Wike draws line under Rivers feud with Fubara, announces what will happen next

Abuja: FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has declared that his long-running political battle with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is over, urging supporters on both sides to stop reopening old wounds and give the reconciliation a chance to work.

Wike made the position clear during a media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, August 1, saying he and Fubara had moved past their differences and were now focused on the bigger task of rebuilding Rivers State.

For the former governor, the political confrontation ultimately achieved little for either side while imposing its greatest cost on the state.

“We have made our mistakes. We have realised that it is not in the interest of the state,” Wike said.

He appealed to those still questioning decisions made during the reconciliation process to stop scrutinising every move and instead support the peace effort.

“Therefore, people should encourage this reconciliation and not ask, ‘Why did the governor do this?’ Those who make such comments do not mean well for Rivers State,” he added.

‘Who lost? It was the state’

Wike argued that the political struggle should be judged by its impact on Rivers rather than by which politician emerged stronger.

“You should ask yourself a simple question: during all these fights, who lost? It was the state that lost. So why would anyone want the state to continue to lose?” he asked.

His comments signal an attempt to close the chapter on the bitter political fallout between the former governor and his successor, whose relationship deteriorated after Fubara took office.

The dispute had paralysed aspects of governance in Rivers and eventually contributed to the political crisis that prompted President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in the state.

Committee to bring political camps together

Wike disclosed that the reconciliation process is not being left to the two politicians alone.

According to him, a committee has been constituted to reach out to political stakeholders across Rivers State and ensure that the peace process extends beyond the two camps.

“We have set up a committee to reach out to everybody. The objective is to ensure that everyone is carried along in the effort to build a united and prosperous Rivers State,” he said.

The approach, Wike suggested, is designed to prevent the reconciliation from becoming an arrangement involving only the state's two most prominent political figures.

‘If I say I forgive you, I forgive you’

Wike also sought to underline the personal dimension of the reconciliation, describing it as a product of compromise, sacrifice and genuine forgiveness.

“When someone has made a sacrifice and said, ‘Let bygones be bygones; let’s work together,’ that gesture should be appreciated,” he said.

He added:

“Some of us are not extremists. If I say I forgive you, I forgive you.”

For Wike, forgiveness is therefore not conditional or temporary — and he appeared to be warning political allies who might prefer to keep the feud alive that he has personally moved on.

Wike expects results from Fubara

With the political tension easing, the minister said he expects Fubara to have more room to concentrate on governing Rivers State.

Wike expressed confidence that residents would begin to see tangible improvements over the next year as the political distraction gives way to a stronger focus on development.

The reconciliation has gained further political significance after Fubara endorsed the Rainbow Coalition and expressed support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid ahead of the 2027 elections.

For now, Wike's message is unmistakable: the rivalry that once dominated Rivers politics should no longer dictate the state's future.

The minister believes the politicians have made their mistakes, acknowledged the damage caused and chosen to move forward.

And he wants everyone else to do the same.