A former president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a ceasefire in the ongoing feud between the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara and his estranged political godfather and FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.
He said on Monday at the flag-off of the Main Trans-Kalabari Road project undertaken by Fubara, that it was time to end the war, as it was impacting negatively on the development of Rivers State.
But Jonathan did not say how the feud will be made to end under the prevailing situation, considering current realities. For example, he did not say if he would advise the 27 lawmakers who have been sacked by a state high court to behave themselves and respect the court order, or if he would tell Wike to retrace his steps and stop encouraging his loyalists to disrespect the governor and the 199 constitution as amended.
But he said “when I was asked to come and flag-off this project, I felt that it is only a person who has vision, and the commitment to develop his people that can do this.
“Your Excellency, let me commend you for your vision and the courage to start this project. In fact, it is not going to be a tea party. If you must develop a nation, region or state, there are critical elements that count. These are good road network, airport, rail and water transport systems as well as security,” he said.
He said that by providing these enablers, development would thrive in the State, and thanked the Governor for daring to dream big, and venture into projects that previous administrations had avoided.
The former president, who commended efforts of some leaders who had intervened in the festering political crisis in Rivers State, also asked both Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Fubara to ceasefire so that the crisis does not snowball into a bigger regional and national challenge with greater consequences.
Jonathan noted the problems associated with transition of governments in Nigeria, and crisis that it has come with. He explained that even at the centre, where presidents have taken over from presidents, it has been better managed, but regretted that it is worse at the state level, warning that it is not the best.
He emphasised that outgoing governors and incoming ones must know that they have to work together for the collective interest of the citizenry of their states, urging them to address their minds to the need for such mutual acceptance.
He added: “In this case of Rivers, Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara must work together for the development of the land and the people of Rivers State. The tension will not help us.
“Rivers State is very critical in this country. Rivers State is the heart of the Niger Delta. If Rivers State is destabilized, the whole Niger Delta will be destabilized, and it will not end within the Niger Delta alone because I am from this part of the country, and I know how the system works. We don’t want any crisis in Rivers State.”
The former president said: “Leaders must know that nobody takes 100 percent. You most learn the principle of give and take. So, our political actors most work together if you love Rivers people.
“And, I join the leaders of Rivers State and well-meaning Nigerians who have been calling for truce, who have been calling for ceasefire, to also re-emphasize that there is the need for a ceasefire. Let us do things that will rather project this State positively.
“There is this common saying that when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. Both the Governor and the Minister are young people, very young people but they are powerful, and if you continue to fight, Rivers people will suffer. We don’t want the Rivers people to suffer.
“So, we are calling on them to embrace themselves. One hand does not clap. It takes two hands to clap. So, we want them to work together for the collective interest of Rivers people.
“Whatever has happened, has passed. Let us move to a new phase for the interest of the State, for the interest of the Niger Delta, and indeed, the interest of the country,” he added.
In his speech, Fubara assured that his administration was determined to deliver the Trans-Kalabari Road project to stimulate socio-economic activities in benefiting rural communities for overall development of the State and advised the people to buy-in into the project and ensure that they ward-off any form of sabotage that may delay or frustrate timely completion of the project.
He said: “When we went for campaign in the three local government areas of Kalabari Kingdom, we promised you that if you give us your votes and we succeed, we will embark on the Trans-Kalabari Road.
“And that is what we have come to do today. We are a government, when we make promise, we keep our promises.
“I understand the cost. I understand the difficult terrain and I also understand that somebody has to take this step. If it is not done by me, then another person can also do it. But within our time, it is proper for us to make a statement to our people.
“I don’t want to talk about politics on this project. I want us to look at the facts. It is a difficult terrain, it is going to be expensive, but we are equal to the task”, he said.
Governor Fubara also said: “Let me also say it for record purposes: We are not going to borrow to embark on this project. We have saved and we are using our savings to pay off the cost, which we have already done, the 30 percent initial advance payment. So, the contractor has no reason to delay, but to start off the project immediately.”
The Governor appealed to the Rumuolumeni people to give the contractor the necessary support to enable them take off without much ado while also urging the Kalabari Kingdom to give the necessary support so that the project will be delivered without any sabotage.
Fubara said he heard the Amanyanabo of Abonnema when he spoke, alluding to the cost of building in the riverine, which is four times the cost of building in the upland, adding that when completed, the project would have helped to solve the problems associated with cost of property development in the riverine communities.
He noted, “This road will bring development to our people. This road will bring economic advancement to our people. So, we need your buy-in. Your buy-in is not just standing here with us today, but giving all the necessary support.
“You need to also cooperate with the contractor, your leaders and chiefs, so that there will be no sabotage.
“Let me also say it clearly, for those of you who are planning to sabotage it, it is your business. If we don’t do it in our own time, I wonder when you are going to get it. So, you need to buy-in into this project. The advantage of this project is making life easy for our people.”
Governor Fubara emphasised: “For us as a government, our duty remains, people first. Those things that we know will make life easy for you, are the areas that we will pay attention to.
“So, please give us the necessary support so that this project will be achieved at a record time. This way, we can also look at other aspects of the state economy.
“We are not going to focus only on roads. But this particular road is important to the development of our State. That is why we are starting it now because of the time that is required to deliver it.”
He said the Trans-Kalabari Road project will have a lot of bridges, and will have deck-on-pile, being built on the swamp, adding that having started it early, it should be ready within the lifespan of his tenure for formal inauguration.
The governor also thanked Jonathan for accepting to perform the flag-off of the project because he understood the magnitude of the project and the specific transportation needs that it will address.
“The road will include a series of bridge crossings, leading to Oguru-Ama, Bakana, Bukuma and Tombia. The first phase of the project is 12.5kilometer long, and it is expected to be completed within 32 months.
“The road features are 7.3meter carriage way, 2.5meter surface concrete shoulders and solar street lighting. It also consist 100 millimeter asphaltic to concrete surface scene, 150 millimeter crush granite base course and a 200 millimeter cement stabilizer sub-base.
“Additionally, the road includes 4 pre criss-crossed concrete bridges measuring 576 meters, 288 meters, 360 meters and 108 meters as well as 3 pre-stress deck-on-piles measuring 700 meters, 520 meters and 450 meters, respectively.”
He said it will begin from the Port Harcourt Ring Road section of Aker-Nkpor junction through the swampy area by the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) fence for a river crossing bridge unto Oguru-Ama, Bakana, Bukuma and Tombia communities.
In his remarks, Managing Director of Lubrik Construction Company Limited, Engr Hadi Shihadi, said they have already mobilized to site, and are confident to deliver the project on schedule with the cooperation of host communities.
