Wike Says Fubara’s Push for Independent Political Structure Triggered Rivers Crisis

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s biggest political mistake was attempting to build his own political structure shortly after assuming office.

Wike made the remarks during a media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, where he reflected on the political crisis that strained his relationship with the governor.

The former Rivers State governor, who was instrumental in Fubara’s emergence in the 2023 governorship election, said he expected his successor to consolidate the political structure that brought him to power rather than establish a separate base.

According to Wike, his administration had laid a solid foundation for the state’s development, which he believed Fubara should have built upon to position Rivers alongside states such as Lagos in terms of infrastructure and governance.

He, however, alleged that the governor chose to distance himself from those who supported his political rise.

“In this game, you have schoolmates, village relations, and all kinds of people. There are those who will mean well for you. There are those who do not mean well for you.

“Now, you got to the office, someone now says to you, ‘Yes, he (Wike) has supported you and must things be in his name? Why not just try to put yourself? And let people know it came through you’. He made a mistake by saying that I can do it alone. Those who gave me support, I don’t care. I don’t need them.”

Wike further claimed that it became apparent within Fubara’s first 100 days in office that the governor was trying to establish a parallel political structure instead of working with the one that facilitated his election.

“He tried to set up his own structure as against the structure that built him. It did not take up to 100 days, we saw it. We said something must be fundamentally wrong. In politics, you have to be very careful.”

The comments come months after both political camps reached a truce following a prolonged power struggle that polarised Rivers State politics.

The dispute had led to impeachment moves by lawmakers loyal to Wike before reconciliation efforts brought both sides back to the negotiating table.

As part of the peace process, Fubara later endorsed Wike ally Kingsley Chinda in the Rivers governorship race, saying the decision was taken in the interest of peace, unity and political stability in the state.