Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has acknowledged that he would not have become governor without the support of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, crediting the former governor for discovering and backing his political rise.
Fubara made the remark on Friday while receiving the New Telegraph Man of the Year Award, which he dedicated to Wike despite their well-publicised political differences.
According to the governor, Wike’s support brought him into the political spotlight and paved the way for his emergence as the state’s chief executive.
“I do not care how it is interpreted. I dedicate this award to somebody who discovered me, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, my oga, Nyesom Wike,” he said. “Without him, I wouldn’t be standing here as governor.”
He also thanked residents of Rivers State for their patience and maturity during months of political tension, saying their support had sustained his administration.
Fubara, a former Accountant-General of the state, was widely seen as Wike’s political protégé ahead of the 2023 governorship election, securing the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party with Wike’s backing.
However, their relationship later deteriorated, leading to a protracted political crisis that divided the state legislature and sparked a struggle for control of the state’s political structure.
The standoff eventually drew national attention and was eased following the intervention of Bola Tinubu, whose mediation helped restore relative calm to the state’s political environment.
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