Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Friday declared that what critics brand as “weakness” in his leadership style is, in fact, a deliberate strategy of restraint adopted to safeguard peace and stability in the oil-rich state.
Speaking in Lagos while receiving the New Telegraph Man of the Year Award, Fubara said his decision to appear weak amid prolonged political tensions was a conscious sacrifice made in the larger interest of Rivers State and the nation.
Describing “weakness” as a virtue that yields dividends in due season, the governor maintained that preserving calm and preventing further escalation of conflict guided his approach.
“Some call it weakness; others call it strength,” he said. “But for many reasons, I chose to be weak — weak because I want peace, weak because we need to survive, and weak because I want to protect what is dear not just to me, but to our state and nation. Weakness is a virtue; it pays at the right time.”
In a move likely to stir political interpretations, Fubara dedicated the award to God, the people of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, whom he acknowledged as his political benefactor.
“I must dedicate this award to my Oga, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike, who discovered me, not minding the situation. It was that discovery that gave me this loudness,” he said.
Fubara also paid tribute to the people of Rivers State for their patience and composure in the face of political uncertainty, noting that their maturity had helped sustain stability.
He expressed gratitude to the organisers for the recognition, observing that in a nation of over 200 million people, the decision to single him out was both humbling and motivating.
Chairman and Publisher of New Telegraph, Orji Uzor Kalu, said the awards were based strictly on merit and designed to honour individuals whose contributions have impacted national development.
Former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, who also spoke at the event, commended Fubara and other recipients for their service and urged them to remain steadfast in advancing the country’s progress.
Fubara was accompanied to the ceremony by a delegation of Rivers elders, political leaders and stakeholders, in what observers described as a symbolic show of solidarity amid ongoing tensions in the state’s political landscape.
