Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers State said the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, had failed the people of the state in the face of the lingering political crisis.
Fubara said the state was now relying on what it can do based on truth instead of party politics.
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The governor spoke while hosting a delegation of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, led by its Chairman, Senator Orji Kalu, to Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Democracy defence
Fubara said the state would no longer be held back by party affiliation, but would instead stand firm on its own soil to defend democracy.
He said: “In our State today, we are no longer doing party. We are doing a movement. So you don’t blame me if I don’t go to the side of the party too much.
“The party has failed us here. So what we are doing here is to stand with our two legs on the soil of Rivers State, so that we can defend democracy.”
Fubara told members of the committee to factor in the interest of Rivers State as they recommend the privatisation and commercialisation of public companies.
The governor added that when the state buys stakes in such companies, it can be protected and supervised to be viable.
Fubara said: “I will also appeal to you that in this process of privatisation, anything that has to do with our own State here, that needs to be privatised, the Rivers State Government will be interested.
“Because you can’t come here and own our property when we have the resources to have shares or to acquire some portion of it.
“So, as a committee, if there is anywhere you can support us; if there is anyone that is still available, let us know, and let us get the details so that we can own it.
“It is only when we own it that those assets can be protected. It is only when we own it, that is when those assets become viable to the State, and also become viable to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
