Category: Politics

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has warned that his political future could suffer serious damage if Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara secures a second term in office. Wike made the remarks on Saturday while addressing stakeholders in Okrika Local Government Area, stating that a firm decision has already been taken regarding the 2027 governorship election in the state. “We have made a decision as far as Tinubu is concerned. The other one, no way. If we make another mistake, we will bury ourselves politically. I will not allow that mistake again,” he said. “So everybody should know we have made a decision.” The FCT minister has intensified his criticism of Fubara since the governor joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) last month. He accused Fubara of breaching the terms of a peace agreement reached before the lifting of emergency rule in Rivers State, which paved the way for his return to office. Earlier in the week, Wike described what he called a “leadership mistake” in Rivers State, promising that it would be corrected in 2027 and pledging to disclose details of the agreement that restored Fubara to power. “We will not make the same mistake again at the state level in 2027, but we will talk about it later,” he said, emphasizing that leaders should prioritize the will of the people over personal interests. At a separate stakeholders’ meeting on Friday in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Wike rejected the notion that Fubara’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would guarantee him re-election. “If you played well with the first one and succeeded, do you think you can succeed with the second one? There cannot be two markets in one day,” he said, referring to previous peace agreements. He warned that backing Tinubu alone would not secure Fubara another term. “So, whoever is assuring you that everything will be fine once you sign on your mandate, you are mistaken,” Wike said, adding, “All of us have decided to work for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no discussion about that.” Wike also questioned Fubara’s leadership style, saying, “Someone who cannot relate with local government chairmen, state assembly members, and national assembly members — what kind of leadership do you want to provide?” Responding to Fubara’s New Year remarks, in which the governor reportedly dismissed Wike’s comments as “noise,” Wike insisted that Fubara owed his rise to the governorship to him, despite his lack of popularity at the time. “I made him governor even when he was not popular among the people,” he said.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has subtly thrown shade at Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike while urging his supporters to stay calm amid ongoing political developments. Speaking Thursday at the New Year banquet at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Fubara compared critics to dogs that bark when they fail to understand a situation, in what observers see as a pointed dig at Wike. “The only reason the dog barks is when it doesn’t understand,” he said. “If you have a dog in your house and it knows you, does it need to bark? When the dog barks, maybe it’s seeing something it doesn’t understand. We are not barking because we understand. We know where we are going and have set all that is needed to make the journey smooth.” Fubara assured his supporters that preparations are in place to secure his re-election for a second term, signaling confidence despite Wike’s recent remarks that leadership mistakes in Rivers State would be corrected in the 2027 election. Political analysts say Fubara’s comments were a calculated shade at Wike, emphasizing his firm grip on the political landscape in Rivers State.