By Adesina Soyooye
The fallout from the disclosure that the former Rivers State Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, left the sum of N600b in the State’s Treasury is still shaking the polity in the embattled State.
The disclosure was first made by the Rivers State House of Assembly Members, who in a bid to tackle Governor Siminalayi Fubara over the poor state of public schools in the State, revealed that the Governor was sitting on such a huge amount of money while public schools were like a pig’s sty. But Fubara fired back that under the immediate past Governor of the State, Nyesom Wike, the schools were in that very poor state, to the extent that when they were campaigning in 2023, the opposition threw that dirt at them.
Wike was to weigh in later, and scolded the Members for that disclosure because, according to him, it has exposed the State to “greedy politicians” who are only interested in Rivers State Treasury.
Since then, anybody, particularly from Abuja, who visits the State and says anything positive about Fubara, Wike alleges it is because the person wants a share from the N600b.
On Monday, it was the turn of Nigeria’s former Ambassador to South Korea, Desmond Akawor. A former State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Akawor, who is now the Rivers State Coordinator , Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Akawor said that under Fubara, the development of Oyigbo Local Government Area has been halted.
He spoke during the visit of the FCT Minister to Oyigbo LGA.
Wike has been touring the State’s LGAs for what he termed “a thank you visit.” On each visit, however, the Minister used it to throw darts at Fubara.
On Monday, it was the turn of Oyigbo, Akawor’s LGA. While speaking, Akawor descended on Fubara as does Wike.
He said Oyigbo people elected Fubara in 2023 with the belief that he would continue from where Wike stopped in developing the area, but now left disappointed.
He said: “Permit me to speak frankly. If these things are not said now, they may never be said. We elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara with the expectation that Oyigbo would benefit meaningfully from development.
“Your Excellency, development in Oyigbo has stalled. We have not moved an inch forward. The only tangible benefit Oyigbo has received is a Commissioner’s slot, which was given to me. Beyond that, nothing substantial has come to our people.”
Akawor then issued a warning on the N600bn: “Oyigbo must not be left behind from the utilisation of the N600 billion in the State Treasury.”
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