The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has spoken on why a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu to solve the feud between himself and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State failed.
Messrs Wike and Fubara have been locked in a protracted fight over the control of the political structures in Rivers State, which initially split the assembly into two factions.
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In December 2023, Mr Tinubu brokered a peace deal between Messrs Wike and Fubara to end the crises in the south-southern state, but the peace deal later collapsed.
In his comment in October 2024, Mr Fubara had blamed Mr Wike’s allies for the collapse of the peace deal.
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The governor had claimed that his opponent outsmarted him by failing to withdraw a lawsuit challenging his presentation of the 2024 budget to four lawmakers, saying that he later discovered that his opponents ambushed him.
Like Fubara, like Wike
During a thanksgiving service and grand civic reception held on Saturday by the people of Kalabari in honour of Mr Wike, the minister blamed Mr Fubara for the collapse of the peace deal.
Organised by Ijaw leaders under the aegis of the New Associates, the civic reception was held in Abalama, a town in Asari-Toro Local Government Area of Rivers State.
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During the event, the minister accused Mr Fubara of reneging on the peace deal brokered by Mr Tinubu, adding that Mr Fubara’s actions showed the governor was not reliable.
Mr Wike’s remark is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Anthony Ogunleye.
“Mr President invited all of us for peace. After that day, we, the leaders sat. We told the assembly to drop that impeachment notice, since Mr President has intervened for peace.
“Instead of them (Fubara administration) to do their own part, they instigated so many court actions, using it as an excuse to scuttle the peace deal,” Mr Wike said.
“When the president intervened, they went to court challenging Mr President that he assumed power that is not constitutional,” the minister added.
Without mentioning names, he chided Mr Fubara and his supporters for allegedly seeking the president’s intervention again after reportedly resisting the peace deal which he (Tinubu) initially brokered.
“You must be consistent with your actions,” he stated.
‘Fubara surrounded himself with enemies’
Mr Wike also said the feud between himself and Mr Fubara was caused by the personal interests of people around the governor.
The minister claimed the governor allied with those who opposed his election, alleging they were providing him with “detrimental advice.”
He also condemned the “seizure of allowances” of members of the state assembly, insisting that it was unjust.
“All these things you are seeing, I told the governor, ‘God gave you something, eat it peacefully. It is not good for you to face this crisis.’ But they told him, ‘you are governor. You have money.’
“Money is not everything. All these people have nothing to offer. See where we are now. How far?” he said.
READ ALSO: Rivers group gives condition for Fubara’s impeachment
Wike says he’ll not stop lawmakers from impeaching Fubara
In a response to the fresh impeachment plot against Mr Fubara, Mr Wike said he would not stop the state assembly from performing their constitutional duties.
“The assembly should be allowed to perform their constitutional duties. People who love peace don’t threaten people.
“The more you threaten, the more you worsen the situation. Assembly people should do their work. Whatever they deem necessary that is constitutional, they should do,” he said, referring to the impeachment plot.
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