Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in the state.
Fubara announced his withdrawal from the contest in a statement he personally issued on Wednesday night, noting that he stepped down out of conviction and sacrifice for the state to move forward in peace and unity.
“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.”
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.
Fubara, who appeared visibly downcast after the screening, declined to speak with journalists, fuelling speculations that the committee disqualified him.
The APC screening committee had disqualified dozens of Fubara associates in the Rivers state house of assembly primaries but cleared aspirants loyal to Wike.
Fubara and Wike have been embroiled in a protracted power tussle that culminated in attempts to impeach the governor.
Most of the Rivers lawmakers who endorsed the impeachment process against Fubara are Wike allies.
The FCT minister had vowed to oppose Fubara’s re-election bid after accusing the governor of violating the peace agreement they both signed at the directive of President Bola Tinubu
