Wike blames political crisis for blocking Fubara's second-term bid

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has traced the political upheaval in Rivers State to decisions that ultimately denied Governor Siminalayi Fubara backing for a second term. During a monthly media interaction on Tuesday, Wike detailed how internal disagreements alongside external pressures contributed to the erosion of their political alliance.

According to Wike's version of events, he offered repeated counsel to Fubara about staying committed to the machinery that secured his initial election victory. Wike stated his faction chose to withdraw support for Fubara's re-election push based on apprehensions regarding political survival and influence within the state.

The former Rivers governor suggested that his camp harbored concerns that permitting Fubara to proceed without constraint would erode their own political standing. Wike also pointed to an interval when both sides had pursued reconciliation, though he contended that subsequent political developments caused that effort to unravel.

He attributed elements of the breakdown to counsel he characterized as ill-advised, which Fubara received from political allies and external parties intent on redirecting Rivers State governance. The disagreement separating Wike and Fubara constitutes among the most impactful political divisions within Rivers State recently.

This conflict has generated instability throughout the state's political sphere, disrupting party unity and governance focus. Wike's public remarks represent an effort to defend his faction's rejection of the governor's aspirations to seek re-election, occurring amid national focus turning toward the 2027 presidential elections.