The Labour Party (LP) has withdrawn its appeal to prevent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Sim Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, from winning the 2023 election.
The PDP candidate’s election was upheld by the Lagos Appeal Court after LP filed a lawsuit challenging Fubara’s success in the exercise.
However, Beatrice Itubo, the Libertarian Party’s candidate for governor in the upcoming election, stated the case had been withdrawn weeks after the events.
At her house in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State’s Ogbakiri nation, she made this statement during a Saturday chat with Channels Television.
The leader of the LP stated, “We feel that the interests of the state are far more paramount than every one of our expectations or feelings because of the current happenings in River State.”
Thus, we are approaching it from the perspective of the people. People have said things like, “Let the government go on, let there be good governance,” yet peace is a prerequisite for effective governance.
“After considering the entire situation, we decided that enough was enough. Let’s go back and request that our attorneys drop the lawsuit so that we can work with the current administration to find ways to advance the state.
She said that in order to bring about growth in the state of Rivers, all of the locals must support the Fubara administration.
“And not only ourselves. We also want well-meaning Rivers people, including those who work and live in the state as well as those who conduct business here; in other words, we want everyone to come out and support Sir Sim Fubara’s government so that we can advance Rivers State. After all, no society can grow without peace, she added, adding that she is still a member of the Labour Party.
And here in Rivers State, we require the benefits of democracy. We are acknowledging that we are unable to carry on with our struggle. There is a time to fight and a time to give up, according to the Bible. I too believe that it is time to put an end to the struggle.
The latest development in Rivers State politics amid the political unrest roiling the oil-producing region is the partnership between Fubara and Itubo.
LP’s most recent action is thought to be related to the tension that exists between the Governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, even though Itubo had pledged to pursue the election petition to the furthest extent possible, stating that the governorship election process was rigged.
Even as the political divisions in the South-South State grew, Itubo had paid Fubara a visit earlier at the Government House in Port Harcourt. The state assembly has already split in half as a result of 27 legislators defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following the defection, the government of Governor Fubara razed the Port Harcourt legislative complex, alleging a fire a few weeks prior that had destroyed a portion of the building. After that, he gave a presentation of the 2024 budget to a few parliamentarians in Government House, without the presence of the 27 defectors.
However, nine commissioners have resigned from the Fubari government for a variety of reasons, adding to the seemingly never-ending crises plaguing the state.
Fubara insists there is no crisis in the state despite the developments.
“Investors can find refuge in Rivers State. “What we are doing today is to let the world know that Rivers State is not safe and that there is a crisis, not what you hear on the radio or what you see on television,” he said to a crowd gathered at the flag off of 20,000 housing units in the state’s Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“Anyone from anywhere can come to Rivers State and invest; your money is safe in our hands.”
