The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed reports suggesting that he has endorsed any individual for the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State, insisting that no decision would be taken until a joint political coalition in the state meets.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Rivers governor disclosed that loyalists from both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had formed a political alliance aimed at strengthening their influence ahead of the next election cycle.
“I have not endorsed anybody and I cannot endorse somebody until the joint coalition meets,” Wike said.
“We have loyalists in PDP, we have loyalists in APC. I have never hidden the fact that we have a rainbow coalition. We have put ourselves together, and it is a political strategy because we have somebody we will fight,” he added.
Wike also confirmed that the coalition is not aligned with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, amid ongoing tensions between both camps over the control of political structures in the state.
“You know that we and Fubara are not working,” the minister stated.
“So, as politicians, we must strategise. I don’t need to come and unveil our strategy to you.”
The FCT minister further accused Governor Fubara of failing to honour agreements reached during a peace meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the political crisis in Rivers State.
According to Wike, the intervention by the president halted impeachment moves initiated by lawmakers loyal to him, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule.
“The president intervened in the impeachment palava and said, ‘hold on, let’s have peace,’” Wike recounted.
“And the governor said, ‘I am ready for peace. I’m no longer interested in this, I will not do this.’
“The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment before the president of the country. Now, having withdrawn the impeachment, you are now too smart on what you agreed before the president,” he said.
The political rift between Wike and Fubara has persisted since the latter assumed office in 2023 with the backing of the former governor. The crisis later escalated into a fierce battle for political control in the oil-rich South-South state, culminating in impeachment threats and divisions within the Rivers State House of Assembly.
At the height of the crisis, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator.
However, following reconciliation meetings involving Tinubu, Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule and other stakeholders in June, the emergency rule was lifted after six months, paving the way for the reinstatement of the governor, his deputy and members of the state assembly.
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