FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has said the political crisis in Rivers State ended Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s ambition to seek a second term in the 2027 governorship election.
Wike spoke on Tuesday during his monthly media chat broadcast on Channels Television, where he discussed his political dispute with Fubara and failed efforts to reconcile both camps.
The former Rivers governor said Fubara had planned to seek another term but lost that opportunity during the political crisis.
“At the end of the fight, I have not lost anything. What have I lost? Nothing. But you have lost,” Wike said.
“Your intention was to go for a second term, is it not correct? And you are not going.”
Wike said he warned Fubara against abandoning the political structure that supported his emergence as governor in 2023.
The FCT minister blamed politicians who opposed Fubara’s emergence but later became close to him, saying they encouraged the governor to confront his former political allies.
“Those who didn’t want you to be governor now became your friends,” Wike said.
He also said reconciliation talks had taken place but failed after some political actors feared losing their influence in Rivers State.
“There was a time we all thought, we all agreed, and said, ‘Look, can we allow bygones to be bygones?’” he said.
Wike further accused unnamed external interests of seeking control of Rivers State because of its financial resources.
“There are external forces who want to hijack Rivers State,” he said.
“There are those who see Rivers State as a cash cow.”
Despite the dispute, Wike said he still cared about Fubara.
“If I don’t love him, why would we support him?” he said.
