Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has urged his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to let go of any grip he desires to have over Rivers State and allow peace reign in the oil-rich state.

The Governor also told his predecessor that there’s no need to destroy the state he once governed, advising that he can’t win all battles.

Fubara stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday.

He further said he does not regret conducting the local government election in the state last Saturday despite the resistance by Wike’s men in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I have all the guts to do these things,” the governor said, asking his predecessor to let go of whatever hold he thought he had over the South-South state.

“What I am appealing is: everyone should sheathe their swords. Even to the minister, my oga (my boss), there is no need to destroy this state.

“He (Wike) once ruled this state and the state was an envy of every other state. Another person is there now, what we need now is the support, after four years or eight years, who knows? I will also leave and someone else will take over. That should be the spirit.

“When it comes to the election period, you can fight and do whatever but now is the time for governance. We need all the support,” the governor said.

Fubara said all Nigerians know that he has no hand in the destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers State.

The governor noted that he sounded the alarm on Sunday evening when he swore in 23 newly elected LG chairpersons in the state that some aggrieved political actors had mobilised to destabilise the peace of the state on Monday.

The governor said he has kept all “understanding” he had with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure peace in the state but the issue has continued to escalate.

“There is nothing I have not done on this earth for peace to reign. I can tell you the number of times I have knelt to beg that let’s allow this issue to go. I have done everything,” Fubara said.

Asked what his message to Wike would be if they met, Fubara said, “I’ll tell him (Wike) that it has gotten to a point where he needs to let go. We need peace in this state.

“You don’t necessarily need to win all the fights; at times, you just let go for the sake of the good people of Rivers State and the love that you have always professed for the state. We need to secure the state.

“Fubara will leave tomorrow. Who knows who is going to come? It might be through him or another person but we need to secure the state.”

Violent clashes erupted in at least four local government areas—with parts of the buildings in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua council premises set ablaze by rampaging political hoodlums, while gunshots were fired sporadically in Ahoada East to resist the new council officials.