Lere Olayinka, a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said the former governor still controls the political structure of the state and that Governor Siminalayi Fubara lacks the political strength to challenge him.
Olayinka made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, where he dismissed suggestions that Wike has lost his grip on Rivers politics since leaving office. According to him, real political power in the state lies not in Government House but in the political structures that determine loyalty and control.
He argued that Wike maintains firm influence over the Rivers State House of Assembly and the local government political machinery. In his view, this dominance exposes what he described as Governor Fubara’s weakness as a politician.
“If I am a minister in Abuja and I can control your House of Assembly while you are the governor, then something is wrong with you,” Olayinka said. He claimed that the majority of lawmakers in the state assembly remain loyal to Wike, adding that this alone shows where political authority truly resides.
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Olayinka went further, using strong language to underline his point. He said that if Fubara recognises that Wike controls the political structure of Rivers State, the governor should humble himself and seek reconciliation rather than escalate tensions.
According to him, politics is about strength and negotiation, not public sympathy. He criticised what he described as attempts to whip up public sentiment around the crisis, insisting that political disputes are resolved through strategy, not emotion.
The comments come amid an ongoing power struggle between Wike and Fubara, which has paralysed governance in the oil-rich state for months. The crisis deepened earlier this year when the Rivers State House of Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct.
However, the impeachment process was stalled after a High Court in Port Harcourt issued an interim order restraining the chief judge of the state from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy. The lawmakers have since appealed the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
Olayinka rejected claims that Wike is orchestrating the impeachment moves, insisting that the former governor is not behind the process. He said that if Fubara truly wants to halt the impeachment, he knows what to do politically.
“Political navigation is key,” he said, adding that a governor who cannot control political structures in his state has little leverage.
The latest comments come as candidates reportedly backed by Wike defeated those aligned with Governor Fubara in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries ahead of the forthcoming by-elections in Rivers State.
Hon. Napoleon Ukalikpe and Mrs. Bulabari Henrietta Loolo won the APC primaries for the Ahoada East Constituency II and Khana Constituency II by-elections, scheduled for February 21. The candidates are said to be Wike’s preferred choices, defeating other aspirants, including those linked to the Fubara camp.
The primaries followed ward delegate congresses held on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Ahoada East and Khana Local Government Areas, where delegates were elected to vote in the party’s candidate selection process.
Political observers say the outcome of the primaries has further strengthened Wike’s influence within the APC in Rivers State, reinforcing claims that the former governor still wields significant control over the state’s political machinery.
