Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has alleged that the individuals responsible for the recent bombing attempt at Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt are known, and questioned why security agencies have remained silent on the matter.
Fubara made these comments while receiving a delegation from the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
He claimed that the failed bombing was part of a larger plot to justify the call for the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The governor accused supporters of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of Federal Capital Territory, of being behind the plot, describing them as “haters” seeking to destabilise the state to achieve their goals.
Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, former Governor of Abia state, led the Senate delegation, according to The Nation.
He said: “As a matter of fact, let me tell you, I know of everything that is happening. Yesterday (Tuesday), they (protesters) were aware that you are in the state. So, there was an attempt to create a serious problem.
“In fact, there was a plan to detonate dynamite at the Hotel Presidential because you people were there. But this God that we serve, it happened that the man who was trying to do it detonated it but just a few seconds after, it blew his hands off.
“The idea was that as you were hearing the state of emergency, it will be so that by the time they finish when you return to have your sitting tomorrow (Thursday), the debate will be from somebody from this state who called you people to tell you not to come.
“He will now raise the issue of state of emergency, and say after all, distinguished colleagues saw it happen while you were in Rivers State, that you saw what happened.
“But you see, when you are with God, even your own child who is planning evil, will go and tell somebody that, God is with this man because he is clean, this is what my father is planning. That is what is keeping us in this state.”
Fubara expressed concern that the law appears to be ineffective in holding offenders accountable, seemingly due to some individuals being “bigger than the law”.
He emphasised that the issue of tenure elongation for former local government chairmen is unique to Rivers State and not a national problem.
The governor clarified that his actions are not driven by personal vendettas, but rather a commitment to protecting the state’s interests and his supporters from those who seek to exploit and harm others.
Despite facing intense criticism and abuse from former council chairmen, Fubara noted that he was focused on delivering good governance and democratic dividends to the people of Rivers State, choosing not to engage with his detractors.
He said: “Where on earth can tenure of local government chairmen be elongated? You were a former governor, was it tried in your time? Even those of you who are senators here, even in your own states, have anyone tried this before?
“Is it that the constitution that governs Nigeria is different from the one that operates in Rivers State? These are the very pertinent questions we should ask.
“Why should it be that when it comes to the case of Rivers State, the law is always silent? Is it that there is somebody bigger than Nigeria? That is the question I want you to go back to.
“I tell you, we know everything that is happening, and you know it, everybody knows it. We should be bold enough to look at the faces of people and tell them the truth.
“I am not fighting anybody. If I am fighting, people will know that I am fighting: My pattern will change. What we are doing is to defend ourselves. We can’t just fold our hands. Only a tree will be standing and somebody will come and cut it off.
“It doesn’t happen as a human being. If you know that danger is coming, you shift. What we are doing is just to protect ourselves. So, Distinguished Senators, I am not fighting anybody.
“Somebody thinks or some people feel they own life. I don’t own life. The person who owns life is God. What we are doing here is to serve the people of Rivers State because God has given us this opportunity.
“It doesn’t matter the channel the opportunity came from. But the most important thing is God, and nobody takes the place of God in anything.”
Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, in his remark, appealed to Wike, Fubara’s predecessor, to promote peace by restraining his supporters and prioritising the state’s interest.
