By Mokobia Rita.
ABUJA/Nigeria: A fresh political storm erupted in Rivers State on Monday after Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, publicly disclosed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara was allegedly not expected to seek a second term in office as part of a political truce aimed at ending the prolonged crisis that rocked the state.
Wike made the startling revelation while inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, offering what appears to be the clearest insight yet into the behind-the-scenes negotiations that reportedly halted impeachment moves against the Rivers governor months ago.
The former Rivers State governor said the peace arrangement reached among political stakeholders was built on mutual concessions, one of which allegedly required Fubara to step away from the 2027 governorship race.
Speaking with journalists, Wike claimed that the governor’s decision to obtain nomination forms for re-election ran contrary to the understanding earlier reached among parties involved in resolving the political impasse.
“He ought not to have collected the form in the first place because agreement had already been reached that impeachment should be dropped while he should not pursue a second term,” Wike stated.
The FCT minister maintained that Fubara’s move complicated reconciliation efforts and threatened the fragile peace painstakingly negotiated after months of intense political confrontation between both camps.
The revelation comes only days after Governor Fubara unexpectedly withdrew from the Rivers State governorship primary race, a move that had triggered widespread political speculation across the state.
In a personally signed statement titled “My Decision to Withdraw from the Rivers State Gubernatorial Primaries,” the governor said the decision followed extensive consultations with family members, political associates, allies and supporters.
Fubara explained that his withdrawal was driven by the need to preserve peace, stability and unity in Rivers State, although political observers continued to question the circumstances surrounding the development.
For months, Rivers politics has been dominated by a fierce supremacy battle between Wike and his political protégé-turned-rival, Fubara, creating deep divisions within the state’s political structure and raising concerns over governance and stability.
The conflict, which escalated into a full-blown power struggle, split the state’s political establishment and triggered impeachment threats, defections and repeated intervention efforts.
While Wike now insists peace has returned and another candidate has emerged in the governorship race, analysts believe his latest disclosure has exposed the depth of political compromises that underpinned the reconciliation process.
Observers also argue that the comments reveal that despite official claims of peace, underlying tensions within Rivers’ political family may still remain unresolved.
With the latest revelation now in the public domain, attention is expected to shift back to the internal dynamics of the state as stakeholders continue to assess the implications for the future political direction of Rivers State.
