Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Wednesday said Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara showed utter disrespect to President Bola Tinubu by failing to implement the agreement reached during their meeting to solve the political crisis in the state.
Asked if he would back Fubara’s impeachment, Wike noted that if he had committed an offence, impeachment is a constitutional process.
Wike dismissed threats of violence in the state, calling them political tactics and emphasised that peace can only be achieved by doing the right thing, such as presenting the budget and complying with court orders. “Peace is predicated on doing the right thing.”
He noted that the president spent three hours mediating in the Rivers State crisis after which a resolution was reached with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, signing for the government.
“A President of a country will leave everything he was doing to mediate and bring out something that you people should come and sign. A President for over three hours, sat down and brought out something and said do you accept, you said Yes, he turn to another do you accept, Yes, yes, yes, then told the national security adviser who signed on behalf of government and nobody had thought it’s a thing and say look, this thing we signed What has happened? We live in a country where nobody can box us into what we don’t want to do,” he said.
The minister commended the Supreme Court’s judgment recognising the legitimacy of 27 lawmakers aligned with him, stating that challenging illegality is commendable.
Wike criticised Governor Fubara’s approach to the Assembly, emphasising that lawmakers are not subservient to the governor but rather a separate arm of government.
“The right thing must be done. We challenged this illegality and today we are happy that the Supreme Court has made a pronouncement. Who is wrong? Who is right? Commend those who challenge illegality. Don’t commend those who said we will do anything that is wrong.”
Wike, when reminded that as a governor he could not challenge, highlighted the need for a good relationship between the governor and the legislature, saying: “Hold on let me tell you, the Speaker and assembly members are not your children.
“When I was the governor, I sat with them. We ate together, we drank together, we played together. They are not your boys. They are not your girls. They were elected as you were also elected. Some of them, it was through their election that made you (the governor) to win the election. So you will not treat them as if they are your boys. No, you don’t do that. You don’t do that. Legislature is a different arm of government. So you must be careful.
Wike attributed Fabura’s problem to those around him who he claimed had milked the state with sycophancy. Making reference to the governor’s remarks about the amount of money that had been spent, he said: “No, I didn’t spend that kind of money. No way. None of my lawyers told me you are going to pay this. You must have a good relationship with people. Goodwill pays a lot. And that is what paid off for us. But I know what their own team spent. They are not telling you the truth. Their own lawyers bungled their case, and they don’t want to tell the people.”
The Minister also dismissed threats of unrest from militant groups, calling them “political things being planted by some people in government.”
He condemned the notion that the Ijaw people or Niger Delta militants were solely responsible for pipeline vandalism. Wike described such claims as “rubbish,” questioning why certain groups are singled out for such actions. He emphasised that attributing pipeline sabotage to specific ethnic groups is unjustified and politically motivated.
Wike also highlighted that contracts for pipeline surveillance are often awarded to individuals from the Niger Delta, including notable figures like Tompolo.
He denounced the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), labeling it as the worst organisation anybody can rely on. “If you have a father who is always interested in money, he can sell his child or his children.”
