A former Rivers State House of Assembly member, Hon. Robinson Ewor, has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of deliberately betraying agreements reached during presidential mediation, alleging that the governor lacks transparency and intends to defraud Rivers people.
Ewor made the accusation on Sunday during the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s, thank-you visit to Ahoada West Local Government Area. The former lawmaker said Fubara failed to honour resolutions reached after interventions by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The truth is that he is not worthy to be a leader. You know the situation in the state. There was a crisis, they all went to the President, the President mediated, and an agreement was reached — an eight-point agenda,” Ewor said.
According to him, the governor signed the agreement voluntarily but later abandoned it.
“He didn’t sign under duress. Nobody forced him. He signed voluntarily. Then what happened? He didn’t keep to the agreement,” the ex-lawmaker stated.
Ewor further alleged that Fubara acted deceptively during a second round of negotiations, deliberately excluding his supporters and stakeholders.
“This time, he was very crafty. He has enormous support and followers, but he went to the negotiation alone because, from the onset, he planned not to keep to the terms. Otherwise, why would a governor go to a negotiation of that magnitude alone?” he asked.
He criticised the governor for failing to brief Rivers people on what was discussed or agreed, calling the silence a failure of leadership and accountability.
“They haven’t finished negotiating, you came back, and you didn’t tell Rivers people what you discussed or agreed. Is that leadership? I am demanding that the government should come out and address Rivers people, tell them what was agreed in the last mediation,” Ewor said.
He emphasised that Governor Fubara, having been elected by the people, owes them transparency.
“Rivers people employed him. We gave him the mandate. He is accountable to us. He should come out clean and tell Rivers people the truth,” he said.
Ewor warned that any leader who cannot communicate honestly cannot be trusted to govern.
“A leader that cannot tell his people the truth cannot be trusted to lead,” he declared.
Contrasting Fubara with the FCT Minister, Ewor said Wike attended negotiations with his team and witnesses, unlike the governor who allegedly acted alone.
“The FCT minister went to the negotiation with his team, with witnesses, and came back. But our government has intent to defraud Rivers people, so he went alone to avoid witnesses,” he alleged.
Using a stark metaphor, Ewor likened the situation to handing power to criminals.
“When you hand over the microphone to a murderer, you have empowered him. Today, we have handed over the microphone to an armed robber. The earlier we realise this, the better,” he said.
He concluded with a stern warning, saying repeated leadership mistakes should not be tolerated.
- “If you make the first mistake, you can be forgiven. If you make the second one, you cannot. Leadership that cannot be trusted should not be trusted. Let that leadership come out and tell the world the truth about what was agreed during the negotiation,” Ewor said.
