Wike Fubara second term dispute deepens as the FCT minister explains why Siminalayi Fubara was unable to pursue another term as Rivers governor

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on August 4, 2026, said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara lost the opportunity to seek a second term because of the political crisis that followed their fallout and what he described as poor advice from associates.

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Wike made the remarks during his monthly media chat aired on Channels Television, where he reflected on his strained relationship with his former political ally and the events that shaped Rivers State’s political landscape.

The former Rivers governor said he had repeatedly advised Fubara to maintain the political structure that supported his emergence as governor rather than break away from it.

“I said, look, don’t derail. I came as governor, I had crisis. When I came as governor, there was nothing. They didn’t even relocate the Government House,” Wike said.

Wike recalled the difficult conditions he faced when he assumed office in 2015, saying he had to borrow ceremonial vehicles from former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko because of a lack of resources.

“When I came, I had to borrow vehicles from the former governor of Ondo, Mimiko, these parade vehicles. Nobody kept any vehicle; I didn’t have one vehicle,” he said.

He added that he later renovated the Government House and provided vehicles for key officials before leaving office, arguing that Fubara should have continued from the foundation already established.

“Somebody had laid a foundation. Look, this is where I stopped. If you continue this way, our dream is to be able to compete with Lagos. What is wrong with that?” Wike said.

The minister alleged that individuals who initially opposed Fubara’s emergence later became close to him and encouraged him to challenge the political structure that brought him to power.

“At the end of the fight, I have not lost anything. What have I lost? Nothing. But you have lost. Your intention was to go for a second term, is it not correct? And you are not going,” Wike said.

When asked whether he still cared about Fubara despite their political differences, Wike said his support for the governor’s emergence was evidence of his goodwill.

“If I don’t love him, why would we support him? That’s the point I’m making,” he said.

Wike also claimed that some external interests attempted to influence Rivers State’s political direction because of the state’s economic importance.

“There are external forces who want to hijack Rivers State. You don’t allow them to hijack Rivers State. There are those who see Rivers State as a cash cow,” he alleged.

The political dispute between Wike and Fubara began shortly after Fubara became governor in 2023, when tensions emerged over control of the political structure in Rivers State.

The disagreement later escalated into a major political crisis involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, impeachment threats against Fubara, and a six-month state of emergency declared in Rivers State in 2025 by President Bola Tinubu.

Following his reinstatement, Fubara moved from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress before later withdrawing from the APC governorship primary race in 2026.

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The development was linked by political observers to a peace arrangement aimed at ending the prolonged dispute, with Fubara later returning to the political alliance associated with Wike and endorsing the coalition’s preferred candidate.