By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The emergence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as the vice chairman of PDP Governor’s Forum is eliciting mixed reactions from citizens of Rivers State.
While some of them see it as a good development for Rivers State, others see it as a bad omen, arguing that such positions usually distract Rivers governors and make them lose focus in the state because of national politics.
“I’m not impressed about it. I think it’s too early for him to start taking national duties now. He has a lot of work to do as governor of Rivers and he has not even started and they’re giving him such national assignment in the PDP governor’s forum. It will distract him now before you know it,” a concerned Rivers citizen said on Saturday evening.
Expressing similar view, another Rivers resident lamented: “They have started again; they want to distract him now and make him lose focus. That’s what they always do to Rivers governors. They will use national politics to deceive and distract them and eat their money and at the end of the day they will still dump them.
“It happened to Odili. It happened to Amaechi. It happened to Wike. Now, they have started with Fubara. When it’s time to play the real national politics now, they will use him to sponsor them with Rivers money and in the end they will betray him and give power to their own people. That is Hausa and Yoruba for you. I don’t know why our governors cannot learn.”
However, another citizen of the state holds a different view. He said the vice chairmanship position the PDP Governors Forum gave to the Rivers governor is good for the state.
“Rivers State is a big state in Nigeria. In fact, the only state we’re competing with is Lagos State. So, our governors can’t play backyard politics. They have to be at the front so that nobody can take our right in Nigeria. That’s why I like what Wike did. With what happened in the last election, they won’t take Rivers State for granted again when it comes to national politics. Maybe that’s why they even gave Governor Fubara this position. For me, it’s a welcome development,” he said.
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was elected Vice-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum.
Announcing the development after the just concluded retreat of PDP’s elected officials held in Bauchi on Saturday, governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said the governor of Bauchi State and host of the retreat, Sen. Bala Mohammed has been elected the new chairman of the forum.
“The Forum also elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State as its Vice-chairman,” he noted
In his acceptance speech, Governor Bala Mohammed said he would work in synergy with Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to give leadership to the forum with the support of their colleagues.
Governor Sim Fubara had led the Rivers team, comprising national assembly members-elect, to the one-day retreat in Bauchi.
It was gathered that 10 PDP governors and 3 deputy governors attended the retreat.
