After a lull, fresh signs of disagreement appear to have emerged between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Guardian reports.
Although Wike refrained from mentioning names, his recent comments suggested that Fubara may be drifting from an earlier political understanding reached between both camps during the latest peace deal.
The former Rivers State governor made remarks on Saturday while briefing Rivers stakeholders and supporters in Ahoada East, shortly after the annual thanksgiving of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and South-South Development Commission chieftain, Chibudom Nwuche. Wike declared that he and his political allies would “resume full politics” by January 2026.
He questioned the sudden enthusiasm of some political actors now chanting the pro-President Bola Tinubu slogan, “On your mandate we stand,” asking where such voices were during the difficult moments of the 2023 general election.
Assuring his supporters that there was no cause for alarm, Wike urged them to remain resolute and steadfast.
“By January 2026, we will start politics. You know me; I believe that an agreement is an agreement. If there is something you cannot do, do not say it. Nobody can use us to say yes today and turn around tomorrow,” he said.
“Whatever you agree to in the morning, you must stand by it in the night. So, do not worry about people who are now shouting ‘on your mandate we stand.’ If we did not shout it then, will they shout it now? We have never wavered in our support for President Bola Tinubu,” Wike added.
The FCT minister described himself as one of the most criticised politicians in the country after President Tinubu, attributing the attacks to his insistence on honouring agreements.
“Why are they abusing me? It is because they know that agreement is agreement. Once we agree on something, we must implement it. If you cannot implement it, do not even enter into it,” he said.
He recalled that during the 2023 elections, many politicians found it difficult to openly support Tinubu when it mattered most.
“Remember in 2023, when it was tough and nobody really knew how the election would go, some people could not even say, ‘vote for Ahmed Tinubu.’ In politics, you must take a decision, whether good or bad. We took that decision and stood firm,” Wike said.
According to him, those now loudly proclaiming support for the President were largely absent during the critical period of the campaign.
“When it was difficult for people to say ‘on your mandate we stand,’ we stood firm. Today, that mandate is strong in Rivers State because of you. Those you now see shouting the slogan could not sing it when it mattered most,” he added.
Wike assured his supporters that their sacrifices and loyalty would not be in vain, stressing that decisions taken by his political camp were based on conviction rather than convenience.
“You stood firm even when you were not empowered. It would be unfair not to come back and say thank you. Remain strong. At the right time, we will speak,” he said, thanking what he described as the team’s “foot soldiers” for their steadfastness despite provocations.
The minister also accused some local politicians of attacking him for personal gain, mocking claims that attacking him had become a pathway to political or financial reward.
“One thing you should know about Nigerian politics is that some people believe that if you say ‘we will deal with Wike,’ money will come. Just pronounce that word and something will come down,” he said in a sarcastic tone.
He concluded by urging calm among his supporters, insisting that “nothing is happening” and that developments would be addressed fully at the appropriate time.
Earlier, Nwuche praised Wike for what he described as his contributions to the Ekpeye Kingdom, particularly the elevation of traditional stools in the area.
“For the first time, Ekpeye has seven first-class stools. Before now, we had only one. Governors came and left, but none agreed to elevate our stools until Wike,” Nwuche said.
He cautioned against the misuse of power, urging leaders to use their positions to uplift the people rather than oppress them.
“Nobody who follows Wike can say he has not been positively impacted. That is why, wherever he goes, we will follow,” Nwuche added.
