Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he pushed for the outright removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara amid the political crisis in Rivers State. However, he acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state ultimately saved Fubara from being ousted.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, Wike expressed his displeasure over the emergency rule but admitted it was necessary to prevent chaos. He said, “As a politician, I am not happy with the declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers State. I wanted the outright removal of the governor. But for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing to prevent anarchy.”
President Tinubu had declared the state of emergency on March 18, 2025, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, appointing Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) as sole administrator. The move was justified by ongoing security challenges, political instability, and the breakdown of governance in the oil-rich state.
Wike insisted that before the president’s intervention, the governor’s position was untenable, saying, “The governor was gone, yes… so when people say the president did this, I say they should be praising him. Every morning, they should go to the president and ask, ‘Can we wash your feet for saving us?’”
He also revealed his openness to peace talks but claimed that Fubara’s advisers discourage reconciliation. Wike urged critics to recognize President Tinubu’s role in stabilizing Rivers State, emphasizing that the emergency rule prevented a potential collapse of essential services and governance.
The political tension in Rivers State has been intense, with Wike and Fubara representing opposing factions. The emergency declaration has temporarily halted the crisis, but the future political landscape remains uncertain as stakeholders call for dialogue and resolution.
