Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he was not surprised by the withdrawal of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the governorship race, insisting that the decision aligned with an earlier political agreement among stakeholders.
Wike made the remarks on Monday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in the Federal Capital Territory, where he addressed questions on recent political developments in Rivers State.
According to him, Fubara ought not to have obtained the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship nomination forms in the first place, citing what he described as a prior understanding that barred the governor from seeking a second term.
“I’m not surprised that the governor (Fubara) withdrew. In the first place, he ought not to have collected the form because the agreement was reached that impeachment should be dropped while he should also not talk about second tenure,” Wike said.
The FCT Minister further alleged that the arrangement was part of broader peace efforts aimed at stabilising the political situation in Rivers State, adding that key stakeholders had agreed to de-escalate tensions surrounding impeachment threats and electoral ambitions.
Wike also accused the governor of failing to demonstrate what he termed “gentlemanliness” by initially picking up nomination forms despite the alleged understanding reached among political actors.
He maintained that the political settlement was aimed at restoring calm in the state and preventing further escalation of conflict within the Rivers political structure.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu had played a key role in intervening in the crisis, reportedly engaging stakeholders and encouraging lawmakers to step back from impeachment proceedings against the governor.
Wike added that the intervention helped stabilise the situation and avoid what he described as a deeper political crisis in the state.
The latest comments come amid ongoing tensions in Rivers State politics, where disagreements between rival political blocs have continued to attract national attention and repeated mediation efforts from federal authorities.
Fubara’s reported withdrawal from the governorship contest has further reshaped the political landscape in the state, although official clarification from the governor or his camp is still being closely watched by observers.
