The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he has no plans to interfere in the running of Rivers State or dictate appointments to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is set to return to office after six months of emergency rule.
Wike, who governed Rivers for eight years before moving to the FCT, made the remarks on Thursday during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
Amid lingering speculations that he has been pulling strings behind the political crisis that engulfed the oil-rich state earlier this year, Wike dismissed the claims, insisting he would not impose commissioners or other political appointees on his successor.
“I cannot go and impose anything on the governor. Why would I impose anything on the governor?” Wike asked. “I have no candidate, and I will not. Assuming I go to the governor and say, ‘I want this,’ will the state collapse? No.”
Wike to Fubara: Govern Independently
The former governor stressed that his only concern is that Rivers continues to build on the foundation he left behind.
“Even if the governor comes to me now and says, ‘We have agreed we want to work together,’ which is natural, I will say, ‘Look, I give you free hand, you know how you want to run the state.’
“All I would want to say is this: I know what I did and what I have done to keep things at this level. Don’t drop it, move ahead. As I speak to you, I left the state where we can compete favourably with Lagos.”
Tension Over Fubara’s Return
Governor Fubara, who was suspended in March after his feud with Wike spiraled into a full-blown crisis, was expected back at Government House on Thursday. However, he failed to show up, leaving supporters who had gathered in anticipation visibly disappointed as they later dispersed.
Reacting to the development, Wike said there was no law compelling the governor to resume work immediately.
“There is no law that says he must resume work today. He is the governor. I don’t understand the way we operate,” Wike noted.
The Rivers political standoff remains a closely watched issue, with many Nigerians eager to see whether the truce between Wike and Fubara will hold or if fresh cracks will emerge as the governor resumes office.
