The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and address Senate President Godswill’s recent comments about Rivers State.
During the burial of late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe in Isiokpo, Rivers State, Akpabio reportedly tried to mock Governor Siminalayi Fubara by suggesting he should resign if he didn’t see the need to fight for power.
The PDP released a statement on Tuesday through the state publicity secretary, Sydney Tambari Gbara, condemning Akpabio’s disrespectful and hateful remarks towards Fubara at public events in the State.
They labeled Akpabio as an “enemy” of the state due to his alleged negative actions and comments about state matters.
The statement reads in part: “His actions against Rivers people had never been pleasant but embarrassing, as he seems to have taken advantage of the political impasse in the State to perfect his evil enterprise of igniting more crises to the detriment of the State.
“The PDP also recalled that in 2021 when Youths from Rivers State in conjunction with Niger Delta youths blocked the Akpajo -Onne section of the East/west road in a peaceful protest following its dilapidated nature, Senator Godswill Akpabio, then Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, deceived the youths by hiring some road construction equipment, moved them to the road, thereby raising the false impression that the contractors had moved to the site to commence work on the failed part of the road, but not long after the youth withdrew from the road that Senator Akpabio, removed the equipment at night from the road, leaving it worse than it was and causing a number avoidable death of Rivers people and other users of the road.
“Another instance of display of obvious hatred for Rivers people by Senator Akpabio was the harassment and attempted abduction of an illustrious daughter of the State, Gbene Joi Nunieh from her house here in Port Harcourt, during her appointment as NDDC Acting Managing Director, just to make sure that she was removed.
“Recently, at a church service in Tai local government area, the same Akpabio had made a ridiculous remark regarding the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State.
“At the service, Akpabio had called on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to look for somebody from the Ogoni extraction who will take over from Governor Siminialayi Fubara in 2027.
“Such a statement was a huge embarrassment which could provoke a crisis as the Governor has not told anyone that he would not seek reelection in 2027.
“All these have exposed Senator Godswill Akpabio’s desire to stir up sentiments and aggravate the political crisis already confronting the State.
“It is indeed sad that rather than Senator Akpabio who is a Statesman in his position as Senate President to play the role of a mediator in resolving the crises, as a South-South son, he is joining forces with the enemies of the State in fanning the embers of war, disunity and destabilization, through incisive and provocative comments each time he visits Rivers State, something he does not do in his home State of Akwa Ibom, also a PDP controlled State, noting that in Akwa Ibom Senator Akpabio preaches peace, unity and progress in public functions but does the opposite in Rivers State.
“The PDP therefore uses this medium to advise Senator Akpabio to refrain from verbal attacks on the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara as the people of the State would no longer take for granted such comments capable of further dividing the people”.
The party cautioned that if Senator Akpabio continues to make unprovoked negative remarks against Governor Fubara, he may not be allowed back into Rivers State due to his dishonorable behavior.
It said: “While appealing to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu to call Godswill Akpabio to order as his consistent throwing of tantrums at the State Governor and the people is capable of provoking crisis in the State, which is against the tenets of the Peace Proclamation Mr President brokered.
“We also advise him to concentrate more on his job as Senate president and avoid delving into petty issues in Rivers State.
“We enjoin Rivers people to continue to have faith in the present administration as it is poised to deliver democratic dividends to the poor and downtrodden people of the State, while also appealing to Rivers people to resist petty actions and utterances capable of derailing the direction of our focused administration under the leadership of Governor Fubara, no matter who or where it is coming from, and join forces with the party, to defend our people against enemies of the State.”
