Chuks Okocha in Abuja

An end to the political crisis in Rivers State seems to be in sight as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the feud between him and the suspended governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, insisting that Fubara remains his political son.

Wike, who clarified that he was not fighting Fubara but those pushing the suspended governor against him, also debunked insinuations that he would pick the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to battle against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking yesterday in an interview with BBC News Pidgin Wike refuted claims of a feud between him and Fubara, describing the suspended governor as his political son, adding also that he cannot fight his son.

The FCT minister stated the battle was not against Fubara, but against those he claimed had been pushing the suspended governor against him.
Wike said: “That one is not a battle. He (Fubara) is my boy; he is my son; why will I fight with him?

“I’m only fighting against people who want to steal what they did not work for.

“When you don’t defeat them; they will think you….. Defeat them to the final stage.

“Now, they are ashamed because they are being defeated. They are the ones pushing Fubara.”

Wike and Fubara have been engaged in a political rift since 2023, fueling an unending political crisis in the state.

There were reports that Fubara, who was suspended by President Tinubu following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, had visited Wike and tendered apologies to his former boss.

A member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, had described Fubara’s visit to Wike, as a sacrifice made in the interest of peace in Rivers State.

Speaking in reaction to the meeting, Sara-Igbe said the suspended governor had consistently shown a desire for peace, contrary to what he described as Wike’s combative stance.

“That discussion is not for public consumption, except the FCT Minister wants to make it public,” Sara-Igbe stated. “At the end of the day, we’ll hear the result.”
He lauded Governor Fubara’s move, emphasising that peace often requires personal sacrifices.

In another development, Wike has debunked insinuations that he would pick the presidential ticket of the PDP to battle against President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

There have been speculations that Wike was nursing the ambition to pick the presidential ticket of the PDP if the main opposition party zones its presidential ticket to southern Nigeria.

However, the former Rivers State governor said he would not contest against his boss.

Asked if he would contest if the main opposition party zones its ticket to the South, Wike simply said: “I will not contest.

“Why will I contest against someone I’m working for?” Wike queried.

When the interviewer further asked him if he believed that President Tinubu would win the 2027 election, Wike said there was nobody in the opposition to challenge the President.

“They said they will zone it to the South; let them zone first. When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it,” he added.