Former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili, has broken his silence on the ongoing political tensions in the state, declaring that restraint should not be misinterpreted as weakness.
In a strongly worded statement framed as satire, Odili said his decision to remain quiet over time was guided by experience, but recent developments made it necessary to clarify his position.
“I have watched in silence for a long time, not because I lack words, but because experience teaches restraint. However, when silence is repeatedly mistaken for fear, clarity becomes a duty,” he said.
The former governor, who served during the same political era as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emphasized that governance is not a personal inheritance and warned against the use of state resources for private ambitions.
Odili defended the actions of the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, stating that efforts to protect public funds should not be construed as hostility.
“Governor Fubara did not declare war on any individual. He merely chose to protect the treasury of the state,” Odili stated.
He pointed to what he described as improved fiscal discipline in the state, citing increased internally generated revenue and ongoing infrastructure development as indicators of a governance model focused on public value.
According to him, defending accountability should not be seen as betrayal, stressing that elder statesmen must prioritize truth and institutional stability over political convenience.
“Power is transient. Titles fade. What remains is record. And records do not argue; they testify,” he added.
Odili also addressed claims of political benefaction, noting that while no leader rises alone, gratitude should not silence concerns over governance practices.
“Politics is a relay, not a miracle,” he remarked.
Calling for calm, he urged political actors to embrace peace and allow governance to function without what he described as a “siege mentality.”
“This state deserves peace. It deserves leaders who know when to step back and allow progress to breathe,” he said.
Reaffirming his loyalty to the people of Rivers State, Odili concluded that his position remains rooted in the collective interest of the state.
The statement, though presented as satire, is already generating reactions across political circles, with observers interpreting it as a pointed intervention in the evolving power dynamics within Rivers State.
