BY UCHECHI OKPORIE
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has publicly acknowledged that he would not have become governor without the support of Nyesom Wike, Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), saying the influential politician discovered him and elevated his profile in the state’s politics.
Speaking on Friday while receiving the New Telegraph Man of the Year Award in Lagos, Fubara dedicated the honour to Wike despite the two leaders’ well‑documented political dispute, which has drawn national attention in recent years.
“Without him, I wouldn’t be standing here as governor,” Fubara said, thanking Wike for “discovering” him and giving him a platform that brought him into the political spotlight.
He also praised the people of Rivers State for their support, describing their maturity and calm throughout the political tensions.
Fubara, a former Accountant‑General of Rivers State, entered politics with Wike’s backing ahead of the 2023 governorship election and was widely seen as his protégé.
However, their relationship later deteriorated into a prolonged political crisis, fracturing the Rivers State House of Assembly and posing challenges for governance in the oil‑rich state.
The crisis escalated to the point that President Bola Tinubu intervened to mediate between the rival factions, restoring a measure of calm to the state’s political landscape.
Fubara’s public tribute highlights Wike’s continuing influence in Rivers State politics, even as the two leaders navigate the aftermath of their conflict and broader debates over political loyalty and power in Nigeria.
