The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), , has declared that his political future would be effectively destroyed if Rivers State Governor secures a second term in office.
Wike made the remark while addressing supporters, stating bluntly that a Fubara re-election would amount to his own “political burial.” The comment is the latest and most dramatic escalation in the prolonged power struggle between the former political allies, a feud that has reshaped the political landscape of since 2023.
Fubara, who emerged governor with Wike’s backing after Wike completed his tenure as Rivers governor, fell out with his predecessor shortly after assuming office. The disagreement rapidly spiralled into a full-blown political crisis involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, party structures, and security agencies, polarising the state into rival camps loyal either to Wike or to Fubara.
At the height of the crisis, governance in Rivers State was paralysed, with lawmakers split and key state institutions locked in open confrontation. Although several reconciliation efforts were initiated by national leaders and party elders, the truce proved fragile, and relations between the two men have remained openly hostile.
Wike has repeatedly accused Fubara of reneging on political agreements that allegedly underpinned his emergence as governor. He argues that allowing Fubara to consolidate power through a second term would permanently dismantle his political structure in the state, ending his long-standing role as Rivers’ dominant political figure and kingmaker.
Political observers say Wike’s statement is a clear signal that the battle for 2027 has already begun. It suggests that Wike is prepared to deploy his political machinery to block Fubara’s re-election bid, even if it means deepening divisions within the state and across party lines.
For Fubara, a second term would represent not just electoral victory but final emancipation from Wike’s shadow. For Wike, it would mark the loss of influence in the state he governed for eight years and from which he rose to national prominence, now serving in the cabinet of President .
As Rivers State edges closer to another election cycle, the public clash underscores what many analysts describe as an unavoidable showdown. Whether through the ballot, the courts, or party realignments, the struggle between Wike and Fubara is set to remain one of the most consequential political dramas ahead of 2027.