•Don’t listen to sycophants, reconcile with Wike, Boyloaf tells gov
From Tony John, Port Harcourt and Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said his administration would complete the Etche-Igbodo road in Etche Local Government Area, which was started by the government of Nyesom Wike.
The governor, yesterday, inspected the remaining section of the road which is in a deplorable condition and promised to urgently commence work to complete the road.
During the visit, Governor Fubara, had responded to complaints from residents in Umuohie-Igbodo communities, the point where the initial construction by the immediate past administration terminated.
He drove on the entire stretch of the bad section to the Okpala community of Imo State to assess the state of the bad portion and the level of work that would be required. He noted that the immediate past administration did a great job when it reconstructed the Etche-Igbodo road but the deplorable section was not completed then and it had become a problem for residents and commuters.
“It’s really bad and you can see that. I wonder how these people manage during the rainy season because if it is as bad as this in the dry season, then it must be terrible during the rainy season.
“As a government, we will see what we can do immediately to complete this section so that there will be very easy traffic along this route.”
Meanwhile, former militant leader, Chief Ebikabowei Victor-Ben (General Boyloaf) has called on Governor Fubara to shun sycophants and pursue reconciliation with former governor, Wike.
Boyloaf, who expressed concern over the delay in bringing the political crisis in the state to an end, accused those fueling the crisis for doing so because of personal enrichment.
“By now, Fubara should be ensuring that peace reigns in Rivers State. God forbid something happen to his mandate; the same sycophants will be the first to abuse him. He should engage other peace-loving leaders to intervene and ensure reconciliation is achieved as soon as possible.”
Boyloaf insisted that Wike is important to the Niger Delta region because of the battle he waged to ensure that the Tinubu Presidency became a reality when other Niger Delta elders were rooting for another northerner to rule.
He also urged Fubara to take a cue from the relationship between former governor now Senator Seriake Dickson and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, noting that the peaceful and harmonious relationship between them was due to patience, understanding and loyalty.
“Look at Senator Douye Diri and Senator Dickson. When Dickson helped Douye Diri to become Governor with the assistance of the Almighty, despite all temptations, Diri refused to be drawn into battle with his predecessor.
“It shows Diri was grateful and loyal, which led Dickson to work openly and vigorously for the second term bid of Diri. It showed that they worked for the peace of Bayelsa state and they refused to allow sycophants to divide them.”
Boyloaf cautioned those self-acclaimed pro-Fubura supporters threatening to make Rivers ungovernable if Fubara is removed from office, adding that such utterances are divisive.
On the repeated attempts by some few politicians to turn the Rivers State crisis into an ethnic battle, Boyloaf dismissed the attempts as shameful, stressing that “Wike has proven himself to be more of an Ijaw man by actions, than many Ijaw elders and leaders, given his disposition to the empowerment and development of Ijaw sons and daughters.”