Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, has said his political future would be destroyed if Governor Siminalayi Fubara secures a second term in Rivers State.
Gatekeepers News reports that Wike made the statement on Saturday while addressing stakeholders in Okrika Local Government Area of the state. He said a clear political decision had already been taken concerning the 2027 elections.
He said, “We have made a decision as far as Tinubu is concerned. The other one (referring to Fubara)- no way. Because if we make another mistake, then we will go and bury ourselves politically. I will not allow myself to be buried. I will not allow that mistake again.”
“So everybody should know we have made a decision.”
The FCT minister renewed his public criticism of Governor Fubara following the governor’s recent defection to the All Progressives Congress.
He accused the governor of violating the peace agreement reached before the lifting of the emergency rule in Rivers State, which allowed Fubara to resume office.
Earlier in the week, Wike said what he described as a leadership error in Rivers would be corrected in 2027, adding that he would later disclose details of the agreement that restored Fubara’s mandate. He also warned that political leadership should reflect the will of the people rather than personal ambition.
Wike said, “We will not make the same mistake again at the state level in 2027, but we will talk about it later when the time comes.”
On Friday, during a separate meeting with stakeholders in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, Wike said Governor Fubara’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not guarantee his re-election. He noted that he had backed Tinubu long before the governor joined the ruling party.
He said, “If you played well with the first one and succeeded, do you think you can succeed with the second one? There cannot be two markets in one day.”
“So, whoever is assuring you that everything will be fine once you sign on your mandate [Tinubu’s political signature song], you are mistaken.”
Wike said political leaders loyal to him had resolved to give full support to Tinubu while correcting what he called past political errors in the state.
He said, “All of us have decided to work for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no discussion about that. Of course, you know we won’t make the mistake we made last time. We are here to correct the mistake.”
He further questioned Governor Fubara’s leadership style, claiming the governor had poor relations with local government chairmen, members of the state assembly, and federal lawmakers.
Wike also dismissed Fubara’s New Year comment in which the Governor described his remarks as noise, insisting that he was responsible for Fubara’s emergence as Governor despite his alleged lack of popularity at the time.
