The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he has made peace with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
Mr Wike spoke on Thursday night when he appeared as a guest on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
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Messrs Wike and Fubara had been in prolonged face-off over the control of political structures in Rivers State less than six months after Mr Fubara assumed office as governor.
The feud later split the state’s legislature into two factions, with 27 lawmakers loyal to Mr Wike and three to Mr Fubara.
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The feud resulted in an emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu on 18 March for six months.
Mr Tinubu suspended Mr Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu and the state legislators.
The president, in June, brokered a fresh truce between Messrs Wike and Fubara before announcing an end to the emergency rule on Wednesday after the six month period.
Mr Fubara and all other elected officials were asked to resume duties on Thursday, following the end of the emergency rule.
‘I’ve forgiven Fubara, peace now back in Rivers’
Speaking at the programme, Mr Wike said he now speaks with Mr Fubara and that peace has returned to the south-southern state.
“As I speak to you, as of yesterday (Wednesday), I spoke to the governor (Fubara). I told him I was leaving that night to come back, and he told me he was leaving this morning.
“So, I can tell you that, by the grace of God, peace has returned,” he said.
Suen Okinbaloye, the programme anchor, asked the FCT minister if he had now forgiven Mr Fubara.
“I have already said that we’ve been speaking. I will not engage with a man (Fubara) I have not forgiven. Everything is over. I am not a politician who says one thing today and another tomorrow. We must move forward,” Mr Wike responded.
‘No law says Fubara must resume immediately’
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara failed to resume on Thursday despite his reinstatement by President Tinubu.
Many of his supporters who had gathered at the Government House to welcome Mr Fubara reportedly went home disappointed because the governor did not show up.
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But Mr Wike, at the programme, defended Mr Fubara’s failure to resume after the reinstatement.
“There is no law that says he (Fubara) must resume work today (Thursday). He is the governor, I don’t understand the way we operate.
“I was sworn in today as the governor for example does not mean I will go to the office tomorrow,” he said.
“You don’t know what my programmes are, you don’t know what the governor has scheduled to do.”
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