The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described the suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara as his “political son,” dismissing notions of a direct conflict between them.
In a BBC Pidgin interview published Saturday, Wike framed the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State as a battle against third parties rather than Fubara himself.
“That one is not a battle. He (Fubara) is my boy, he is my son, why will I fight with him?” Wike stated. “I’m only fighting against people who want to steal what they did not work for.”
The former Rivers governor escalated his rhetoric against unnamed opponents: “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.”
The political feud between Wike and his erstwhile protege has destabilized Rivers State since 2023, culminating in Fubara’s recent suspension by President Bola Tinubu following the declaration of a state of emergency.
Reports indicate Fubara has tendered apologies to Wike, though neither camp has officially confirmed this development. The suspended governor’s camp remains silent as the political drama continues unfolding in the oil-rich state.
