Kenneth Okonkwo, a renowned Nigerian actor-turned-lawyer and politician, has praised the Rivers State Governor Similanayi Fubara for successfully conducting LG elections in his state despite all the odds against him by some stakeholders.
This is as the Labour party member maintained that he can no longer work with politicians who cannot fight for their rights and supporters like Governor Fubara is currently doing in Rivers state.
This was revealed in an interview with Soar TV on Saturday, where Okonkwo further praised Fubara’s determination to carry out the Rivers LG polls despite the withdrawal of security personnel and opposition from stakeholders.
According to Kenneth Okonkwo, politicians like the Rivers state governor are required to strengthen democracy.
During the interview, Okonkwo said, “If you’re a politician and you can’t stand for the people that voted for you, and because you don’t want to die, step aside. Because that’s what the job entails.
“Any politician that is not behaving like Siminalayi Fubara — who resists and protests when his rights are trampled upon, knowing that our judicial system and our electoral system have failed us, no matter the risk to his person — I will not speak for that politician again, and I maintain it.
“If you’re not willing to take the risk that is attached to any profession, step aside so that people who are given that mind by God will go ahead and serve God in that capacity.”
The LP chieftain continued, “And you can see what is happening because we(LP) can’t go forward. If Sim Fubara had been saying ‘calm down, calm down’, do you know where Rivers state would have been?
“He said he’s ready for them. He’s fully prepared. The election must go on. The election must be held. Winners must be declared. They will be sworn in and whatever is going to happen, let it happen.
“I’m looking for leaders who would say, ‘Nobody will rig my election, and if you rig my election, I will fight, and let us come out and fight’.”