1 month ago
13 ARTICLE AD
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, has said that his Rivers State counterpart, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has proven himself a true democrat.
Mohammed said Fubara has against all odds, pushed through with decisions and actions to deepen democracy.
Mohammed further said Fubara has done so by being proactive with an open mind and deploying his democratic instincts with strategies to carefully deliver democratic governance at the local government level, irrespective of party allegiance or consideration.
Mohammed, who is also the Governor of Bauchi State, made the remark shortly after he witnessed the swearing-in of 23 democratically elected Rivers State Local Government Council Chairmen at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt on Sunday evening.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, in Port Harcourt on Monday morning and sent to newsmen.
The PDP Governors’ Forum chairman affirmed that Rivers State is a PDP State, even if the just sworn-in local government chairmen and councillors are of different political parties.
He bemoaned the situation, describing it as the problem that they have found themselves both as a party and as governors.
However, Mohammed said Fubara, who is the Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, is still an avowed member of the PDP even though other parties constitute the body of elected officers at the local government level.
He said, “Of course, he is still with us. He’s still a PDP man, and I have to come, on behalf of the Governors, to show solidarity with him for his very proactive democratic instincts that he developed, which is a new manifestation in the political arena in Nigeria; where he had to intensify, and he has to develop strategy to be able to deliver governance, irrespective of party allegiance or party consideration.”
Mohammed stated further, “He didn’t have a structure of the party in the state, for certain reasons, and he had to go out to make sure he allowed other parties to participate within the political space so that there wouldn’t be any vacuum.
“And, I think this is very auspicious, that is very creative and I am very proud of him. And I said, yes, we have lost as a party, and that is why we want to be running away from this.
“Again, he has established himself as a Governor and the pride of all the governors in Nigeria.”
Mohammed pointed out why it is inadvisable to ignore a sitting governor at the sub-national level because of the role he plays and the following he commands.
This is why, he insisted, the effrontery to undermine the office and person of Sir Siminalayi Fubara as the Governor of Rivers State is largely not acceptable.
He added, “A Governor is the Chief Executive. He can do anything. He can spring surprises because the Nigerian State is run by governors at the sub-national level. Even the Federal Government is a tenant. Nigerians live in the States and Local Governments, and that is why what he did today is very proactive and creative, irrespective of the fact that he knew his party would lose.
“And certainly, because of his deep democratic instincts, he had to allow the other parties to win, and I will just wish that those who have won will see it in their own modesty and willing to give him support. Because he is not doing it with any strings or asking them to do anything. Let the APP and him have that relationship so that he can govern”, he explained.
Mohammed recalled that as a person in 2019, he encountered a similar situation that Fubara was being confronted with, but braced and was able to navigate through it safely.
The Chairman of PDPGF said, “I had a similar situation in 2019. I governed a state where only nine PDP persons were members of the state Assembly and he (Fubara) is still doing that.
“So, his political sagacity has come to a level where he has become a specimen for democratic studies in Nigeria.”
Responding to how soon the PDP will resolve its festering crisis and achieve the desired unity, Governor Mohammed assured that it may seem prolonged but quickly added that true reconciliation was in view.
Mohammed emphasised, “And that is the more reason I am here. Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum. All the governors are with him, and certainly, we are taking steps to ensure reconciliation.
“Reconciliation with somebody who they had started with; the former Governor of this State and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory is a must because, certainly, they have come a long way. We didn’t want to throw the baby away with the bad water.
“And certainly, the governors are with the Governor (Fubara) because this is our tradition and fraternity; at the same time, out of our political history as a party that has a history of governance. We are still stretching our arms of reconciliation to his mentor, to his friend and brother, and also our colleague”, he added.
