Wike Open to Reconciling with Governor Fubara—But on His Own Terms

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has expressed willingness to reconcile with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, but insists the process must be grounded in honesty and not political expediency.

In a media chat held in Abuja, Wike disclosed that two unnamed governors recently reached out to him in a bid to broker peace between him and his estranged successor. However, he emphasized that any reconciliation must be sincere and devoid of political games.

“These two governors came to me and I said, ‘Look, I am here for peace. What does he want?’ and they said, ‘Look, we will do everything,’” Wike revealed, stressing that he’s not against peace, but it must come from a place of truth.

The ongoing political friction between Wike and Fubara has deeply affected Rivers State’s stability. Their falling out—largely due to a power struggle over control of the state’s political structure and financial decisions—has led to significant fallout, including the defection of 27 lawmakers to the APC and subsequent controversies surrounding their legislative positions.

Wike also claimed that the crisis had reached a critical point, to the extent that declaring a state of emergency was seriously considered. He credited President Bola Tinubu’s intervention for helping avert 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,” Wike admitted. “But for the interest of the state, the President did the right thing to prevent anarchy.”

Making his stance clear, Wike said his political role isn’t to make life easy for Fubara: “It is not in my place to make it good for the governor. As a politician, my business is not to make him comfortable, and that is why there is power play.”

Still, he hinted at a possible thaw in relations—if Fubara shows genuine remorse. “In sincerity, if anybody comes, it must be in sincerity. The best opportunity was when the President intervened,” Wike added, suggesting that a heartfelt apology could open the door to renewed dialogue.