From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that his administration will continue to prioritize the interest of Rivers people in the governance of the state under the mantra: ‘Rivers First’.
Accordingly, he called on all well-meaning Rivers people to continue to support and contribute their quota to making the administration achieve its vision of advancing the fortunes of the state.
Governor Fubara made the remarks during the Praise Night organised by the State Government to mark his first anniversary in office, held at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, on Friday night.
The event was laced with soul-lifting praise and worship songs in appreciation of God’s goodness, mercy and blessings over the past year.
The Praise Night, attended by the Governor and his wife, Lady Valarie Siminalayi Fubara; the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu; former Governor Peter Odili; and his wife, Justice Mary Odili (rtd); Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo; Senator John Mbata; government officials, stakeholders, traditional rulers and hundreds of residents, featured gospel artistes such as Prince Emmanuel, Preye Odede, Joe Praise, Sensational Bamidele, Buchi, Afy Douglas (Atonye Douglas), and a host of others.
The Governor, who spoke through his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, noted with happiness the spiritual ministrations and prophetic declarations by the artists, which according to him, were manifestations of the victory which God had sealed in the state.
The governor said: “The good Lord has rolled away the stone. We shall continue to have this shared vision of putting Rivers State first. But, we can’t do it alone. We need all of you, big and small to chip-in the little or the much you can, and at the end of this our first tenure, you will see where God will take Rivers State to.
“I want to thank everybody. The artists, they are moved. It wasn’t just them singing and dancing, I think there were spiritual ministrations that they have made, and they have also made prophetic declarations that we all say amen to.”
Governor Fubara, who noted the efficacy of God in making the impossible, possible, asserted that God had made permanent the situation in his administration by removing all obstacles, believing that He would continue to fight the battles for the government to be victorious.
He said: “Because of what God has done, it shall be permanent, because any mountain, like the word of God says will be made a plain. And when God takes over the battle, you don’t need to fight. Everyday I remind myself of the war of Gideon in the Bible. Gideon said he doesn’t know how to fight and God said no, the fight is not yours, is His and Gideon went and he was victorious.”
He charged Rivers people to continue to stand strong in support of the administration, and contribute meaningfully towards the sustainable development of the state.