Wike: Fubara’s political mistake was that he tried to build his own structure
Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says the mistake of Siminalayi Fubara, governor of River, was that he tried to build his own political structure too early after he was elected governor.
Speaking in a media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Wike said instead of Fubara, his successor, to strengthen the political structure that made him governor, he wanted to build his own structure.
BACKGROUND
Wike was the governor of Rivers from 2015 to 2023. Fubara was elected governor to succeed Wike.
The FCT minister played a prominent role in the election of Fubara as Rivers governor.
Shortly after Fubara was sworn in, the Rivers governor and Wike were embroiled in a prolonged political crisis that polarised the state political landscape.
Lawmakers loyal to the FCT minister moved to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor before both camps eventually reached a truce.
The reconciliation was followed by Fubara’s decision to withdraw from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary race after initially being screened alongside Kingsley Chinda, an ally of Wike.
The governor said he stepped down out of conviction and in the interest of peace, unity and political stability in Rivers.
Fubara had also endorsed Chinda, APC governorship candidate in Rivers, as his preferred successor.
‘FUBARA WANTED TO DO THINGS ALONE’
During the media chat, Wike said when he left office, he wanted Fubara to continue from the foundation that he had built so that Rivers will compete with Lagos state in terms of infrastructural development.
The FCT minister said when Fubara got into office, he wanted to do things alone without considering how he was elected governor.
Wike said the Rivers governor was not careful of the kind of political advice he should accept or reject.
“In this game, you have schoolmates, village relations, and all kinds of people. There are those who will mean well for you. There are those who do not mean well for you,” he said.
“Now, you got to the office, someone now says to you, ‘Yes, he (Wike) has supported you and must things be in his name? Why not just try to put yourself? And let people know it came through you’.
“He made a mistake by saying that I can do it alone. Those who gave me support, I don’t care. I don’t need them.”
Wike said he discovered, within Fubara’s first 100 days in office, that the governor was already building his own political structure
“He tried to set up his own structure as against the structure that built him,” Wike added.
“It did not take up to 100 days, we saw it. We said something must be fundamentally wrong. In politics, you have to be very careful.”
