Rivers disaster: Fubara capitalising on Wike’s ‘aggressive politics’ to play sufferer – PDP, APC chieftains
Stakeholders and high politicians in Rivers State, and throughout Nigeria, have expressed divergent views on the renewed face-off between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whereas calling on President Bola Tinubu to urgently wade into the present disaster.
The stakeholders, together with residents and indigenes of the South-South state, stated the unfolding occasions, if not fastidiously resolved, might throw the oil-rich state into unimaginable chaos.
Of their separate interviews with THE POINT, attorneys, lecturers, civil rights activists, and chieftains of political events, lamented that the folks of the state have been on the receiving finish of the worsening political standoff.
Whereas some queued in favour of Fubara within the ongoing disaster, others recognized him because the aggressor enjoying the sufferer.
A high South-West PDP chieftain informed our correspondent that Fubara was capitalising on Wike’s extensively perceived “aggressive politics” to play the sufferer.
“Fubara is aware of Wike has points with many individuals, that’s the reason he’s enjoying his present sufferer card and appears to be having extra sympathy.
“The reality is that Fubara began the entire drawback. Overlook about what they’ve been saying about Wike asking for a share of income at the start of their disaster,” the PDP chieftain, who requested to not be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, acknowledged.
“That would probably not have been the case. Everybody is aware of that Fubara teamed up with all Wike’s enemies instantly he bought to energy and began taking the fallacious recommendation from them.
“Don’t neglect that these similar enemies have been made within the technique of attempting to place him (Fubara) in energy.
“Let everybody put themselves in Wike’s sneakers. Anybody would react. How we react is the distinction. He even went to bomb the state meeting advanced. Does a rational human being behave that method?
“I might say that Fubara is barely enjoying the sufferer. He’s the aggressor. He desires to strip his benefactor of each fabric of honour. Who does that?” the PDP chieftain requested.
An All Progressives Congress chieftain from the South East, who just lately defected from the PDP, additionally shared the South-West PDP chief’s views.
The chieftain, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, stated lots of the APC chieftains that have been supporting Wike wouldn’t be capable of stand what he was going through within the arms of “somebody he made governor, with the assistance of God”.
He, nevertheless, stated the issue he had with Wike was his not with the ability to measure phrases earlier than throwing them out, saying Fubara was toeing his path on this regard.
“If Wike had been calmer and never attempting to struggle the entire world on the similar time, Fubara wouldn’t have succeeded this lengthy,” he claimed.
PRESIDENT SHOULD CALL WIKE TO ORDER
An indigene of the state and a professor of Social Ethics at Boston College, United States, Nimi Wariboko, stated the President had the capability to name Wike to order and permit Fubara to concentrate on governing the state.
“Rivers is regularly turning a joke. Good governance that our folks count on from authorities is changing into elusive and this entire drama has been producing an excessive amount of stress and warmth within the polity.
“For these of us watching from afar, we expect it’s excessive time the President stopped this insanity from turning into a complete break down of legislation and order,” he stated.
“The President can resolve this subject directly and if he directs the Home of Meeting to halt the impeachment course of, will probably be halted directly. We’re calling on President Tinubu to wade in and be certain that peace and growth reign in Rivers,” he added.
A human rights advocate and lawyer, Increased King, famous that Governor Fubara had turn into inaccessible to the Rivers folks for the reason that resurgence of the face-off between him and his predecessor.
King, who served as a lawyer to Wike, warned that the disaster might result in broader political instability within the state if President Tinubu did not take pressing steps and make sturdy commitments.
Whereas he argued that the impeachment strikes weren’t vital, King acknowledged, “No one has succeeded in impeaching a Governor. Even those which have been impeached have been later returned by the courts.
“The President has the ability to name Wike to order.”
Highlighting the unfavorable impacts of the political variations between Wike and Fubara in Rivers, the authorized practitioner famous, “There gained’t be outcomes after Fubara’s tenure as a result of he has not been concentrating. You possibly can’t even entry him. He has been buffeted and troubled by all sides. The primary time period Rivers governor that has been so troubled since 1999.”
King, nevertheless, referred to as on the All Progressives Congress to come back to Fubara’s help.
“They (Wike and Rivers lawmakers) ought to permit him govern. They know it’s not attainable, they simply wish to disturb him in order that he will be at a standstill. They only need the governance to be grounded. Nigerian politicians don’t do what’s ethical, constitutional and authorized.
“They solely do what’s political. The lawmakers ought to depart the governor alone,” he stated.
The lawyer additional argued that the impeachment course of wouldn’t sail by way of, sustaining that they (lawmakers) knew they gained’t be capable of full the method.
He disclosed that the standoff was about who will get Rivers cash and positions.
“Folks in authorities are inducing the disaster. Many individuals wish to get political positions,” he claimed.
On Wike’s allegation that Fubara reneged on sure agreements, King famous that “an unlawful Bargain can’t be enforced.”
A Port Harcourt-based political analyst, Ndubuisi Etenwa, additionally shared his views with THE POINT.
He stated, “I strongly imagine that Wike will face bother on the Fubara matter that he’s carrying on his head.
“Wike ought to know that ranges have now modified for Fubara since his motion to the APC. The governor is not in a disunited PDP the place he was harassed anyhow by minister Wike.
“Concerning the impeachment continuing, allow us to wait and see what is going to occur. If Fubara survives it – it’s the third one towards him – he’ll survive something.”
“Fubara now has a reliable and proactive APC management that may communicate up for him, and the sooner Wike realises this, the higher for him,” he added.
Etenwa famous, “After they signed their so-called peace Bargain, we thought governance would start to go hitch-free, however it appears we’re fallacious.
“Some politicians are decided to cripple the state however Rivers folks will stand as much as them on the proper time.”
One other analyst, Muyiwa Bello, stated it was excessive time the President referred to as Wike to order.
In line with Bello, the President has stored quiet lengthy sufficient on Wike’s alleged “vanity,” and may declare who the 001 in Rivers is.
He stated, “The drama has began once more in Rivers State, and a few of us are up for it.
“However as a lot as we like to be entertained by the political drama, we additionally need decorum, respect and understanding all the time.
“For this reason the President’s silence worries me. President Tinubu ought to name out Wike’s vanity in public. I can not perceive for the lifetime of me why the President has chosen to stay silent after an allegation of breach of Bargain was levelled by his minister.
“However belief me after I say that Rivers folks will take up the gauntlet if nobody desires to take action for them. The folks will quickly humble these they are going to humble. Be careful for that.
“My prayer now could be that Mr. President tells Nigerians who the true 001 is in Rivers State, in any other case nobody would blink between Wike and Fubara.
“The APC has stated that Fubara is the 001, however we will all see that Wike doesn’t agree with them. So, the President, it appears, is now the one man able to settling the rift with a single clarification.”
For one more Rivers lawyer, Ikechi Siminibike, Governor Fubara has an opportunity of approaching the court docket to cease the impeachment course of if the committee that might be arrange by the State Chief Choose doesn’t discover benefit within the legislators’ allegations.
In line with him, the method is a wild goose chase.
“Wike is dropping out and attempting to make use of the impeachment process to renegotiate and guarantee the Presidency that he’s nonetheless accountable for Rivers forward of the 2027 elections.
“Persons are uninterested in Wike’s gross energy in Rivers. In case you really feel that the governor is not doing all your biddings, why not look ahead to him throughout election and guarantee he’s voted out?
“We aren’t having fun with dividends of democracy in Rivers. President Tinubu can do one thing if he really desires peace and growth in Rivers by stopping Wike and his supporters from tormenting Fubara,” he stated.
A political affairs analyst, Ibrahim Modibo stated, “Wike is dancing greater than the rhythm of the drum. There is no such thing as a want for compulsion or for him to have an amazing affect on the state governor.
“Agreed, he’s the godfather—so what? Was he not additionally introduced in by one other particular person? When Wike was governor, was he trampled upon by others who helped him rise from native authorities chairman to governor? Enable this man to work.”
In his views, Lekan Ojo, a political analyst in Rivers State, stated Wike anticipated 100 per cent loyalty from Fubara, saying it was a tall dream by the minister.
He stated there had by no means been peace between Wike and Fubara after Tinubu’s mediation.
“All we have now had right here during the last yr has been peace of the graveyard,” he claimed.
Ojo feared that the political imbroglio may proceed until the top of Fubara’s tenure as a result of the duo may probably ignore President Tinubu’s second time mediation.
He stated Wike was not comfy with the achievements recorded by Fubara and wouldn’t need the governor to outshine him (Wike), therefore the political standoff.
Ojo referred to as on President Tinubu to look past what he stood to learn within the state politically and resolve the difficulty amicably.
Regardless of the political stress, the analyst believes that Fubara is performing.
“Wike is extra uncovered and extra on the bottom. If the President has curiosity on this matter and desires to comply with the rule of legislation and desires to help the sitting Governor, I believe it might have been higher for the President to name the Governor and the Home of Meeting members now that every one of them belong to the identical occasion,” he acknowledged.
In the meantime, the Rivers State Home of Meeting has raised the alarm over what it described as clandestine makes an attempt by unnamed people to make use of sure Rivers State Excessive Courts exterior the Port Harcourt Judicial Division to undermine the continuing impeachment course of towards the Governor and Deputy Governor of the state.
In an announcement dated January 11, 2026, and signed by the Chairman of the Home Committee on Info, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi George, the Meeting stated it acquired credible info that some individuals have been in search of ex parte court docket orders to illegally restrain the Home from finishing up its constitutional duties.
The lawmakers warned that such actions, if carried out, would quantity to a subversion of the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nevertheless, Governor Fubara has stated he doesn’t “shout or complain” in regards to the points within the state as a result of God is with him.
Fubara spoke on Sunday throughout an interdenominational church service organised to commemorate the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
The service occurred at St Cyprian’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
After the clerics prayed for Fubara and Ngozi Odu, the deputy governor, the Rivers governor was handed the microphone to ship his speech.
In his quick deal with, Fubara requested the deputy governor to come back ahead and ship the speech on his behalf.
Fubara jokingly informed the congregants that the church service is likely to be the final public perform for him and his deputy.
The Rivers governor requested the folks of the state to be calm, that peace would return to Rivers.
“Let me say it right here, the place we have been making the New Yr dinner, I stated that, ‘canine bark after they don’t perceive’.
“Loads of you don’t perceive that the rationale I don’t shout or complain is that I do know that I’ve what’s supreme, that’s God.
“I would like everybody to be relaxed. What’s necessary is peace for this expensive state. We are going to get it by the particular grace of God.”