WIKE Recaptures RIVERS Politics

Fubara and Wike will soon be friends again

Heeding the adage “once bitten, twice shy,” Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, has taken bold and calculated steps to avoid a repeat of the political crisis with his estranged protégé, Governor Siminalayi Fubara—a conflict that once threatened the peace and stability of Rivers State.

In a dramatic turn of events aimed at consolidating his political dominance and avoiding a repeat of past miscalculations, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, has reportedly compelled Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to swear an oath of loyalty as part of a renewed reconciliation deal brokered under pressure from the presidency.

The latest development marks a decisive chapter in the long-running political feud between Wike and Fubara—his estranged political protégé—whose fallout in August 2023 fractured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) both in Rivers State and at the national level, and plunged the state into a prolonged political crisis.

For nearly two years, the impasse destabilised governance and sharply divided stakeholders across the state, including the influential Elders Council and several socio-political blocs. But under a fresh peace accord, Wike has reasserted control, tightening restrictions around the embattled governor’s political orbit.

As part of the truce, sources familiar with the agreement disclosed that Governor Fubara has been barred from further engagements with several political figures viewed by Wike as antagonistic to the state’s political stability—and to Wike’s authority. Prominent among those reportedly sidelined are former PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus; ex-Transport Minister Dr. Abiye Sekibo; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Chief Austin Opara; former Governor Celestine Omehia; and Senator Lee Maeba.

However, the most contentious aspect of the agreement, according to insiders, was the requirement for Governor Fubara to swear an oath of allegiance to Wike—a condition the governor reportedly resisted before ultimately capitulating under political and institutional pressure.

Investigations by The Southern Examiner suggest that the FCT Minister capitalised on Fubara’s desperation to return to Government House, Port Harcourt—an office he had previously disavowed, stating, “My spirit has since left that place.”

The uneasy rapprochement is said to have been catalysed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who issued a direct ultimatum to both parties ahead of his recent visit to Rome for the inauguration of the newly elected Catholic Pope Leo. According to well-placed sources, the president demanded a full resolution of the crisis before his return to Nigeria.

Tinubu, who returned Tuesday and is currently in Lagos, is expected to receive both Wike and Fubara for a debrief this weekend. In the interim, Governor Fubara has remained in Abuja, reportedly as part of the terms of the peace settlement.

Once they meet with the president, the two political rivals are expected to return to Rivers State to jointly brief their respective support bases on the details of the accord. The goal, insiders say, is to foster administrative stability and reduce tensions between their divided camps, which have been blamed for fueling the crisis.

The reconciliation sets the stage for the anticipated lifting of the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State on March 18, 2025. Upon the restoration of civilian governance, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the 32-member State House of Assembly are expected to return to office.

However, the political terrain will not remain the same. Under a new arrangement, most former appointees and political officeholders—including commissioners—are not expected to return. Instead, a fresh power-sharing formula will be implemented, with a 60-40 split in favour of the governor. This is seen as a conciliatory measure designed to unify both factions under an inclusive administration.

In line with a February 28 Supreme Court ruling, the governor is also expected to present the 2025 budget—estimated at ₦1.28 trillion—to the legislature for approval shortly after resuming office.

The dismantling of factional groups such as the Movement for SIM, Rivers Women for SIM, and the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) is also planned, as part of the harmonisation process.

Amid these developments, speculation is rife that Fubara and his loyalists may formally decamp from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move believed to be part of a broader strategy to secure Tinubu’s support for the governor’s re-election bid in 2027.

APC state chairman Chief Charles Beke has already expressed readiness to welcome the governor, hailing him as a “performing leader” capable of adding significant value to a party that has never held the governorship of Rivers State since 1999.

Yet, not everyone is swayed by the political realignment. Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a former spokesman of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and member of the Rivers Elders Council, maintained that their primary concern is the restoration of democratic governance—not partisan politics. He urged Fubara to address the people directly after resuming office.

Meanwhile, PDP chieftain Dare Glinstone Akinniyi has offered a public defense of Fubara’s possible defection, describing it as a strategic survival move amid unprecedented pressure. “It was necessary to ensure his return to office and safeguard his political future,” Akinniyi said.

Despite the outward display of unity, tensions may still simmer beneath the surface. Analysts warn that the new arrangement could provoke internal backlash within Fubara’s camp, particularly among members of his “Simplified Movement,” many of whom may resist the compromises made during the reconciliation.

As Rivers State prepares to emerge from a state of emergency, observers say the real challenge may lie not in returning to governance—but in governing a fractured house still struggling to find common ground