“My Response To The Allegations Leveled Against  Me By President Tinubu, AGF” – Fubara

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

“The reaction by stakeholders in the Niger Delta, including militants, was triggered by the Minister for FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike, who dismissed Ijaws as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity”

Suspended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,has broken his silence on the serious allegations made against him by President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

In his nationwide broadcast on Tuesday during which he proclaimed a State of Emergency in Rivers State, suspended Fubara, his Deputy Dr Ngozi Odu, Members of the State House of Assembly, and appointed  a Sole Administrator, retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Tinubu literally accused Fubara of committing impeachable offences and held him responsible for the crisis which culminated in the declaration of the State of Emergency in the State.

The President accused Fubara of not sticking to the agreements he, (Tinubu) reached with both parties- Fubara and the loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike; of pulling down the State House of Assembly Complex to abort his impeachment in October 2024, and making no effort to rebuild same; of not condemning the threats issued a couple of times by angry Ijaw Groups to disrupt  oil exploration in the region; of encouraging them to blow up oil installations, and of not condemning the act when two oil facilities were blown up a couple of days ago.

And, AFG Fagbemi, while justifying the State of Emergency declared and the suspension from office of the Governor and others was more direct in his allegations against Fubara as concerns the explosions that rocked the oil facilities. He accused Fubara of teleguiding those who blew up the facilities.

But Fubara, who has not said much since after his suspension from office has now responded and said nothing could be more unjust, unfair and far from the truth than the allegations against him. He submitted that the opposite is in fact the truth. He, also, pointed accusing fingers at Wike for teleguiding the House of Assembly Members to commit damning offences against his Government, of avoiding peace.

He explained the circumstances which led to the demolition of the Assembly complex and revealed it began when Wike was Governor. He  pointed out that since it was pulled down based on professional advice, his Government had since embarked on the erection of a new complex which is 80 per cent completed. Wike, he posited, should be held responsible for the deliberate disruption of the State. He said more.

Outrage greeted the President’s action but the National Assembly, as expected, on Thursday, endorsed the the President’s action.

Following is Fubara’s response, signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.

ALLEGED COMPLICITY IN ATTACKS ON OIL INSTALLATIONS: PUTTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

“Our attention has been drawn to a number of allegations claiming that Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, did nothing to dissuade criminal groups and militants from making good their threats to attack oil installations in the State.

“There was also another claim that after demolishing the Hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly on Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the Governor did nothing to rebuild the facility.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the statements as mere results of lack of adequate information to the Presidency by those tasked with the responsibility of providing same to guide decision-making, but it has become imperative to set the records straight and correct the erroneous impression such narratives are creating in the minds of the Nigerian people.

“First, it is important to clarify that Governor Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and also did not in any way “telegraph” the reported attacks on any oil facility in the State.

“It is on record that the reaction of stakeholders in the Niger Delta, especially elders, chiefs, women, Ijaw National Congress, its youth wing, IYC, as well as militants, among others, was triggered by remarks by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, in a live media chat, during which he dismissed Ijaws as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity, saying that Ijaws are not the only ones that are militants and can blow up pipelines; that Ogonis, Ikwerres, and others are also militants and can as well blow up pipelines.

“Most of the Ijaw groups and leaders even demanded an apology from the FCT Minister, which he rebuffed.

“Available public records show that Governor Fubara, on several occasions and at every forum, including all the project commissioning events as well as the handover of the AW139 Helicopter to the Nigerian Air Force, between March 3 and 13, 2025, made it clear that his administration was committed to the peace, security, and safety of oil facilities in the State.

“He often recalled his pivotal role as a member of the Presidential Committee on the Protection of Oil Installations in the Region, and repeatedly emphasized the need to protect oil pipelines and other facilities in the State, urging his supporters and the people of the State to avoid acts capable of destabilizing the State or sabotaging the nation’s economy.

“Since inception as the Chief Executive of Rivers State, Governor Fubara has prioritized investment in upscaling the welfare and operational equipment of all personnel and arms of the Armed Forces and security agencies in the State by building livable office and residential accommodation for officers and men and donating vehicles, gunboats, helicopters, and other critical needs of the formations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of their duties.

“His commitment to total peace and good governance in the State has contributed significantly to increased oil production and revenues for the country since May 29, 2023, as the continuous rise in the accruable revenue from the State into the Federation Account has shown over the months.

“On the claim that the Governor acted with impunity to demolish the Hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly and did nothing to rebuild the Chambers 14 months after, it is on record that Governor Fubara acted based on professional advice and guidance.

“Let it be clarified that the former Governor and now FCT Minister repeatedly criticized the dilapidated and leaking Assembly Complex, and during the commissioning of the Assembly Quarters in August 2022, challenged the lawmakers to take responsibility for the poor state of the edifice, rejecting requests to rebuild it to ensure a conducive legislative environment for the lawmakers.

“It must be noted that immediately after the incident of October 29, 2023, and experts’ reports, the Government decided to heed the age-old demands of the lawmakers to rebuild the facility and promptly demolished the dilapidated structure to give way to a state-of-the-art Assembly Complex, which is now nearly 80 percent completed.

“It would be recalled that in the wake of the most peaceful and violence-free Local Government election in the State on the 5th October, 2024, the supporters of the FCT Minister violently attacked and razed facilities in some local government council secretariats without any reprisals from Governor Fubara’s supporters.

“It is also pertinent to draw the attention of security agencies to the fact that LGAs where those attacks were unleashed are the same places that have repeatedly witnessed violence perpetrated by detractors of the Governor Fubara-led administration.

“This is why it is important for the security agencies to focus on the real purveyors of violence, critically evaluate these incidents, and diligently undertake investigations to unravel the elements behind the crimes and bring them to justice without let or hindrance.

“It is clearly untrue that somebody who has all the while preached peace and non-violence, even in the face of extreme provocations, would be “telegraphing attacks on oil pipelines” and breaching the peace he has worked so hard to promote and sustain for the good of the people of the State.”