When Odumegwu Ojukwu left the scene in January 1970 to end the war, was it a surrender or hunger for peace? This question has remained debatable to this day.
When Sim Fubara emerged in Aso Rock with Nyesom Wike and all the men that had wanted him out at all cost, was it surrender or search for peace. This, too, has elicited big debate around Nigeria.
Fubara’s allies are livid with anger, but the suspended governor is the one wearing the shoe and the one who knows where it is paining him.
The most important point is that it was Fubara alone (with his deputy) that are on suspension. His supporters are not. So, he takes the bullet and as Wike once said, he is the one to be blamed if development did not come to Rivers State under his watch.
Also, how many aces is he holding in the fight? The president holds all the aces and decides who he deals. It is the president that decided for state of emergency and chose who to blame for the mess in the House of Assembly and took over the functions. The president alone chose a new governor in the form of a sole administrator. It is also the president that would decide that when enough is enough.
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The options before Fubara were to either resign, which is what many prefer, or to remain mute and confuse the centre the more. Many say resignation would force the deputy, Ngozu Ordu, to take over. Many say she would meet Tinubu’s wife and strike a deal and all women in Nigeria would back her to success. That is mere speculation.
Some say resignation of Fubara would permit the EFCC to arrest him over the N117bn over the counter withdrawal matter. They argue that the moment Fubara squeals, his godfather would go in too. That too is speculation because the EFCC these days may not be in a hurry to arrest Fubara’s godfather who is burrowing deeper and deeper into the president’s skin. His luck alone seems to attract more opposition governors and former governors to also burrow into the president’s party, if not his skin.
Some argue that he did not consider his supporters before throwing in the towel. To such people, there seems to be no evidence that Fubara’s resignation would bring any more succur to the supporters. They say federal might is too much for anybody in the Fubara camp. They point to the fate that befell Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi when he fought to the last man. He did not win anything from it to his camp because his enemies ganged up to cut him and his supporters shut ant any round.
So, majority of the Simplified movement have simply dusted their shoes and gone back to their businesses, and good luck to Fubara. Their feeling is that they did not bring Fubara to government house and the owner seems to have collected his asset.
With this, Fubara addressed his camp in what seemed like disbandment ceremony.
He said: I had a meeting with you on the 29th of May, 2025, here, and in that meeting, I did inform you that we are in a peace process. I know — and not just being in the process — I said it’s ongoing.
I called for this meeting to address you formally, for you to have the first-hand information. It’s not the one you are reading in the paper, it’s not the one you are seeing on social media or wherever — you are now hearing from me.
We have fought. I think, in my own assessment and in the assessment of anyone here who is genuine in this struggle, you will know that we have done what we need to do. At this point, if you want to be truthful to yourself, the only solution is peace. I did say that there’s no price that is too big for peace — I meant it, and I’m still ready to follow it to the end.
Nobody can take away the role and risks the FCT Minister took for me to become governor.
So, my dear fathers, brothers and sisters, no matter the level of peace that a mediator will arrange, the true peace is the one where both of you are sitting down together to say, “Yes, this is what we want.”
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At this point, I’ve met him and we have spoken. You can’t take away the fact that he’s hurt — he’s a human being. I also have my own share of pains too.
It’s not even about me as a person — it’s about the overall interest of the state. In the midst of this crisis between me and the FCT Minister, look at the projects we’ve initiated. Many have been abandoned. We know the progress we would have recorded and the areas that would have been developed. So, there’s need for this peace — that’s the truth.
I can’t abandon you people — that’s one thing I need to say here. This is the time for me to prove to you that I care for you.
Without a total reconciliation — which, by the grace of God, the both of us have gotten to — there’s no way we can make progress in this state.
In my place, there’s a fish they call Atabala — you call it Tilapia. The native Tilapia doesn’t grow big. The mother Tilapia used to tell the kids that if you want to grow up to my own size, hide your head inside the mud. Every one of us should understand that at this time, we’ve done our best, and what we need now is this peace so that we can grow. I know it’s difficult and heavy, but that’s the true situation.”
