By Obinna Uballa
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has said President Bola Tinubu will not sacrifice the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as the political crisis in the oil-rich state deepens.
Fayose stated this on Tuesday during an interview on ARISE Television, arguing that Wike remains far more politically valuable to President Tinubu than his estranged successor in Rivers.
“But let me say this clearly to Nigerians: the Asiwaju that I know will not get rid of a Wike for a Fubara,” Fayose said. “Wike came from Rivers to give support to President Tinubu.”
According to him, Wike’s relevance to the President is anchored on his performance as FCT minister and his proven political utility to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Wike is in Abuja performing. We’ve never had it so good in Abuja; even a blind man can’t deny that,” Fayose said. “The local government elections in Rivers, APC won them courtesy of Wike. The coming local government elections in Abuja, APC will still win them. So what else will the President want from Wike?”
Fayose’s comments come amid impeachment proceedings initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Fubara. The lawmakers accused the governor of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending and alleged defiance of a Supreme Court ruling on legislative autonomy.
The impeachment move is the latest escalation in the long-running feud between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, a crisis that has destabilised Rivers State politics since late 2023. The dispute is widely seen as a power struggle over control of the state’s political structure, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) machinery and the House of Assembly.
While the Assembly has denied that Wike influenced the impeachment process, reports suggest President Tinubu has been drawn into efforts to manage the crisis.
Reacting to reports that Fubara sought Tinubu’s intervention, Fayose described the move as evidence of political arrogance and poor judgement.
“If Governor Fubara has gone to meet the President, then it shows he needs help,” he said. “When you don’t humble yourself and look for peace, you’ll be running helter-skelter. What he’s looking for is inside his pocket.”
Beyond the presidency’s stance, Fayose directly advised Fubara to reconcile with Wike and abandon confrontation.
“My position has always been clear,” he said. “Fubara and others got their strength from other people. There is a difference between holding office and being ‘001’. Who gave you the platform to call yourself 001?”
He warned that it was not Fubara’s place to challenge Wike’s political dominance in Rivers, urging him to prioritise survival and stability.
“Even if Wike says he is the leader, it is not to the mouth of Fubara to be contesting that. We all know the truth,” Fayose said. “Climb down from your high horse, go and make amends, and be at peace.”
Drawing from personal experience, Fayose said humility and loyalty to political benefactors were crucial lessons Fubara must learn quickly.
“Those encouraging Governor Fubara to fight today will disappear if he falls,” he warned. “I’ve been there. When you are isolated, they won’t be there with you.”
He also dismissed claims that President Tinubu was responsible for the internal crisis rocking the PDP, describing the opposition party as a house divided by its own making.
“The challenges in the PDP are not Asiwaju’s fault,” Fayose said. “A house divided against itself cannot stand. This is self-inflicted.”
Fayose cautioned that impeachment could permanently derail Fubara’s political future, urging him to learn from past political battles and embrace reconciliation before it is too late.
“If you are impeached, you are out of the way,” he said. “It is time for Governor Fubara to learn, the way I learned my lesson.”
