Rivers Crisis: Fubara Ignored My Advice, Fell Into Hands of Political ‘Vampires’ – Wike

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday broke his silence on the political crisis in Rivers State, saying Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s troubles began after he abandoned the political structure that produced him and listened to what he described as “political vampires” bent on hijacking the state.

Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja, Wike, however, declared that the door remained open for reconciliation, revealing that a committee had already been constituted to reintegrate all aggrieved interests.

“He wouldn’t have been in that position if he had not walked away from the structure. That is the simple truth,” Wike said.

The former Rivers governor disclosed that he not only supported Fubara’s emergence as governor but had publicly endorsed his second-term ambition during the flag-off of the Port Harcourt Ring Road project.

“I flagged off the Ring Road and said that if he completed that project, nobody would stop his second term. How do you endorse somebody more than that?” he asked.

Responding to claims that he was the architect of the Rivers political crisis, Wike maintained that Fubara’s problems were self-inflicted after abandoning the political family that brought him to power.

He dismissed allegations of godfatherism, arguing that every political party or organisation operates through recognised leaders and structures.

“People keep talking about godfatherism. Every political group has leaders. That does not make anybody a godfather. Leadership and political structure exist everywhere in the world,” he said.

Wike alleged that individuals who opposed Fubara’s governorship ambition later infiltrated his government and persuaded him to confront the political structure that supported his election.

“Those who never wanted him to become governor suddenly became his closest friends. Their mission was to destroy him by encouraging him to fight us. At the end of the day, I lost nothing, but he stood to lose everything, including his second-term ambition,” he stated.

The minister further alleged that external interests were determined to seize control of Rivers State for personal gain.

“There are external forces that wanted to hijack Rivers State. There are people who see Rivers State as a cash cow. Some Senior Advocates of Nigeria became deeply involved, advising him wrongly because they wanted influence and access,” Wike alleged.

Despite the crisis, Wike insisted he still wished the governor well and remained committed to restoring peace.

“If I didn’t love him, why would I have supported him to become governor? I wanted him to succeed,” he said.

According to him, consultations are ongoing to resolve the crisis, with a committee already working on modalities for reconciliation.

“We have set up a committee. Let everybody sit down and discuss. The issue now is how to integrate everyone and move forward,” Wike said.

He, however, warned Fubara against returning to those he accused of engineering the crisis.

“The danger is still there. If he makes the same mistake again and allows those people back into his political structure, they will finish him politically. That is the warning,” the minister added.