Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara were in war of words on Saturday during the burial of the late Access Bank Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe, wife, Chizoba and son, Chizi.
Speaking at the funeral service held at the Lion of Judah Parish of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Isiokpo town in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State, Fubara had cautioned the Nigerian political class who were well represented at the event to reconsider the essence of their usually intense do or die struggle for power because death is always inevitable.
He also noted that politicians don’t usually deploy power they acquired for positive impacts on the society.
Fubara said, “That takes me to the next question. This has to do with the political class. What is all this struggle all about? You want to kill, you want to bury. What is it all about?
“This is a man, he is not a politician. He made his money through us, our investment. He had the world in his palm, financially. He controlled even the political class.
“But today, with all the power financially, he couldn’t control life. Is it not enough for us to ask ourselves, why are we struggling?
“Why are we not making it happen in the life of our people? Please, political class, let’s go home with that question and reflect on it.”
“While the preaching was going on, I had this question that was going through my mind, it is, what is life all about?
“Yesterday night, we sang a hymn, ‘Fading away like that stars of the morning’, and I have concluded that life is not the one million years that you lived. But that even if we spent an hour, let the hour be impactful.
“Here lie our brother, his wife, and the son. Everyone has come to celebrate them. It means even the short period that he lived, he lived an impactful life. He had made a great contribution to humanity.”
In his own remark, Akpabio went on to reply to the governor thus: “What is the struggle all about? I will answer you.
“The struggle, we are not talking politics. In 2006 I wanted to be a Deputy Governor, so the then deputy Governor invited me and told me that this office has no money, there is nothing in it. I don’t know why you still insist on moving me from here and take over
“So, a woman who went with me said Your Excellency, don’t wait for impeachment, just resign since there is nothing in it
“He stood up and started punching the woman. I said Your Excellency, don’t punch the woman, she is telling the truth, there is nothing in it. That’s why I want it because you are too big for it.
“Your Excellency, Governor Fubara, if there is nothing in the struggle, don’t struggle.”
