The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s biggest political mistake was attempting to build his own political structure too early after assuming office.
Wike said Fubara began trying to establish an independent political base less than 100 days into his administration, describing the move as a sign that the governor underestimated the political structure that brought him to power.
The former Rivers governor made the remarks during a special media chat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Saturday.
According to Wike, he left office after laying a solid foundation for Fubara to build on, with the goal of positioning Rivers State to compete with Lagos in infrastructure development.
He cited projects such as the Port Harcourt Ring Road, which he described as a legacy project initiated before leaving office, as well as the construction of 12 flyovers commissioned during his administration.
Wike said politicians must be cautious about the advice they receive, noting that some individuals who surround leaders do not genuinely wish them well.
“In politics, you have to be careful. There are those who want you to succeed and there are those who don’t. The opportunity you have been given is not one everybody has. You must be careful with the advice you receive,” he said.
Recalling his transition to Fubara’s administration, Wike said he had publicly urged the governor to continue the developmental agenda already underway.
“My thinking was that we needed to compete with Lagos. We had laid the foundation, and he should have continued from there. We were ready to give him all the necessary support,” he added.
Wike alleged that some politicians who never supported Fubara’s emergence as governor influenced him to distance himself from his political allies and begin a confrontation with him.
He said some individuals advised the governor to establish his own political structure immediately after assuming office, rather than consolidating the existing one.
“You just came into office, and people started telling you to build your own structure. Yes, you came through someone, but now it is you. They will go through your wife, your in-laws, your father and everyone around you. You must think carefully about where such advice will lead you,” he said.
According to Wike, Fubara’s decision to “do it alone” alienated the political group that worked for his emergence and opened the door for people who had opposed his governorship ambition.
“He tried to do it by himself and wanted to set up his own structure instead of building on the structure that brought him to power. It did not take up to 100 days before we noticed it and said something was fundamentally wrong,” he said.
The FCT minister also dismissed allegations that he demanded money from the governor, describing the claims as a familiar tactic used whenever political disagreements arise.
He argued that as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, he oversees a budget comparable to that of a state and had no reason to seek financial benefits from Fubara.
“If it was about money, we wouldn’t have persisted. All I wanted was for him to stabilise the state and continue from where I stopped. I laid a fantastic foundation so Rivers could compete with Lagos,” Wike said.
He also highlighted improvements in the Federal Capital Territory’s internally generated revenue under his leadership, saying monthly collections had increased from about ₦8 billion to as much as ₦40 billion.
According to him, Fubara’s political decisions have widened the development gap between Rivers and Lagos, contrary to the progress he had hoped the state would achieve.
