The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has blamed the political crisis in Rivers State on what he described as Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to distance himself from the political structure that brought him to power shortly after assuming office.
Wike said Fubara made a costly political mistake by trying to operate independently and allegedly attempting to build his own political structure within his first 100 days as governor instead of consolidating on the foundation laid by his administration.
The former Rivers State governor spoke during a special media chat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Saturday.
According to Wike, he had expected Fubara to continue the development projects initiated by his administration so that Rivers State could gradually compete with Lagos in terms of infrastructure and economic growth.
He said before leaving office, he initiated major projects, including the multi-billion-naira Port Harcourt Ring Road, which links several local government areas, and completed 12 flyovers that transformed the road network in Port Harcourt and its surrounding areas.
Wike said politicians must be careful about the advice they receive, noting that not everyone around a leader genuinely wants him to succeed.
He recalled telling Fubara during a thanksgiving service before the inauguration that his administration had laid a solid foundation and that all necessary support would be provided for him to succeed.
According to him, some people who never wanted Fubara to become governor allegedly influenced him against those who worked for his emergence.
He said such individuals encouraged the governor to ignore the political structure that supported him and convinced him that he could succeed without their backing.
“In politics, you have to be careful. Some people genuinely want you to succeed, while others do not. The opportunity you have today is one many people never get, so you must be careful about the advice you receive,” Wike said.
He alleged that Fubara ignored repeated warnings and chose to rely on people who encouraged him to break away from his political base.
“He wanted to do it alone and build his own political structure instead of strengthening the structure that brought him to power. It didn’t even take up to 100 days before we noticed it, and we knew something was wrong,” he added.
The minister also dismissed allegations that he demanded money from Fubara, describing the claim as a common tactic used whenever politicians fall out.
He questioned why he would seek financial benefits from the governor when, as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, he oversees an administration with a budget of about N1.8tn.
According to him, his only interest was to see Rivers State remain politically stable and continue the development agenda started during his tenure.
“I never asked him for money. What I wanted was for him to stabilise the state, continue from where I stopped and build on the foundation we laid. That was my interest,” Wike said.
He added that under his leadership, the Federal Capital Territory had increased its monthly Internally Generated Revenue from about N8bn to nearly N40bn, saying the achievement showed what focused leadership could accomplish.
Wike maintained that the political disagreement had slowed Rivers State’s progress and widened the development gap between the state and Lagos.
