Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that he initially pushed for the removal of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, but it was President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency that ultimately averted the governor’s ouster.
Wike made the revelation during a media briefing in Abuja on Friday. He admitted that, although he was not pleased with the declaration, the decision by President Tinubu effectively preserved Fubara’s political career.
“As a politician, I am not happy about the state of emergency in Rivers State,” Wike stated. “I wanted Governor Fubara removed completely. But the president’s intervention, through the state of emergency, actually saved him.”
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, following escalating political tensions. The move resulted in the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the state legislature. An interim administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, was appointed to oversee the state’s affairs.
Wike, a key player in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, argued that Fubara’s removal was inevitable before the president’s action.
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“The governor was already on his way out,” Wike emphasized. “So, when people criticize the president, I tell them they should actually be thanking him. He saved the situation.”
He added, somewhat sarcastically, “Every morning, they should go to the president and say, ‘Can we wash your feet for saving us?’”
The FCT Minister also expressed openness to reconciliation, but accused Governor Fubara’s advisers of discouraging him from pursuing peace efforts.
