Former Special Adviser on Media to the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, has alleged that the Federal Capital Territory Minister, wanted to use Governor Siminialayi Fubara to rule Rivers State for the third time but in proxy.
Inko-Taria made the remark at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
Inko-Tariah contrasted Governor Fubara’s style with that of his predecessor whom he described as less receptive to opposition and criticism.
He hinted that unlike the previous administration, Governor Fubara had shown remarkable tolerance and a peaceful disposition, even in the face of provocation.
This change in leadership style, according to Inko-Tariah, is what garners organic support for Fubara across the state. He credited the governor’s popularity to his understanding of the hardships faced by the populace under the former governor and his commitment to bringing a “breath of fresh air” through his policies, according to Naija News.
He stated, “The former governor is yet to come to terms with the fact that while he thought he was going to do a third-term in office by proxy, the man who succeeded him, knowing too well what Rivers people went through in the last eight years, has decided to hue us out of that mountain of despair and frustration.
“I’m talking about the present governor, Sir Fubara. He was Wike’s Director of Finance and Administration, while I was in office before I resigned. Then he became the Accountant General of the state.
“You will all agree with me that he worked closely with the then governor. I want to believe his hands were a little bit fertile and so there are so many things, even if you oppose, because we had a governor who was averse to criticisms as we saw in the last general elections.”
Wike’s former media aide noted that Fubara did nothing wrong to warrant an impeachment notice by the state House of Assembly, who had yet to establish any tangible reason for their failed action, expressing happiness that the governor has continued to come up with people-oriented policies despite some distractions here and there.
He enthused, “You are all aware of what the governor is doing since coming on board. He has approved several employments into the civil service, promoted civil servants and increased salary of local government workers.
He explained, “But probably because of his (Fubara’s) new policies and so on, the love for the governor is increasing. But as at that time, a lot of Rivers’ people thought he was going to carry on like his master. So when they saw the change, it was like thank God that era has passed because people were begging for that tenure to come to an end.
“In one of the events the governor attended, looking at the turnout, he asked, ‘Are they also going to say this crowd is rented?’ It is just a referendum of the approval of a governor because of his policies and disapproval of his predecessor.