The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared an end to his prolonged political feud with the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, urging supporters of both camps to embrace peace and reconciliation.
Wike said the supremacy battle had inflicted significant damage on Rivers State, which he described as the biggest loser in the crisis.
The former Rivers governor spoke on Sunday during a media chat in Port Harcourt, where he confirmed that he and Fubara were now working together.
“As far as the state is concerned, peace and unity are all we want. We must work together, and we are now working together with the governor,” Wike said.
The FCT minister acknowledged that mistakes were made during the political conflict but said the parties had realised that the crisis was not in the state’s interest.
“We have made our mistakes,” he said.
“We have realised that it is not in the interest of the state. Therefore, people should encourage this reconciliation and not ask, ‘Why did the governor do this?’ Those who make such comments do not mean well for Rivers State.”
Wike argued that the state and its residents bore the consequences of the prolonged conflict.
“You should ask yourself a simple question: during all these fights, who lost?” he asked.
“It was the state that lost. So why would anyone want the state to continue to lose?”
Wike, who governed Rivers from 2015 to 2023 and played a prominent role in Fubara’s emergence as his successor, said the governor’s major mistake was attempting to establish an independent political structure too early in his administration.
Their relationship deteriorated shortly after Fubara assumed office, leading to a bitter struggle that divided the state’s political class.
Lawmakers loyal to Wike initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor on several occasions before President Bola Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers.
The two camps later reached a truce after Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The minister said the reconciliation was made possible by compromise, sacrifice and the willingness to forgive.
“When someone has made a sacrifice and said, ‘Let bygones be bygones; let’s work together,’ that gesture should be appreciated,” he said.
“Some of us are not extremists. If I say I forgive you, I forgive you.”
Wike added that a committee had been established to engage political stakeholders and deepen the peace process across the state.
“We have set up a committee to reach out to everybody,” he said.
“The objective is to ensure that everyone is carried along in the effort to build a united and prosperous Rivers State.”
Wike said the Rainbow Coalition remained the most viable political arrangement in Rivers, arguing that elections could not be won without broad alliances.
“If you want to play politics today, it is the Rainbow Coalition. Forget whatever anybody tells you; you cannot win without bringing people together,” he said.
He urged politicians to place the state’s interest above party loyalty.
“It is not about the APC, it is not about the PDP, it is not about the Labour Party, and it is not about any other group,” Wike said.
“Let us join hands together for the interest of the state because that is what will help us move forward.”
The former governor also praised President Tinubu, saying his leadership had benefited Rivers State and Nigeria.
“The leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is good for us and good for Nigeria,” he said.
Wike expressed confidence that the restoration of peace would allow Fubara to concentrate on governance and improve development in the state.
“With what the governor has done, I can tell you that in the next one year, you will see a lot of improvement in this state,” he said.
“Nobody can govern effectively where there is no peace. Nobody can govern where there is no unity.
“Now the governor’s mind is at rest and he can concentrate on his work.”
Wike said the reconciliation had weakened political actors who benefited from division and instability.
“With what we have done now, all those opportunists will no longer have the chance to divide the state further,” he said.
“It is unity forever. Let us work together, let us remain together, and let us build Rivers State for the benefit of all.”
