Fubara Urges Rivers People to Embrace Peace, Unity at Nigeria’s 66th Anniversary

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has urged residents to embrace peace and unity, saying both are essential to the socio-economic development of the state.

Fubara made the call in a goodwill message marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, urging Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence in 1960 and renew their commitment to peaceful coexistence.

The governor described Rivers as the “treasure base of the nation” and a melting pot of different ethnic nationalities, saying the state had continued to benefit when its people lived and worked together in harmony.

He said meaningful development could not thrive in an atmosphere of rancour, division and political hostility, while acknowledging that political disagreements were a normal part of democracy.

“We may disagree as politicians, but we must never disagree on the peace and progress of Rivers State,” Fubara said.

The governor said his administration had made peace a central part of its governance approach, describing it as the state’s most valuable infrastructure. He said the relative peace in Rivers had helped create conditions for attracting investments and executing projects across the three senatorial districts.

Fubara appealed to youths, traditional rulers, political leaders and other stakeholders to promote peace in their communities, wards and local government areas, stressing that no one benefits when the state is plunged into crisis.

He also urged Rivers residents to continue supporting the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu, saying cooperation between the Federal Government and state governments, alongside national unity, remained important to achieving the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.