Rivers: Wike Finally Mentions What Fubara Did to Tinubu

• FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has claimed that Governor Sim Fubara disregarded a peace deal made by President Bola Tinubu
• Wike made the claim during a media chat at his residence in Abuja and dismissed any possible deal with the Rivers governor
• Wike, a former governor of Rivers state, and Fubara have been at loggerheads over the control of the state's political structure

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Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, has alleged that Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers, disregarded President Bola Tinubu's peace deal to resolve the political crisis in the state.

The minister made the claim while ruling out any peace deal with the governor during a media chat at his residence on Sunday, January 20.

Why Wike and Fubara are fighting

Legit.ng recalls that Fubara and Wike had been at loggerheads over controlling the state's political structure. Wike, the immediate past governor, accused his successor of tampering with his political structure.

On December 18, 2023, the governor and his predecessor signed a peace deal at the presidential villa with President Tinubu to end the political crisis. The parties and some political elders in the state also signed the agreement.

The state crisis has led to the move to impeach Fubara. As a consequence, the legislative chamber in the state was also demolished.

Following the presidential deal, the stakeholders agreed to withdraw the impeachment proceedings and court cases.

On December 25, 2023, the governor expressed commitment to implementing the eight agreed-upon measures, adding that they were not 'death sentences'.

Fubara refused to implement Tinubu's deal

During Sunday's interview, Wike alleged that the governor's camp refused to implement Tinubu's directives and that Fubara had also failed to fulfil his obligations as Rivers governor.

“I’m wondering, what conflict to resolve? Mr President, in his wisdom, called all parties. He said withdraw the impeachment notice, you go and do this, you go and do that, but they never returned to him.”

According to Wike, the lawmakers withdrew the impeachment notice, and the governor fulfilled two conditions of the peace agreements.

He claimed that Fubara then sent people to court and an elder did not get back to President Tinubu to tell him of their plans to implement the others.

Wike also lamented that Fubara's camp tagged the peace deal by the President as political. According to the minister, it was wrong for the governor to run the legislative arm with four members.

Watch the full interview here:

Why Fubara could win a second term

Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers may be re-elected for a second term despite the state's political crisis.

This is due to some permutations that the governor has been making and the support he has been getting from some political bigwigs.

Governor Fubara and his political godfather and FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, formed a rift barely six months into his time in office.

Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.