The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he had advocated for the removal of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, but President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency ultimately prevented the governor’s ouster.
During a media chat held in Abuja on Friday, Wike expressed his dissatisfaction with the president’s decision but acknowledged that it effectively shielded Fubara from being removed.
President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the state legislature, while appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as an administrator.
“As a politician, I’m not pleased with the state of emergency in Rivers,” Wike said. “I pushed for Governor Fubara’s removal, but the president’s intervention through the emergency declaration ultimately saved him.”
Wike, a key figure in the ongoing political crisis in the state, emphasized that Fubara’s position had become unsustainable before Tinubu stepped in.
“The governor was finished—he was out. So, when people talk about the president’s actions, they should be thanking him,” he remarked. “They should go to him every morning and ask, ‘Can we wash your feet for saving us?’”
Wike added that he is open to reconciliation but alleged that Fubara’s advisers are discouraging the suspended governor from pursuing peace.
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