Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has openly declared a political break with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, setting the stage for a fresh power realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking to supporters during a weekend gathering in Ahoada Local Government Area, Wike said the relationship had reached a dead end and made it clear he would personally back a candidate he trusts to take over from Fubara. According to him, he has no intention of repeating what he described as the costly miscalculations of the 2023 elections.
Wike accused the governor of breaching earlier political understandings, arguing that those violations made any form of continued cooperation untenable. “We will not repeat the mistake of 2023,” he said, insisting that no individual would dictate political choices to him in Rivers State.
The former Rivers governor also took a swipe at what he described as empty political theatrics, dismissing the idea that slogans, crowd-pulling rallies or noise automatically translate into electoral tickets. For Wike, he said, politics is driven by clear interests and loyalty, not street chants.
“Politics is about interest. I will support a candidate I can trust, someone I can rely on and sleep with both eyes closed,” he stated.
Wike further clarified his political stance at the national level, reaffirming his support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term. However, he was quick to draw a line between that endorsement and Rivers State politics, stressing that backing Tinubu does not amount to automatic support for Fubara’s re-election.
He pointed to Tinubu’s goodwill towards Rivers State, including his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, as evidence of a broader political relationship that does not hinge on the fate of the current governor.
With Wike’s declaration, the Rivers political landscape appears headed for another intense contest, as alliances shift and the countdown to 2027 quietly begins.
