By: Felix Ikpotor
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is gradually solidifying his stay in office and winning massive support to himself following the gale of defections and movement to his camp by members of the People Democratic Party , PDP, other parties and those hitherto loyal to his predecessor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
This follows as former Coordinators of Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) in 12 local government areas of Rivers State have pledged their unalloyed support and loyalty to the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
The coordinators who pledged their loyalties are that of Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Port Harcourt City, Opobo/Nkoro, Gokana, Bonny, Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Oyigbo, Asari-Toru, and Akuku-Toru local government areas.
GDI is the support base and political pressure group of Nyesom Wike in Rivers State.
Also, recall that Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads since late last year with a failed attempt to remove the later by the assembly in the state.
A former Coordinator in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Prince Collins Onunwo, who led a strong delegation of former members of GDI All Coordinators’ Forum on a solidarity visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Government House, Port Harcourt at the weekend, said they decided to resign their leadership positions in GDI in order to join the Simplified Movement in the interest of Rivers people.
Onunwo, who was a former chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA and Chairman of Coordinators Forum of GDI, told newsmen after a meeting, that the key mission of GDI was to protect, defend and promote the interest of Rivers State and its people, adding that having freely given their votes and mandate to Governor Fubara, and affirmed by the Supreme Court, GDI has no other option than to support the Governor to succeed.
He vowed the determination and dedication of the former GDI coordinators to the success of the policies and programmes of the present administration.
According to him, “We want the public, Rivers people and all Nigerians to know that GDI is the group founded by the former governor and now Federal Capital Territory Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike. That group brought him to power in 2015, and supported his ambition in 2019. That group is his strength.
“But today, we and our supporters have decided we are no longer members of GDI. The reason is simple: we want to be with Rivers people. Rivers interest is paramount. In 2012, GDI interest was to protect, defend and promote our brother-in-law, President Goodluck Jonathan, because of our mother and sister, Dame Patience Jonathan; and it yielded good dividends to the state.
“Through that struggle, our brother, Chief Nyesom Wike, became governor in 2015; and in 2019, when Abuja politicians said he will not return for second tenure, we all rallied round him and defended our votes, and he served for eight years.
“Today, Rivers interest is to protect our votes that brought in Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Executive Governor of Rivers State in the most credible, fair and violence-free election. We have come to join millions of Rivers women, youths, elders, and other well-meaning people who insist that we must protect our votes to sustain democracy. Our concern is that we voted for PDP and Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and we must protect that mandate with all we have”.
He further cautioned those fighting against the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr Edison Ehie, to retrace their steps, or prepare to face the wrath of Rivers youths, women, and elders.
Also speaking, former Public Relations Officer of GDI ACF, Christian Abu, said that the simple message is that the ex-GDI coordinators just resigned to get Simplified, clarifying that GDI has been the vehicle and political structure for the successes recorded in the previous elections in the state.
Abu said, “Getting Simplified means that the strategies, movement and vehicle that always conveyed electoral successes to the previous administrations have brought same support to the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
“Our support for him today is total, and unwavering. We are committed and dedicated to his victory and mandate. We had sleepless nights to achieve this victory, and we have come to protect the mandate freely given to Sir Siminalayi Fubara under the platform of the PDP”, he added.
