Wike: Political Crisis Ended Fubara’s Second-Term Ambition

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says the political crisis in Rivers State ultimately cost Governor Siminalayi Fubara the opportunity to seek a second term, blaming the development on poor political advice and external influence.

Speaking during his monthly media chat, Wike said he repeatedly warned Fubara not to abandon the political structure that brought him to power, urging him instead to build on the foundation laid by his administration.

The former Rivers governor recalled inheriting an administration with limited resources and said he worked to strengthen the state’s institutions before leaving office, expecting his successor to continue that trajectory.

Wike alleged that politicians who initially opposed Fubara’s emergence later became his close allies and encouraged him to confront his political benefactors, a move he said ultimately backfired.

According to the FCT Minister, while he emerged from the political dispute unscathed, Fubara’s ambition for a second term was derailed.

Wike also revealed that reconciliation efforts were made between both camps but failed after political interests intervened.

He further alleged that external forces sought to take control of Rivers State for financial gain and accused some influential legal practitioners of offering the governor advice that deepened the crisis.

The political rift between Wike and Fubara began shortly after the governor assumed office in 2023 and escalated into a prolonged power struggle involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, impeachment threats, and a state of emergency declared in the state in 2025.

Although Fubara was later reinstated and joined the All Progressives Congress, he eventually withdrew from the party’s governorship primary, ending speculation over a second-term bid.