The Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Edison Ehie, on 1 February, has apologised to a former governor of Rivers, Peter Odili over remarks made against him by the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche and a former PDP chairperson in Rivers, Felix Obuah.
Messrs Nwuche and Obuah are political allies of Mr Fubara’s predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the FCT minister.
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Governor Fubara and Mr Wike have been engaged in a protracted political battle over the control of Rivers’ political structure.
Before Mr Ehie’s apology to Mr Odili, Messrs Nwuche and Obuah had apologised to Mr Wike over Mr Odili’s remark, in which the former governor said Mr Fubara prevented Mr Wike from turning Rivers into his personal estate, referring to the governor’s political resistance to his predecessor.
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“It is now over 12 months since the 25 October 2023, when a fierce existential fight, though unnecessary, was waged against Governor Fubara over the soul of Rivers State.
“With assuring fortitude, Governor Fubara confronted the challenge, prevented the quest by one man to capture the State as a private estate, emancipated Rivers people, steadied governance, and made civil servants and Rivers people happier as it used to be until he left office in 2007,” Channels Television quoted Mr Odili as saying at an event in Port Harcourt on 28 December.
The FCT minister denied Mr Odili’s accusation and described himself as “the best governor Rivers State has ever produced”.
Then Messrs Nwuche and Obuah entered the fray and apologised to the minister over Mr Odili’s remark.
And then Governor Fubara’s chief of staff, Mr Ehie, turned it into a tit-for-tat by apologising to Mr Odili over Messrs Nwuche and Obuah’s remark.
“How did their (political) career start? Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche was deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. Who make-am House of Reps member and deputy speaker, no be Peter Odili?” Mr Ehie stated, in a mixture of English and Pidgin English, on 1 February, when the Chairperson of Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council, Rivers State, Isaac Umejuru, celebrated his 100 days in office.
“Bro Felix Obuah was local government chairman. Who make-am chairman, no be Odili? Wike was a local government chairman. Who make-am local government chairman, no be Odili?
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“We want to stand here on behalf of the Orashi people to apologise to our father, Dr Peter Odili, on behalf of his children who have gone astray to say what we did not send them.”
Mr Ehie stood at the podium with the Deputy Governor of Rivers, Ngozi Odu and other dignitaries.
The deputy governor thanked the council chairperson, saying he had not disappointed them.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Adaeze Oreh, inaugurated a healthcare centre in Okpurukpuali, which Mr Umejuru’s administration built.
Other projects inaugurated include an assembly hall in Obite named after the Deputy Governor, Mrs Odu, a professor, Ogbidi Market, Community Secondary School, Mgbede, a legislative council complex, and quatres in Omoku for a Joint Security Task Force.
