Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, says he is ready to forgive Governor Siminalayi Fubara if the embattled governor genuinely seeks reconciliation.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, Wike said two unnamed governors had already approached him in an attempt to settle the lingering political crisis between him and his successor.
According to Wike, “These two governors came to me and I said, ‘Look, I am here for peace. What does he want?’ If anybody comes sincerely, I will also respond sincerely.”
This marks the first time Wike has openly expressed willingness to end the months-long rift, which has deeply divided Rivers politics and caused tension across the state.
The disagreement between Wike and Fubara began shortly after Fubara took office. It escalated into a power struggle that affected the state’s House of Assembly, leading to the suspension of 27 lawmakers who later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The conflict reached a peak when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State last month, suspending the governor, his deputy, and the entire House of Assembly for six months. A sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibas, was appointed to temporarily manage the state’s affairs.
Wike, while backing the president’s decision, said he had personally hoped for Fubara’s outright removal. “As a politician, I am not happy with the declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers State. I wanted the outright removal of the governor,” he said.
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However, he admitted that the president acted in the best interest of the state. “For the interest of the state, the president did the right thing to prevent anarchy,” he added.
Despite his political stance, Wike hinted that his grudge is not personal. “It is not my place to make it comfortable for the governor. My business is not to make him comfortable. That is politics,” he stated.
