Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has confirmed that suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara approached him for reconciliation, accompanied by two governors from the All Progressives Congress.
Wike disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, marking the first official acknowledgment of peace talks between the political rivals. The two leaders have been locked in a bitter feud since Fubara assumed office in 2023, which ultimately led to President Bola Tinubu declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspending Fubara for six months while appointing a Sole Administrator.
The FCT Minister stated, “The President had called for peace severally and I can’t sit down and say no when the President has called for peace. Yes he came with two governors, unfortunately they are APC governors – I won’t pursue him. He said he wants peace and I also want peace.”
However, Wike emphasized that Fubara must take concrete steps to demonstrate genuine commitment to reconciliation, “This means that there are open window for you and take the necessary steps that you want peace. This is a self inflicted injury, he doesn’t need it. When it started I called him saying this thing is not good for you because God has given it to you, why not humbly handle it and not allow people push you?”
Wike dismissed suggestions of divisions within Rivers State’s Peoples Democratic Party, stating, “We don’t have problem with PDP in my state. Government is not the party but government could work with the party, so there is no problem with PDP in my state.”
The minister also responded to recent comments by businessman Atedo Peterside, who had criticized political appointees in the state:
“Atedo Peterside’s comment is unfortunate, saying appointees are riff-raffs is too extreme. PHD holders are riff-raffs because they could not establish a bank. If they had established a bank, they won’t have been riff-raffs. These are some of the people who caused problems for the governor. When we were making this young man governor, what was Peterside’s contribution? He’s from Opobo LGA.”
Wike challenged Rivers elites to contribute more to the state’s development, recalling a conversation with the late banker Herbert Wigwe:
“When Wigwe was alive, I called him – look you are in Lagos and everyday you fly down here, what have you done for Rivers State? At the level you are, what can you say you have contributed for the development of the state? He looked at me and said he would return in two weeks time. He came back, he said that he has thought about it. He told me he was going to setup a world class university.”
