Amid the intensifying political rift between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the embattled Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, Wike has broken his silence on the conditions under which he would consider reconciliation.
Speaking during a media interaction on Friday in Abuja, Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, stated that he remains open to peace, but only if Fubara shows genuine remorse and seeks forgiveness with sincerity.
The FCT Minister disclosed that two unnamed governors recently approached him in a bid to mediate the conflict.
According to him, he expressed willingness to embrace peace, contingent upon authentic efforts from Fubara to mend their fractured political relationship.
“These two governors came to me, and I said, ‘Look, I am here for peace. What does he want?’
“They assured me, ‘We will do everything,’” Wike recounted.
“But if anybody comes, it must be with sincerity. The best opportunity for resolution was when the President intervened.”
Wike also voiced strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He asserted that the move was instrumental in preventing a total breakdown of governance, even as he revealed that he had favored the removal of Fubara during the peak of the crisis.
The minister maintained that the president’s intervention helped stabilize the situation, justifying the decision to appoint a sole administrator in the wake of the governor’s suspension as a necessary measure to restore order.
Despite his firm stance, Wike’s remarks indicate that he still harbors hopes for reconciliation, albeit on his terms.
His comments also reveal deeper political aspirations and expectations that may have gone unmet, hinting at a complex web of loyalty, succession, and power dynamics at play in Rivers State.
Credit: New Telegraph except headline
