I’ll not surrender my mandate – Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has stated that he would not surrender his mandate and the progress of the state to the acts of intimidation, blackmail and deliberate sabotage against him.

Fubara also tasked Nigerians to have faith in the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the federal level, asserting that President Tinubu has shown determination to pull the nation out of the prevailing economic nightmare.

The governor who spoke while declaring open the 115th and 116th combined Quarterly General Meeting of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt, yesterday, hinted that his administration was being sabotaged.

He emphasized that no level of sabotage deliberately staged in some quarters against his administration would force him to abandon the mandate given to him to serve, adding he would maintain the push for the equitable development of the state.

Fubara, who noted that it was a trying time for the state, reaffirmed his unalloyed commitment to serve with humility, sincerity of purpose and accountability.

He said: “Although these are trying times, let us not forget that Rivers State is our collective inheritance, presently under my watch, to protect, defend and advance it as the Governor.

“I assure you that I will not fail in this responsibility nor will I surrender our mandate and progress to intimidation, blackmail and deliberate sabotage. I reaffirm my earlier statement and recommit myself to the path of peace as there is nothing to gain in a State of needless crisis.”

Fubara noted that measures would be taken to strengthen education, healthcare and social services across the State, adding that the state’s 2024 appropriation bill would prioritize and provide sufficient funding to create universal access to affordable and quality education and healthcare services in the state.

“We will also take deliberate steps to unlock the entrepreneurial spirit among our teeming unemployed youths through viable initiatives on skills development, entrepreneurship training and targeted investments in commercial agriculture,” he said.

The Governor urged traditional rulers to be upright, have integrity and strive not to compromise their neutrality while enjoining them to be courageous to speak truth to power so that they do not lose their moral authority and legitimacy before their people.

Fubara said: “We must all be worried about the plight of our youths, especially those in rural communities, most of whom are poor, neglected and almost forgotten in the government’s development plans, policies, and actions.

“As we all know, no human society can progress without peace and security. I will therefore urge you to continue to work tirelessly for the preservation of peace and security to attract sustainable development to your communities.”

In his address, the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse declared the firm support of the council to the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara who was elected as the best and trusted to lead the State.

Awuse urged troublemakers who were fanning the ember of discord to cease from the acts and allow the governor to concentrate to do the work he was elected to do.