By Francis Ekeh
Ahead of the 2027 General Election, the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reiterated his support for the second term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the aspiration of Hon Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
In what could be described as a public declaration of peace and total cessation of hostilities in the political arena in the state, Governor Fubara said that as a loyal member of the APC, he has also become a member of the Rainbow Coalition, the political group put together by his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief ( Barrister) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to advance the interests of the ruling party in Rivers State.
The Governor who made his position known on Wednesday during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Riven Medical Industries Project in Port Harcourt, disclosed that the hitherto contending political forces in the state have resolved their differences and resolved to work together in the interest of the peace and development of the state.
Governor Fubara charged his teeming supporters across the state to, without prejudice to the past, join him in supporting the ambitions of Tinubu, Chinda and all the other candidates of the APC in Rivers State during the forthcoming elections.
“We have made peace in the state and I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our president, and is the one we are supporting. OK Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting and anybody who believes in me will support him and every other candidate that is under the Rainbow Coalition.
” I’ve gone back to our family. So, please, whoever you are, give your total support to the Rainbow Coalition. We need to move forward. The time of war is over. It is time for peace and this peace is taking us to another level.
“I want this to be made clear to every body. So, don’t go anywhere and say you’re supporting Fubara …. No. No. No. My position is this: I have said it here and clearly for everyone to hear. If you’re not hearing we’ll, use cotton wool to clean your ears and let it enter well. I’m not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. I’ve done what I need to do and we are moving forward,” he said.
Governor Fubara described the Riven Medical Industries Project as a positive development for the state, but warned against a repeat of the ugly experiences in the past where some investors were given the opportunity to operate in the state only to renege on some aspects of the agreement, leading to litigations.
According to Governor Fubara, his administration endorsed the project out of the conviction that the new investors have the capacity and commitment to deliver on the mandate to revive the project, create jobs and boost economic development in the state.
He charged the investors to endeavour to keep to the timelines and ensure that the first phase of the project will be successfully achieved in the next three months. He also appealed to the host communities and the leadership of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, to give their maximum support to the project and avoid anything that could disrupt its smooth operation.
Governor Fubara pledged that his administration will continue to provide total support the project to ensure its success.
The Riven Medical Industries Project is a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Rivers State Government and Enbay Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, and represents one of the State’s most strategic investments in industrialization, healthcare, and economic development.
The project is being implemented through Riven Medical Industries Limited, the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established by Enbay Pharmaceutical Industries Limited to revive and redevelop the former Integrated Medical Industries (IMI) into a world-class pharmaceutical manufacturing complex.
When completed, the facility will manufacture pharmaceutical formulations, gelatine capsules, intravenous (IV) infusions, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), significantly expanding Nigeria’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, reducing dependence on imported medicines, strengthening the nation’s healthcare value chain, and enhancing medicine security.
The project is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities, stimulate technology transfer, attract local and foreign investment, and position Rivers State as the leading pharmaceutical manufacturing and healthcare investment hub in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of a transformative journey that reflects the Rivers State Government’s commitment to sustainable industrial growth, economic diversification, improved healthcare outcomes, and strategic partnerships that deliver lasting value for the people of Rivers State and Nigeria.