Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his stance on the status of the 27 State House of Assembly members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. Fubara maintained that the lawmakers have forfeited their seats permanently, as any chance for reconciliation has passed.

He defended his decision to present the 2025 budget to only three lawmakers, citing the absence of the 27 members loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike. Fubara, who has been in conflict with Wike, expressed his refusal to tolerate any more insults from him and his supporters.

During the signing of the N1.1tn 2025 budget at the state House in Port Harcourt, Fubara asserted that the three-member Assembly led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo is the sole legitimate legislative body, dismissing any claims of a factional Assembly.

He liken the decision of the lawmaker to defect to APC to embarking on sea-bared journey only for them to realise halfway that the sojourn was a perilous one.

He said, “I want to say this, maybe for some persons somewhere who are still mixing up issues. We have only one Assembly and that Assembly is headed by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo.

“A group of friends about nine months ago embarked on what is called the sea-bared journey; halfway through the vessel, while they were coasting, they realized that they were entering the den of devils and sharks, and they now want to retreat.

“It is too late, and the truth is that we are not going back. We have given them enough room for peace. There is no governor in Nigeria who can take the kind of insult I took from those set of people.

“As it stands now, our major target is the interest of Rivers State, and we will continue to defend the integrity of governance. As far as I am concerned, we have moved on.”

Fubara pledged to remain focused on defending the interests of Rivers State and ensuring the integrity of governance.

He said, “We will make sure that we kick-start, so that the record of performance that was accorded by this administration in the year 2024 will be higher in this year, 2025.

“Let me first thank the Rivers State House of Assembly for doing a very diligent job, and also realising the task that we have ahead of us, which is to continue to work for Rivers people. So, I want to thank you for working very hard and ensuring that we hit the ground running in this New Year.”