‘I will forgive Fubara if he…’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says he is open to forgiving Governor Siminalayi Fubara, but only if the Rivers State governor genuinely seeks it.

Wike made this known during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, where he addressed the lingering political crisis tearing through his home state.

Wike, who served as governor of Rivers before Fubara succeeded him, said he has no problem letting go of the bad blood as long as Fubara makes a sincere move.

READ ALSO: I wanted Fubara removed, but Tinubu’s intervention saved him – Wike

When asked directly if he would forgive his estranged political ally, Wike said, “Sincerely.” That was his only word, but it said a lot.

Wike and Fubara’s relationship has gone from mentor and protégé to rivals locked in a fierce power struggle. The conflict has rocked the political structure of Rivers State and led to the defection of twenty-seven lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress.

Wike also revealed that two governors had previously approached him in an attempt to broker peace. He did not name them but said he was open to dialogue.

“These two governors came to me and I said, I am here for peace. What does he want? And they said they would do everything,” Wike explained.

He stressed that only honest conversations can bring an end to the crisis. According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s earlier intervention was the best opportunity to settle the matter.

Wike also backed President Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers, even though he personally wanted Fubara out of office.

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“As a politician, I am not happy with the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers. I wanted the outright removal of the governor,” he said.

“But for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing to prevent chaos. The governor was gone.”

Wike insisted that his duty is not to protect Fubara’s comfort but to ensure order and stability.

“The matter is in court. People must tell the truth. It is not my job to make the governor comfortable,” he said.

Wike previously disclosed the reason behind his opposition to PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 polls.