Amid the intensifying political drama in Rivers State, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has broken his silence on the possibility of reconciliation with his estranged political godson and successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Wike, who governed the oil-rich state until 2023, stated that he would be willing to forgive Fubara—on one condition: sincerity.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Friday, Wike responded candidly when asked if he would forgive the governor should he ask for it. “Sincerely,” he answered, emphasizing that forgiveness must be sought with genuine intentions.
The rift between Wike and Fubara, once a tight-knit political alliance, has deepened over the past months, plunging the state's political landscape into uncertainty. The dispute has its roots in the fierce contest over control of political structures and resources in the state, resulting in a domino effect that saw 27 members of the state House of Assembly suspended and later defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike disclosed that two unnamed governors had approached him in an attempt to broker peace. “These two governors came to me and I said, ‘Look, I am here for peace. What does he want?’ and they said, ‘We will do everything,’” he recounted, underscoring that any peace move must be rooted in honesty.
Reflecting on the intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Wike revealed that while he initially sought the outright removal of Governor Fubara, he respected the president’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers to avoid chaos. “As a politician, I am not happy with the declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers State. I wanted the outright removal of the governor. But for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing to prevent anarchy in the state,” he said.
Wike acknowledged that the issue is now before the court, but insisted that the truth must be told: “The governor was gone. It is not in my place to make it good for him. As a politician, my business is not to make him comfortable and that is why there is power plane,” he added, hinting at deeper strategic maneuvers yet to be unveiled.
As Rivers State continues to walk a tightrope between peace and political instability, the ball now seems to be in Fubara’s court—will he seek forgiveness with sincerity, or continue down a path that could further fracture the state's leadership?