PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has defended his decision to reconcile with his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, saying “no sacrifice is too big” to achieve lasting peace and stability in the state.
Fubara’s remarks came two days after a late-night peace meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, hosted by President Bola Tinubu, and attended by both Fubara and Wike, Nigeria’s current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The governor, who addressed supporters in Port Harcourt on Saturday, June 28, 2025, acknowledged that the peace process — though difficult and deeply emotional — was essential for the state’s unity and development.
“We have fought. I think, in my own assessment and in the assessment of anyone here who is genuine in this struggle, you will know that we have done what we need to do,” Fubara said.
“At this point, if you want to be truthful to yourself, the only solution is peace. I did say that there’s no price that is too big for peace — I meant it, and I’m still ready to follow it to the end.”
He acknowledged widespread frustration among his loyalists, many of whom had rallied behind him during the months-long crisis with Wike, but insisted that reconciliation was a strategic necessity.
“Difficult times require difficult decisions,” he said.
“The sacrifice we are going to make for us to achieve this total peace is going to be heavy, and I want everybody to prepare for it.”
Fubara also spoke candidly about Wike’s influence in the state’s politics and his own political journey.
“Nobody can take away the role the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, played — that’s the truth,” Fubara stated.
“Yes, we might have our differences, but nobody here will say he doesn’t know the role he played. Nobody can wish away the risk he took.”
He added: “If today there’s a need for us to settle, please, anyone who genuinely believes in me should understand that it’s the right thing to do.”
Fubara expressed hope that the reconciliation would unlock stalled projects and accelerate infrastructure development across Rivers State.
“It’s not even about me as a person — it’s about the overall interest of the state,” he said.
“In the midst of this crisis between me and the FCT Minister, look at the projects we’ve initiated. Many have been abandoned.”
He continued, “We know the progress we would have recorded and the areas that would have been developed. So, there’s need for this peace — that’s the truth.”
Reaching out to his core supporters, Fubara made a promise of loyalty and inclusion.
“I can’t abandon you people — that’s one thing I need to say here,” he said.
“This is the time for me to prove to you that I care for you, and I make my commitment here that whichever way it goes, I will not abandon anybody.”
The once-solid relationship between Wike and Fubara began to unravel in late 2023, culminating in a polarised Rivers State House of Assembly, parallel factions, and executive-legislative clashes that paralysed governance in parts of the state.
The situation reached a crescendo in March 2025 when President Tinubu declared emergency rule in Rivers, suspended both the governor and lawmakers, and installed a sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.
That administrator remains in place pending further political resolution.
While both camps have publicly embraced the president’s peace initiative, questions remain over the durability of the truce and whether it signals a genuine reconciliation or merely a temporary political accommodation.
For now, Governor Fubara is asking his base for patience and trust and asking Rivers people to bear the cost of peace in hopes of a more stable tomorrow.
