The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the battle for political control of Rivers State has effectively been won by his political structure, while extending an olive branch to former allies and opponents to return to what he described as a united political family.
Wike made the remarks during a political luncheon in Port Harcourt on Saturday. His comments were contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Deputy Director of Press in the Office of the Minister, Rabi Umar.
“If you are talking about the governorship election in this state, forget it, it’s gone. If you are thinking that any miracle will happen to overturn, to pull the rug off us, it’s a lie,” Wike said.
The former Rivers governor spoke against the backdrop of the prolonged political crisis that engulfed the state and led to a bitter fallout between him and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara. The dispute, which began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, was rooted in disagreements over control of political appointments, access to state resources, and influence over the state’s governing party structure.
Despite his confidence in the political dominance of his camp, Wike adopted a conciliatory tone, announcing that he had forgiven all those who had opposed him during the political crisis. He urged former allies and political associates who left the fold during the dispute to return and contribute to the development of the state.
“I use this opportunity today to announce that I have forgiven everybody,” the minister said.
“I want you to come back home sincerely. We have played politics, we have abused ourselves, this is the right time for you to come back. We are very over-alerted anytime, any day. We’ll take you back, we’ll work with everybody. We are not selfish,” he said.
However, Wike drew a line against what he described as interference by political actors from outside Rivers State. Without mentioning any individual or group, he warned that those attempting to influence or destabilise the state’s political environment would face stiff resistance.
“Anybody from another state who is trying to destroy Rivers State, the person will have problems. You put your hand, you get fire,” he warned.
The political confrontation between Wike and Fubara has been widely described as a struggle for control of Rivers State’s political and financial architecture. President Bola Tinubu eventually declared a state of emergency in the state, suspending Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and all elected lawmakers of the state House of Assembly for a period of six months.
Amid the prolonged political standoff, Fubara eventually withdrew from the Rivers State All Progressives Congress governorship primaries, claiming that his withdrawal was a voluntary political sacrifice aimed at reducing tensions and preventing further destabilisation of the state’s political environment ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
