Former coordinators of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), a political group formed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, in 12 local government areas of Rivers State, have pledged their support and loyalty to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The former coordinators represent Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Port Harcourt City, Opobo/Nkoro, Gokana, Bonny, Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Oyigbo, Asari-Toru, and Akuku-Toru local government areas.
Collins Onunwo from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, who led a delegation on a solidarity visit to Governor Fubara, said they decided to resign from their leadership positions in GDI to join the Simplified Movement of Fubara in the interest of Rivers people.
Onunwo, a former chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, told newsmen after the meeting on Sunday that the key mission of GDI was to protect, defend, and promote the interests of Rivers State and its people. He added that, having freely given their votes and mandate to Governor Fubara, as affirmed by the Supreme Court, GDI had no other option than to support the governor in succeeding.
“Today, Rivers’ interest is to protect our votes that brought in Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Executive Governor of Rivers State, in the most credible, fair, and violence-free election. We have come to join millions of Rivers women, youth, elders, and other well-meaning people who insist that we must protect our votes to sustain democracy. Our concern is that we voted for the PDP and Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and we must protect that mandate with all we have,” he said.
Also speaking, former Public Relations Officer of GDI, Christian Abu, said that the simple message was that the ex-GDI coordinators just resigned to get Simplified, adding that GDI had been the vehicle and political structure for the successes recorded in the previous elections in the state.
