Governor Siminalayi Fubara has pulled out of the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship race.
In a statement he personally released on Wednesday night, Fubara announced his resignation from the race, stating that he did it out of conviction and sacrifice for the state to advance in harmony and peace.
“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC gubernatorial primaries. I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party,” Fubara said.
“Leadership is ultimately about sacrifice. There comes a time when personal ambition must yield to the greater good of the people. Rivers State is bigger than any individual, and at this critical moment, the peace, stability, and unity of our dear state must take precedence over every personal interest.
“To my supporters who stood firmly with me throughout this journey, who gave their time, resources, prayers, and unwavering hope, I offer my deepest gratitude. I understand the disappointment, the anger, and the pain many of you may feel.
“Much has indeed been invested and much sacrificed along the way. But please know that your loyalty and trust were never in vain. My silence over this period was deliberate and strategic, guided always by the higher interest of our state and our people.
“As our elders say, not everything a hunter sees in the forest is spoken of in the marketplace. Some truths are best borne quietly, not out of fear, but out of wisdom and restraint for the sake of peace and a greater purpose. It is enough to say that I have faced immense pressures and difficult choices, but my love for Rivers State remains greater than anything else.”
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Fubara said he stepped aside from the APC governorship primary “not out of weakness, fear, or surrender, but out of conviction and sacrifice so that Rivers state may move forward in peace and unity”.
The governor said he remains committed to serving the people of Rivers state till the end of his term.
Last week, the APC screened Fubara and Kingsley Chinda, an ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for the APC gubernatorial primary billed for Friday.
After the screening, Fubara seemed clearly dejected and refused to talk to reporters, which fuelled rumours that the committee had rejected him.
In the Rivers state house of assembly primary, the APC screening committee dismissed dozens of Fubara associates while clearing candidates who supported Wike.
A long-running struggle for power between Fubara and Wike has resulted in attempts to remove the governor from office.
Wike’s friends make up the majority of the Rivers lawmakers who supported Fubara’s impeachment.
After accusing the governor of breaking the peace deal they both signed at President Bola Tinubu’s order, the FCT minister had promised to fight Fubara’s reelection campaign.
