By Patrick Idowu
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, saying it was not the solution he had hoped for.
Speaking during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja on Friday, Wike admitted that he had wanted Governor Siminalayi Fubara removed from office outright, not the imposition of emergency rule.
“I am not happy with the state of emergency,” Wike said. “As a politician, I wanted the outright removal of the governor. But for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing to prevent anarchy.”
President Bola Tinubu had last month declared the state of emergency following escalating political unrest and growing insecurity, including pipeline explosions.
The decision led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all House of Assembly members for six months.
In their place, Vice Admiral Ibas was appointed sole administrator to manage the state pending resolution of the crisis.
The political turmoil in Rivers deepened following a prolonged rift between Wike and Fubara, rooted in a power struggle over control of the state’s political and economic structures.
The conflict spilled into the state legislature, where 27 lawmakers defected to the opposition and rival factions emerged, each claiming legitimacy.
Wike insisted he has no obligation to shield Fubara. “The governor was gone. It is not in my place to make it good for him,” he said.
Despite court proceedings and rising tensions, the former governor reaffirmed his stance: “My business as a politician is not to make him comfortable. That is why there is something called power play.”
