By Sandra Kenneth
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a fresh critique against his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, detailing what he described as the governor’s biggest political missteps since taking office.
Speaking during a special media chat in Port Harcourt, the former Rivers governor accused Fubara of attempting to govern in isolation while dismantling the political architecture that facilitated his rise to power.
According to Wike, red flags began appearing less than 100 days into Fubara’s tenure when the governor allegedly started building an independent political structure, which Wike characterized as a betrayal of his benefactors and the platform that elected him.
“He wanted to do it alone and set up his own structure instead of working with the structure that produced him,” Wike said. “It did not take up to 100 days before we noticed that something was fundamentally wrong.”
Warns Against ‘Bad Advice’
The FCT Minister alleged that Fubara allowed himself to be influenced by political opportunists—many of whom originally opposed his governorship bid—who encouraged him to confront his predecessor and cut ties with his political base.
“You just came into office and people started telling you to build your own identity and ignore those who supported you,” Wike stated. “Some would even influence your wife, your in-laws, and your family. It is your responsibility to assess where such advice will lead you.”
Financial Demands Denied
Addressing persistent rumors regarding the root cause of their rift, Wike firmly denied allegations that he demanded money from the Rivers governor, dismissing the claim as a standard political smear campaign.
He pointed out that the budget under his oversight as FCT Minister is comparable to that of a state government, making financial demands from Rivers State illogical.
“The moment politicians fall out, the easiest allegation is that someone was asking for money,” he noted, maintaining that his primary interest remains the stability and continued development of Rivers State.
