A former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Robinson Ewor, has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of deliberately betraying agreements reached during presidential mediation, alleging that the governor lacks transparency and has an intent to defraud Rivers people.
Ewor made the assertion during a thank you visit to Ahoada West Local Government Area on Sunday by the FCT Minister and his entourage.
The former lawmaker who reactee to the lingering political crisis in the state, insisted that Governor Fubara failed to honour resolutions reached after interventions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The truth is that he is not worthy to be a leader. You people 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 willingly endorsed the agreement but later abandoned its implementation.
“He didn’t sign that agreement under duress. Nobody forced him. He signed voluntarily. Then what happened? He didn’t keep to the agreement,” the former lawmaker stated.
Ewor further alleged that the governor acted deceptively during a second round of negotiations, claiming that he deliberately excluded 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 faulted the governor for failing to brief Rivers people on what was discussed or agreed during the mediation, describing such silence as 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 argued that Governor Fubara, having been elected by the people, owes them a duty to be open and truthful.
“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 further warned that any leader who cannot communicate honestly with the people cannot be trusted to govern.
“A leader that cannot tell his people the truth cannot be trusted to lead,” he declared.
Drawing a contrast with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, Ewor said the minister attended negotiations with witnesses and a team, unlike the governor who allegedly chose to act alone.
“The FCT minister went to the negotiation with his team, with witnesses, and came back. But because our government has intent to defraud Rivers people, he went alone so there would be no witness,” he alleged.
Using a metaphor, Ewor likened the situation to entrusting authority to the wrong hands.
“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 mistakes in leadership should not be tolerated.
“If you make the first mistake, you can be forgiven. If you make the second one, you cannot be forgiven. 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.