The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, approached him seeking reconciliation. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike revealed that Fubara, accompanied by two governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC), visited him to discuss a peaceful resolution to their ongoing political dispute.
The rift between Wike and Fubara began after Fubara assumed office as governor in 2023. Tensions escalated to the point where President Bola Tinubu intervened, declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara for six months, and appointing a Sole Administrator.
Wike expressed his openness to the peace initiative but emphasized that Fubara must demonstrate genuine commitment through concrete actions. “The President has repeatedly called for peace, and I cannot refuse when he has called for it,” Wike stated. “Yes, he came with two APC governors, but I won’t hold that against him. He says he wants peace, and I also want peace. The door is open, but he must take the necessary steps. This is a self-inflicted injury that he doesn’t need.”
Reflecting on the origins of the conflict, Wike shared that he had previously advised Fubara to approach power with humility. “When this started, I called him and warned that it wasn’t good for him. I told him that God had given him this opportunity, and he should handle it with humility rather than allowing others to push him into trouble,” Wike said.
Wike also dismissed claims that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State was in crisis. “There is no problem with the PDP in my state. Government and party are not the same, and while the government works with the party, there is no issue with PDP in Rivers,” he asserted.
In response to recent remarks by Atedo Peterside, who reportedly labeled some of Fubara’s appointees as “riff-raffs,” Wike condemned the comments as disrespectful. “Atedo Peterside’s statement was unfortunate. Calling appointees ‘riff-raffs’ is too extreme. Are PhD holders ‘riff-raffs’ just because they didn’t establish a bank? If they had, would they still be considered ‘riff-raffs’?” Wike questioned, adding that Peterside had contributed to the problems faced by the governor and questioned his role in Fubara’s rise to power. “These are the people who caused problems for the governor. What was Peterside’s contribution when we made Fubara governor? He’s from Opobo LGA—how can someone from his background insult people as ‘riff-raffs’?”
Wike also reflected on a conversation he had with the late Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Bank, about giving back to Rivers State. “When Wigwe was alive, I called him and asked, ‘What have you done for Rivers State?’ He came back after two weeks and told me he was going to set up a world-class university here,” Wike recalled.