Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has blamed the political crisis in Rivers State for Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s inability to seek a second term, saying the governor ignored advice and allowed political opponents to influence him.
Speaking during his monthly media chat aired on Channels Television on Tuesday, Wike said he repeatedly warned Fubara against abandoning the political structure that brought him to power.
“I said, look, don’t derail. I came as governor, I had crisis. When I came as governor, there was nothing. They didn’t even relocate the Government House,” Wike said.
The former Rivers governor said he expected his successor to build on the foundation he left behind rather than dismantle it.
According to him, politicians who opposed Fubara’s emergence later became his allies and encouraged him to confront those who supported his rise to power.
“Those who didn’t want you to be governor now became your friends. Obviously, they will destroy you… Your intention was to go for a second term, is it not correct? And you are not going,” Wike said.
Despite their political differences, Wike insisted he still cared about Fubara.”If I don’t love him, why would we support him?” he said.
The minister disclosed that attempts were made to reconcile both camps but said political calculations prevented a lasting settlement. He also alleged that external interests sought to hijack Rivers State for financial gain, accusing some Senior Advocates of Nigeria of giving Fubara advice that deepened the crisis.
“There are external forces who want to hijack Rivers State. There are those who see Rivers State as a cash cow… We said no, this cash cow must end now,” Wike stated.
The prolonged rift between Wike and Fubara began shortly after the governor assumed office in 2023 and later escalated into a political crisis involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, impeachment threats, and a state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.
Fubara later defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), withdrew from the 2026 APC governorship primary, and subsequently endorsed the Wike-backed Rainbow Coalition.
