FCT Minister Nyesom Wike (left) and his political godson, Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State
Political rift rocking Rivers State took a sharper turn on Saturday as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, issued a defiant warning that he would not allow himself to be politically buried ahead of the 2027 general elections—an unmistakable message in the ongoing power struggle involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Wike, who spoke during a thank-you visit to Okrika Local Government Area, said repeating the mistakes that followed the Rivers governorship transition would amount to political suicide, stressing that he would not make such an error again.
Drawing a clear line in the sand, the former Rivers governor restated his long-held stance on political agreements in the state, insisting that commitments reached over the governorship must be honoured.
“We have taken a decision that there is no going back as far as Tinubu is concerned, but the other one, no way,” Wike said, in remarks widely interpreted as a direct challenge amid the deepening rift with his successor.
“If we make another mistake, they will go and bury themselves politically. I will not allow myself to be buried. I will not allow that mistake again.”
Wike’s comments come as tensions continue to simmer within Rivers politics, with rival camps aligning for control ahead of 2027.
His language suggested a readiness for open confrontation rather than reconciliation.
Labeling his camp the “Renewed Hope family,” Wike warned that political actors he described as impostors should brace for a fierce contest.
“I want to assure you that it’s a Renewed Hope family, and if you are not a member, we will face you in the field,” he declared. “If you are not an original member, not a fake one, we will face you in the battle.”
The minister added that his opponents were yet to witness the full scale of his political resolve, vowing that his camp would do “what we know how to do” as the struggle for Rivers’ political future intensifies.
With 2027 drawing closer, Wike’s latest remarks signal that the Rivers crisis is far from over—and that the confrontation with Fubara’s camp may only just be beginning.
