The Rivers State Governor, Similaye Fubara, on Thursday, declared his readiness to vacate office for a lasting peace in the state.
The governor stated this in a programme on the African Independent Television (AIT).
Rivers State has been plagued by a political crisis since October 30 last year when 23 lawmakers led by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, moved to impeach the governor.
The lawmakers who are loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike, later dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in December last year, the crisis has not been fully resolved with both parties in the dispute accusing each other of breaching the agreements reached at a peace meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Fubara said: “No sacrifice will be too big for me to pay for the success of this administration. The reason is very simple, it is not political love. It is not because I want to gain any favour from anybody. My interest and love for our dear state is genuine.
“I’m not trying to say I want to be one man that will be there to decide the fate of all, no. But let Rivers State remain.
“My burden wasn’t the issue of all the drama. It is the millions of Rivers people who had made sacrifices, who are seeing opportunity, and it looks as if their hopes are being dashed.
“They were the ones I was worried about. What would be their fate? That was my trouble. It is not about me.
“If leaving this position is what I need or what is needed to bring more peace in this state, I can even tell the people to come and take it. It is not about me. People should understand that definitely I’m here, and I will go, but Rivers State will remain.
“I am the governor. No matter what it is, there are things I could have done and there would have been a total crisis, but the ability to restrain in the face of crisis when you have the power to do things is maturity.”