The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State deprived Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the opportunity to seek a second term, attributing the development to what he described as poor political advice and the influence of external interests.
Speaking during the August edition of his monthly media chat aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, Wike reflected on his fractured relationship with his former political ally, insisting that he repeatedly cautioned Fubara against abandoning the political structure that facilitated his emergence as governor.
According to the former Rivers State governor, he advised Fubara to consolidate on the foundation already laid rather than dismantle it in pursuit of political independence.
Wike recalled the challenges he faced when he assumed office as governor, noting that the state government had limited resources at the time. He said he had to borrow ceremonial vehicles from a former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, before gradually rebuilding government infrastructure, renovating the Government House and acquiring official vehicles for the governor, deputy governor and the governor’s wife.
He said he expected his successor to sustain those achievements and continue the vision of transforming Rivers into a state capable of competing with Lagos in terms of development.
The FCT minister further alleged that individuals who had opposed Fubara’s governorship later became his close associates and encouraged him to confront the political family that supported his rise to power.
According to Wike, those advisers ultimately misled the governor into taking decisions that weakened his political future.
“Your intention was to go for a second term, but you are not going,” Wike said, maintaining that the political conflict had cost Fubara the opportunity to seek another mandate.
Responding to a question on whether he still had affection for the governor despite their differences, Wike said his support for Fubara’s emergence in 2023 reflected the confidence he once had in him.
He also disclosed that several reconciliation efforts were initiated to restore peace between both camps, but said political considerations eventually frustrated the process.
Wike alleged that some external interests viewed Rivers State as a “cash cow” and sought to gain influence over the state’s political and financial affairs. He claimed that certain prominent individuals, including some Senior Advocates of Nigeria, played roles that encouraged the governor to resist his political camp.
The political rift between Wike and Fubara began shortly after the latter assumed office in 2023. The disagreement later escalated into a prolonged power struggle involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, repeated impeachment threats against the governor and a six month state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025, which temporarily suspended both the governor and the state legislature.
Following his reinstatement, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, citing President Tinubu’s intervention in resolving the crisis. Although he initially obtained nomination forms to contest the APC governorship primary, he later withdrew from the race in May 2026.
In July 2026, Fubara publicly announced his return to the political family that produced him, joined the Wike-led Rainbow Coalition supporting President Tinubu and endorsed the coalition’s preferred governorship candidate.
