Former head of service in Rivers State, Dr. George Nweke, has revealed that the decision of President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state saved it from anarchy.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, Nweke stated that he was neither sacked nor pressured to resign.
He thanked Tinubu for his swift intervention in the state’s political crisis, especially on the declaration of emergency rule.
He said, “My dear people of Rivers State, it is with humility and every sense of responsibility that I stand to address you today as your former head of service. You would recall that I was appointed as the head of service by our suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, let me also use this opportunity to appreciate him for giving me the opportunity to serve. With the loads of misinformation on print and electronic media, I have chosen to put the records straight, I was not sacked, neither was I pressured to resign, I did it willingly from the depth of my heart.
According to him, “as an insider and a key player in this administration by my position who worked closely with Siminalayi Fubara, it will be unfair for me to keep silent or not to address some key factors that have affected or will affect our state if we continue on this trajectory,”
He continued, “I want to use this medium to thank Mr. President for a swift intervention in Rivers State crisis especially on the state of emergency that was declared and assented to by the National Assembly.
“You will recall that when the governor was suspended, as the head of service I was the next in command so I am not speaking from outside, I am speaking as an insider. If not for the intervention of Mr. President Nigeria would have faced the worst economic sabotage and Rivers State would have been up in flames.
“First, it all started with the Rivers State House of Assembly where the governor, Siminilayi Fubara directed his Chief of Staff (Edison Ehie) to burn down the assembly in a way to avert his impeachment, that evening Edison was in Government House with two other boys, including the former Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA one Chijioke.
“I was there with them when a bag of money was handed over to Edison for that operation, though I do not know the amount inside. I want to tell Rivers people today that the House of Assembly complex in Moscow Road was clearly brought down by Edison Ehie under the instructions of Governor Siminilayi Fubara, I challenge him to an open confrontation and I will throw more light on it.
“A day after that incident, I almost resigned but I was very scared because I know the power of a sitting governor and he knew that I was aware of the whole plan and that I was discomforted with the unconscionable act and deliberate posture of innocence and mien of a sheep.
“Another attempt was also made to destroy the residential quarters of the House of Assembly members if not for the press conference that was made there by Rivers youths, Rivers elders and National Assembly members, that would have been another barbaric demolition in Rivers State.
“I came to realise that they actually wanted to demolish that second building because after some weeks, he personally told me that if he knew early he would have gone to pull down their hall before visiting the residential quarters of the assembly and that he didn’t actually know that they had such a beautiful hall were they are using now for their sitting.
“I was shocked and I asked myself how could a man that wants to lead his people be destroying his state’s assets and wasting public funds on a needless ego fight.
“Thirdly, I want to advise some key stakeholders who have condemned the state of emergency made by the president to retract their statements, I also understand that they are only seeing the surface.
“If the president did not take a proactive step, no one knows who would have been affected by the sinister plans that they were cooking. While I thank Mr. President for the state of emergency, I will plead with him not to give up on Rivers State affairs because a lot is going on there with Governor Fubara.
“One of the factors that got me removed was when Governor Fubara told me that they would use the Ijaws to decide who would become the next president of Nigeria and I asked him how will that work?
“Is it by votes or by what means? He clearly told me that he was the chief security officer of Rivers State and his brother was in charge of Bayelsa State and all the pipelines were under their care that at the appropriate time they would tell the boys what to do and fund was not an issue.
“That was why when he made that statement in his public function that “I will tell the boys what to do at the appropriate time” I knew something was up and perhaps the time was near.”
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