PDP to Fubara: Don’t dump our party, rebuild Rivers’ greatness

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has appealed to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to remain in the party and focus on rebuilding the state after months of political crisis.

President Bola Tinubu had, on March 18, declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged face-off between Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The political standoff halted governance and led to the suspension of Fubara and the state’s lawmakers for six months. Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed Sole Administrator during the period.

On Wednesday, Tinubu lifted the emergency rule, directing all elected officials in Rivers to return to their offices effective Thursday.

Reacting, PDP Vice-Chairman (Lagos Central), Mr. Hakeem Olalemi, urged the governor to be bold in exercising his mandate.“The governor should not muster any fear, the deed has been done. He should continue strong and be faithful in doing what is expected of him as the governor of the state.“Fubara must make Rivers great again. The governor should nurture the party that brought him to power into a bigger platform, he should not jettison that party. He should ensure the party becomes stronger in the state and region,” Olalemi said.

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He further appealed to political leaders in Rivers to prioritise peace and put the people first.“There is no need for us to clap, dance, jump, or celebrate that Gov. Fubara has been reinstated. He has gotten back the mandate freely given to him at the ballot but now weakened.“Our advice to the legislative and executive arms is to work together and in harmony for the betterment of the good people of Rivers. These are the people that voted them and their interest should supercede all politics and politicking,” he said.

Olalemi stressed that the electorate deserves to enjoy the dividends of democracy, adding that “they should reap the fruit of their labour.”

He also called on lawmakers who had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the crisis to return to the PDP.“I will advise those 27 lawmakers who initially pledged loyalty to APC, to retrace their steps back and come back to PDP fully to develop the party,” he said.

Fubara, his deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly resumed duties on Thursday following the end of the emergency rule.