Psychiatric Hospital because they will need it very soon.
“So, tell them that what I did in one year is what they did in eight years,” Mr Fubara said.
Wike, in his remarks, had said, “I made Ijaw man governor of Rivers State.” Without mentioning his name, he challenged a former federal minister, Edwin Clerk, to “make” an Ijaw man a governor of Delta State.
Governor Fubara, in his reaction to Mr Wike’s remarks, said, “It is only empty containers that make noise”.
Continuing, the governor said, “If God has given you an opportunity, eat your plantain and keep quiet. God will continue to give us the strength to do the best for our people, without fear.”
