Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that he will deliver a smooth and decisive victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election, affirming that he is now “001” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
Speaking during the flag-off of a 7.1-kilometre airport bypass road, Governor Fubara said the project was conceived as a permanent solution to the recurring conflicts between host communities and airport authorities, especially the disruptive airport blockades that once halted economic activity in the state.
He recalled a particularly embarrassing protest last year in which community members blocked the entrance of the Port Harcourt International Airport during a politically tense period. The incident, he said, created the wrong impression that the state government was incapable of managing crises.
After meeting with community leaders, he immediately intervened by restoring electricity, activating the local health centre, and opening channels of dialogue. But he insisted that the sustainable solution was to separate community access from airport operations entirely.
According to the governor, the new bypass will allow residents to reach their communities without passing through the airport facility, thereby eliminating a long-standing safety, security, and reputational risk. “It is not even healthy for anyone to pass through the airport to reach their village,” he said. “We are solving this problem permanently.”
Governor Fubara noted that the bypass will also spur economic growth, improve mobility, and enhance commercial activity across the Ipo–Omuanwa axis. He revealed that the state had earlier delivered a 12.2-kilometre facelift of the airport’s internal roads, roundabout, and driveways—projects intended to beautify the state’s point of entry and signal seriousness to investors.
With the addition of the new bypass, Rivers State is investing more than 19 kilometres of road infrastructure around the airport corridor. The governor directed the contractor to complete the project within eight months, insisting it must be commissioned before year-end.
He also announced that once the bypass is completed, the old access road through the airport will be tolled. “If you don’t have serious business at the airport, you will not use that road again,” he said. “Your villages, your farms, your communities—use this new road.”
In a politically charged moment during the event, Governor Fubara publicly confirmed his full entry into the APC, brandishing his membership card and declaring himself the first registered member in the state.
“I am not just a member of the APC. I am the number one. My form is 00001,” he said, drawing loud applause. “It is not a matter of speculation. I am there with my full chest.”
He vowed to mobilize the entire state to ensure that President Tinubu has an effortless victory in Rivers in 2027. “The message is clear: we will do everything to make the President’s re-election a smooth drive in Rivers State,” he said. “The only way to say thank you to Mr. President is to support him.”
The governor urged his supporters, traditional rulers, and community leaders to avoid actions that tarnish Rivers State’s image. “We will not join in anything that brings negative news to our state,” he stated. “We will continue to pursue things that bring pride and honour to our people.”
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Fubara thanked the Ministry of Aviation, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and host communities for their cooperation, saying federal agencies even showed eagerness to support the project because of its strategic importance.
He concluded by inviting the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to address the crowd, describing him as a brother deserving of collective support from the people of Rivers State.
