Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he was in full support of the removal of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, but that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state ultimately prevented the governor’s ouster.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, Wike admitted he was dissatisfied with the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State but acknowledged it as a political lifeline for the embattled governor.
“As a politician, I am not happy about the state of emergency in Rivers State,” Wike said. “I wanted the outright removal of Governor Fubara. The president, by declaring a state of emergency, saved Fubara.”
On March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the governor, his deputy, and the state legislature. Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) was appointed as the interim administrator in charge of the state.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers and a key figure in the ongoing political crisis, insisted that Governor Fubara had already lost his grip on power before the presidential intervention.
“The governor was gone. He was gone, yes… so when people say the president did this, I say they should be praising him,” Wike stated. “Every morning, they should go to the president and ask, ‘Can we wash your feet for saving us?’”
Despite the ongoing political tension, Wike said he remains open to reconciliation but claimed that the governor’s advisers were hindering peace efforts.
“I’m ready for peace talks, but those around him keep urging him not to make peace,” he added.
The minister’s remarks are the latest in a series of fiery statements as the Rivers State political crisis continues to draw national attention.
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