Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has said he is building a psychiatric hospital which he believes his enemies would be needing.
According to him, his opponents are upset that he has achieved in one year what they did for eight years.
The governor spoke on Sunday at the inter-denominational church thanksgiving service organised as part of activities marking the 64th Independence Day celebration of Nigeria. The thanksgiving was held at St. Paul’s Cathedral of the Anglican Communion at Garrison Junction in Port Harcourt.
On Saturday, Fubara’s predecessor and now FCT minister Nyesom Wike mocked Fubara after some of his supporters joined the Action Peoples Party (APP), saying he would teach the governor how to play politics.
Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads for months. The clash has isolated Fubara from Rivers PDP which is in Wike’s grip.
Appearing to reply the former governor, Fubara said: “They even say, they don’t know what we are doing. Let me remind them that it is Fubara who signed the paper to borrow from Zenith Bank the N200bn for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road. So, it is my project.
“It is Fubara that awarded the Trans-Kalabari Road that they couldn’t do. They only did a bridge from Krakrama, but I am the one doing it: the complete span, and it is N22bn. I didn’t borrow.
“It is this same Fubara that is building a general hospital, which I also included a psychiatric hospital because they will need it very soon. So, tell them that what I did in one year is what they did in eight years.
“It is only empty containers that make noise. If God has given you an opportunity, eat your plantain and keep quiet. God will continue to give us the strength to do the best for our people, without fear.”
He said his policy was not to embark on a jamboree of projects, assuring that any project he started would be put to public use.
“Very soon, you will see what we are doing. It is not about doing roads for your business interest. I don’t have any business interests. Whatever I am doing, I am doing it for the people of Rivers State.
“We will not take any decision that we cannot defend. We won’t be part of anything that will bring any form of disgrace to our dear state. This state is important to us. It is the only thing that we have.
“It is a beautiful pride. That is why they are struggling, coupled with the improvement in internally generated revenue we have done. That is why they are struggling, we know. But, do it with modesty, you don’t need to destroy the house,” he said.
Fubara claimed that God had not taken away some of the people disturbing the peace of the state because he wanted them to repent.
“The frustration you are seeing in their faces today is about this point we have gotten. So, please, be strong. All the Babylonians that we are seeing today, you will not see them again.
“God has a reason for allowing the devil or the evil one to stay long. It is not that he can’t take him or take them away but he gives them time to repent.
“And when they continue, he will come heavily, and then, they would say, it would have been better that they had left when they had time. That will be our story in this state.
“But, you see, anybody that is making noise for recognition, it is a sign that he has lost it. By the special grace of God, I don’t need an introduction. I have the name, and I am the one standing here,” he said.
The governor stressed that he remained a member of the PDP.
“I will beg every one of you, God has given us this opportunity, we must safeguard it. They are the ones looking for a way to destroy it.
“They didn’t believe we would get to this point, and I can tell you I had a reason for inviting all the candidates for the local government election for this service.
“I am a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, but I know that there will be an election that I am conducting. So, I have to invite you to come and receive prayers. And little did I know, the bishop gave you the prayers.
“For those of you participating in the election, please, I want the election to be peaceful, very important. When you emerge, our major concern is the people. Care for the people. We have taken Rivers State into a different driveway,” he said.
