Breaking: Wike Mentions Actual Mistakes of Fubara in Rivers Crisis
- FCT Minister Nyesom Wike spoke at a special media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, August 1, about his fallout with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers
- Wike said Fubara began listening to people who wanted him to fail and who advised him to start a fight with the minister
- The minister denied rumours that he asked Fubara for money, saying such claims do not hold water given his position
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of making a critical error early in his administration by attempting to build an independent political structure shortly after taking office on May 29, 2023, rather than working within the existing framework that delivered his election victory.
Wike made the remarks during a special media chat held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Saturday, saying the governor's move showed a disregard for those who backed him and the political machinery that brought him into power.
Source: Twitter
Wike's vision for Rivers state
The minister said he left office having laid what he described as a solid foundation, one he hoped Fubara would build on so that Rivers State could close the development gap with Lagos. Among the projects he cited was the multi-billion naira Port Harcourt Ring Road, which links several local government areas and was already under construction before he handed over power. He also pointed to 12 flyovers built and commissioned during his time as governor, which he said significantly upgraded the infrastructure and appearance of Port Harcourt and its surroundings.
Wike said Fubara's decision to chart his own course early on had only widened the development gap he had hoped to narrow between Rivers State and Lagos.
Who Wike blames for the crisis
The minister said part of the problem was that Fubara began taking counsel from the wrong people, individuals who, in Wike's view, had a personal interest in seeing the governor fail, including those who themselves wanted to occupy the FCT Minister's position. According to Wike, it was these same people who encouraged Fubara to pick a fight with him.
"I never lost focus as governor, and that is why I achieved what I achieved," Wike said, suggesting that Fubara's distraction from governance was self-inflicted.
Wike dismisses money rumours
On reports that he had demanded money from Fubara, Wike flatly denied the claims, saying it was not unusual for such allegations to surface during a political crisis. He questioned the logic of the rumour, pointing out that as FCT Minister he oversees a budget comparable to that of a state governor.
He said his only desire was for Fubara to stabilise Rivers State and build on the gains already recorded, not to engage in political battles that distracted from development.
Source: Legit.ng
