Wike Denies Rift With Fubara, Says ‘He Is My Boy’

…Vows Not To Contest 2027 Against Tinubu

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims of a political feud with suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing the embattled governor as “my boy” and “my son.”

In an interview with BBC Pidgin, Wike said his disagreement is not with Fubara but with unnamed political actors he accused of manipulating the governor for selfish gains.

“That one is not a battle,” Wike said in the interview. “He (Fubara) is my boy; he is my son. Why will I fight with him? I’m only fighting against people who want to steal what they did not work for.”

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been at the center of a prolonged political crisis in the state that began in 2023.

The conflict has revolved around control of the state’s political machinery and deepened when Fubara allegedly began to assert independence from his political benefactor.

According to Wike, the crisis is the result of external influences aiming to divide them.

“When you don’t defeat them, they will think you’re weak… so, defeat them to the end,” he stated. “Now, they are ashamed because they are being defeated. They are the ones pushing Fubara.”

The political impasse escalated when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Fubara for six months.

Tinubu appointed retired naval chief Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the state arguing it was to stabilize governance amid general disapproval.

Following his appointment, Ibas swiftly suspended all political appointees who had been installed by Fubara, further deepening the crisis and raising questions about executive overreach and political interference.

Amid growing speculation about his political ambitions, Wike also used the interview to deny reports that he plans to seek the PDP’s presidential ticket in 2027.

Some analysts had tipped him as a potential candidate if the PDP zoned its ticket to the South.

“I will not contest. Why will I contest against someone I’m working for?” Wike said, referring to President Tinubu. “He is my leader.”

He went further to express confidence in Tinubu’s re-election prospects.

“There is absolutely no one in the opposition strong enough to challenge the president,” he declared.

“They said they will zone it to the South; let them zone first. When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it.”

Wike also confirmed media reports that Governor Fubara recently paid him a reconciliatory visit, accompanied by two governors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Yes, he (Fubara) came with two governors and another person,” Wike confirmed. “But unfortunately, the two of them are APC governors. I wouldn’t pursue him. He said he wants peace, and I said I want peace too.”

While the outcome of the visit remains unclear, Wike’s tone suggested a possible thaw in relations between the two political heavyweights.

However, observers say true reconciliation will depend on resolving the deeper issues of political control and loyalty that have fractured the state’s ruling structure.

Fubara, who served as Accountant-General of Rivers State under Wike, emerged as governor with Wike’s backing in the 2023 elections.

However, tensions began to surface when Fubara reportedly resisted attempts by Wike loyalists to dominate his administration.

What began as subtle power tussles quickly spiraled into open confrontations, including parallel legislative activities, impeachment threats, and street protests.

Tinubu’s intervention brought temporary calm, but the deep-rooted conflict has left the state politically fragile.

As events unfold, Nigerians will be watching to see whether Wike’s latest remarks signal genuine reconciliation or a political pause in an ongoing battle for control in Rivers State.