The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of committing major political errors by attempting to operate independently and establish his own political structure shortly after assuming office. Wike, who spoke during a special media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday,……
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of committing major political errors by attempting to operate independently and establish his own political structure shortly after assuming office.
Wike, who spoke during a special media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said Fubara’s decision to distance himself from the political structure that supported his emergence as governor weakened the foundation upon which his administration was built.
The former Rivers governor said he had expected Fubara to continue from where his administration stopped by building on existing projects aimed at transforming the state’s infrastructure and positioning Rivers to compete with Lagos.
According to Wike, he had laid a strong foundation before leaving office, including the construction of 12 flyovers and the commencement of the multi-billion-naira Port Harcourt Ring Road project.
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He said the Ring Road project, which links several local government areas in the state, was conceived as a legacy project to drive development across Rivers.
Wike said politicians must be cautious in handling relationships with supporters, warning that rejecting those who contributed to one’s political success could create challenges.
“In politics you have to be careful. There are those who want you to succeed and make a name. The opportunity that you have been given, not everybody has that opportunity,” he said.
The FCT Minister recalled that before handing over power to Fubara, he advised the governor to build on the achievements of his administration and work towards closing the developmental gap between Rivers and Lagos.
“Remember before I handed over to Governor Fubara, we did a church service and I did say that you have been elected. Few days you will be sworn in, now what do you want to achieve? See where I have stopped. My thinking is that we do need to compete with Lagos. We have laid the foundation, he (Fubara) should be able to continue from there, we will give you all the necessary support,” Wike said.
Wike alleged that shortly after assuming office, Fubara began listening to individuals who wanted him to break away from the political structure that produced him.
He said the governor’s attempt to create a separate structure against his supporters happened within his first 100 days in office.
“But listen, in this game you have your stone base (support), you have your village relation, you have all kinds and manner of people. There are those who will mean well for you, there are those who will not mean well for you,” he said.
The minister added: “Now you just came to office, somebody now comes, yes he is trying to support you. Must it be his name? Why not try now to put yourself and people know that it is you.”
Wike further accused Fubara of assuming he could govern alone while disregarding those who helped him attain power.
“You have to think well. If you make the mistake he made by saying that yes, I can do it alone, those who gave me support, I don’t care, I don’t need them. Those who didn’t want you will come in. There is no way anyone who didn’t want you in a position will want you to succeed,” he said.
“Yes, he tried to do it by himself and wanted to set up his own structure against the one that built him. In fact, it did not take up to 100 days, and we saw it. We said something must be fundamentally wrong.”
Wike also dismissed allegations that the crisis between him and Fubara was linked to financial demands, saying political disagreements are often portrayed as monetary disputes.
“Forget about people who say you were asking him for money. You know, in politics, the moment you disagree on an issue, the only thing you can use to get the support of the people is that they are asking me for money,” he said.
The minister also highlighted his achievements as Rivers governor, saying his administration remained focused on delivering projects for the state.
“You have said here that Nigerians were astonished by me taking 31 days of commission and flag off, which no governor in this country has ever done. We were focused, but you see, he (Fubara) lost focus here,” Wike added.
