Rivers: I Wanted Fubara to Run for Second Term, We Love Him, Says Wike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that he wanted Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to seek a second term in office.
Wike made the disclosure while speaking during his monthly media chat, where he reflected on his political relationship with Fubara and the events that followed the political crisis between them.
The former Rivers State governor and Fubara had been engaged in a prolonged political dispute after Fubara assumed office as governor. However, the two politicians recently reconciled following months of tension.
Amid the political crisis, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. He subsequently lost the APC governorship primary election as the party prepared for the 2027 Rivers State governorship election.
Wike, however, said his previous actions and statements had demonstrated that he supported Fubara continuing in office for another term.
Speaking during the media chat, Wike said: “We don’t like the truth, I flagged off the ring road and I said that day that if you complete this road, nobody will stop your second term, how do you endorse somebody more than that.”
When asked specifically whether he wanted Fubara to serve a second term as Rivers State governor, Wike replied: “That’s right, you have to build a system and he’s from our political structure. There is nowhere in this world, be it in the Republican or Democrat, you have groups to talk about the party. Every group will have its own leader but that does not make you a godfather.
“At the end of the fight, I have not lost anything but you have lost because your intentions were to go for a second tenure but you are not going.”
Wike further maintained that he still has affection for Fubara and expressed disappointment that the Rivers governor would not be seeking another term in office.
The FCT Minister said he would not have supported Fubara if he did not care about his political future, stressing that the outcome of the political crisis should also be assessed in terms of who ultimately suffered a setback.
Also Read: Rivers Governor Fubara Endorses Tinubu’s Re-election, Urges Supporters to Join Wike-led Rainbow Coalition
Wike added: “Those of us who love you, Fubara, feel so bad if I don’t love him why will I support him? That’s the point that I’m making that of all these things who have lost?”
PulseNets learnt that Wike’s latest comments come against the backdrop of the changing political alignment in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections, following the reconciliation between the former governor and his successor.
