In the latest chapter of the escalating power struggle within Rivers State, former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, publicly referred to his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as his “boy.” The remark points the increasingly personal nature of the rift between the two political figures.
While addressing the situation, Wike acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in calling for reconciliation but indicated he held no objection to the peace efforts—suggesting, however subtly, that his stance remains firm despite external mediation.
“That boy is my boy, my son. How can I fight a battle with him? Those I fight are people who want to steal what they did not work for.
“The President called me to make peace; I said, ‘Boss, how will you tell me to make peace and I won’t?’” he said in an interview with the BBC Pidgin.
The disagreement between Wike and Fubara led to a political crisis in the state.
Read also: Fubara’s Wike Visit, A Sacrifice For Peace — Elders
Consequently, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Fubara, his deputy, and the House of Assembly.
He also appointed a retired naval chief, Ibok-Ete Ibas, as the sole administrator to pilot the affairs of the state for the first six months.
The president’s decision led to protests and counter-protests by different groups in the state.
Worried by Tinubu’s decision, 11 Peoples Democratic Party governors filed a suit at the Supreme Court to challenge his action.
The National Assembly has urged the Federal High Court to strike out a suit filed by governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are seeking to block any move to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State. Lawmakers argued that the suit is procedurally defective, devoid of legal substance, and should not be entertained.
In its filing, the Assembly maintained that the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter and described the litigation as speculative and frivolous. It further demanded that the plaintiffs be penalized with a N1 billion cost order for what it described as a waste of judicial time.
Amid the ongoing legal and political wrangling, Governor Siminalayi Fubara appeared to signal a departure—both literal and symbolic—from the embattled seat of power. Speaking on May 11 at a service of songs held in Port Harcourt in honour of the late elder statesman, Edwin Clark, the governor remarked, “Do you even know if I want to go back there? My spirit has already left there.”
In a further show of candour, Fubara cautioned that some of the actions taken by his supporters, though perhaps born of loyalty—had inadvertently escalated tensions, rather than resolved them.