Fubara Thanks Wike As Rivers’ ₦1.84tn Budget Signals New Political Alliance

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s public appreciation of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, while signing the state’s ₦1.84 trillion 2026 budget into law has provided another indication of the changing political landscape in Rivers ahead of the 2027 elections.

Fubara, who had a bitter political fallout with Wike after succeeding him as governor in 2023, specifically thanked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory for his “commitment” to the budget process.

“Today, I signed the ₦1.84 trillion Rivers State 2026 Appropriation Bill into Law, marking a new chapter of cooperation, unity and progress,” Fubara said.

He also thanked the Rivers State House of Assembly and the people of the state, but his acknowledgement of Wike stood out against the backdrop of the political crisis that once brought the two camps into open confrontation.

The rift between the governor and his former political godfather triggered a prolonged power struggle in Rivers, including disputes over the state House of Assembly and control of the state’s political machinery.

Their dispute eventually attracted the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, after which both sides began moving towards reconciliation.

Fubara’s latest remarks, coupled with his recent political engagements, suggest that the relationship with Wike has entered a more cooperative phase, at least publicly.

Over the weekend, Fubara visited Wike at his Port Harcourt residence alongside the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda.

The visit came days after Fubara announced his membership of a Rivers political “rainbow coalition” involving various political parties and groups, with the stated objective of delivering President Bola Tinubu and candidates supported by the coalition in the 2027 elections.

That declaration could prove particularly significant as the political battle for Rivers begins to take shape.

Fubara, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, has not only moved closer to his former political rival but is now openly associated with a broader political coalition that cuts across party lines and is backing Tinubu ahead of 2027.

Wike, meanwhile, remains a major political force in Rivers and a prominent member of the Tinubu administration.

The convergence of the two men around a broader pro-Tinubu political alignment could significantly alter the balance of power in the state, particularly as politicians begin making calculations over the governorship and other elective positions.

For Fubara, publicly thanking Wike during the budget signing therefore goes beyond a routine acknowledgement. It adds another layer to a reconciliation that, if sustained, could reshape Rivers politics ahead of 2027.

The key question is whether the emerging accommodation between the former rivals can withstand the pressures of the coming election season — and whether their political interests can remain aligned when questions of succession and control of the state become more intense.

For now, Fubara insists that governance remains his priority.

“Our focus remains firmly on the welfare of our people and the continued development of Rivers State,” he said.