We’ve started preparing our 2025 budget — Gov. Fubara

Rivers State governor, Sir Simi­nalayi Fubara, has said that his administration has started the process of preparing for the 2025 budget, just as he insisted that the legislative seats of Martin Amae­whule and his co-travellers that were declared vacant on Decem­ber 13, 2023, will remain so.

The governor stated that they are truly gone and will eventually return home because they desired it to be so when they defected from the Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP), the platform on which they won their election, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), voluntarily.

Governor Fubara spoke when he received on solidarity visit the leadership structure, critical stakeholders, opinion leaders, women and youths of Etche and Omuma local government areas led by Ogbakor Etche, the apex so­cio-cultural organisation of Etche ethnic nationality worldwide, at Government House in Port Har­court on Wednesday.

The governor, who dismissed their recent ranting as noise mak­ing from delusional folks, urged the 25 former lawmakers to wake up from their slumber to see the ship of governance in the state sailing on smoothly.

Governor Fubara also said that his administration has start­ed preparing details of the 2025 Appropriation Bill, with priority placed on education, healthcare and agriculture.

He said, “Let me assure you that agriculture is an area that we have promised the very spe­cial and peace-loving people of Rivers State that our 2025 budget, which we have already started preparing, will address. Don’t bother about those people that are delusional. They think we are still sleeping. Let me tell you people so that they can hear anywhere they are.

“I wanted to help them, sin­cerely because I know them. And I have said it before, these are peo­ple that I have helped. I paid their children’s school fees. I paid their house rents. So, I wanted to help them.

“We all knew what happened when they crossed (defected), and how did they cross? Because of our God, for them to make that mistake, they crossed! They are gone, and they are gone. Now, let me tell you: when I wanted to help them, I accepted to help them be­cause we are all one. We disagree to agree as it is said.”

Governor Fubara stated: “But, they thought they are smart. What is holding them is the dec­laration of their seats vacant that was done on December 13, 2023. That is what is holding them. We are not doing any budget to nul­lify that decision. It is what will send them to their villages.

“For me, as I am talking to you, I have started preparing my budget for 2025, which I am going to present very soon. And, in that budget, my key areas will be education, healthcare and ag­riculture.”

Governor Fubara explained that the three priority areas that the 2025 budget will focus on would ensure that even if more roads will be constructed, empha­sis would be placed on providing quality healthcare services to keep the people healthy.

“Our children need to go to quality schools. Even if they can’t go to private schools, let them go to the public ones that have stan­dard. We need to go to good health facilities owned by government and get standard healthcare ser­vices.

“Even if we cannot afford those private hospitals, when you go to the public ones, you can get the same services with qualified professionals. That is our think­ing.

“And when we get to the issue of agriculture, it will address the issue of unemployment. When we start engaging our youths, they wouldn’t have time to be in­volved in crime. So, our thinking is to secure and protect our state,” he added.

Governor Fubara reiterated that his administration is not fighting anybody, and will contin­ue to show appreciation to those who have contributed to the good fortunes that he has received in life.

The governor, however, clari­fied that in being loyal, it does not mean losing one’s liberty, sense of discretion, and what is right, which is why he will not be a gov­ernor forced on his knees to stair the affairs of the state.

He added, “I want to assure you one thing: we are not fighting anybody. We appreciate what God has used people to also do in our lives. But we are not going to rule (govern) this state on our bent knees. We will rule standing this way I am standing.

“If it is only being on our knees to rule that is the way that they will see us as being loyal, then, I will pack my few things that I have here, and go and relax in my house comfort­ably because it will be a disaster, not just to me but to everyone in the state and even my own generation.

“So, I will continue to stand tall and stand on the side of truth. So, let me thank the President General (of Ogbakor Etche) for bringing your people, the great people of Etche and Omuma together to come and pay us a solidarity visit.

“We want to assure you that we recognise all ethnic groups, and we are not here because of any particular group. We are here and standing for Rivers State. Our greatest support has come, not from my own people (Opobo), but from all of you.”

Governor Fubara urged the people of Etche nation to sustain their support for his administra­tion because its vision is clear and encompassing to advance the well-being of all Rivers people.

In his speech, Oyeisi Etche, His Eminence, Eze Emmanuel Opurum, said Etche and Omu­ma people will continue to give full support to Governor Fubara and ensure that his administra­tion succeeds.

Eze Opurum, who also said that the political crisis in Rivers State is an ill wind that will do no good to anybody, called on governors of the 36 states of the federation to quickly summon a meeting to collectively find a last­ing solution to the crisis, which should be communicated to Pres­ident Bola Tinubu and eventually enforced.

On his part, the President Gen­eral of Ogbakor Etche Worldwide, Sir Charles Nwonuala, said the Etche people, who share in the travails, joy and the many victo­ries of Governor Fubara, came to pledge their unalloyed support, confidence and faith in him and his administration.