The political feud between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his former ally, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), continues to intensify, with Fubara asserting that Rivers State belongs to all its people, not any one individual.
This comes after a series of public exchanges between the two politicians, who were once close allies.
At the center of the conflict is Fubara’s assertion that Rivers State cannot be controlled by any one person, following comments made by Wike during a civic reception in Port Harcourt.
Wike, the immediate past governor of the state, had ridiculed Fubara’s support for the Action Peoples Party (APP), a smaller party in comparison to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which both politicians have long been associated with.
Wike also claimed to have been the key figure behind the PDP structure in the state and took credit for most of the ongoing projects in Rivers.
In response, Fubara firmly rejected Wike’s assertions, making it clear that his administration was responsible for several major developments, and that the state could not be treated as anyone’s enterprise.
Fubara made his remarks during an inter-denominational church thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, marking Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebrations.
Addressing the congregation, Fubara said: “Rivers State is nobody’s enterprise. It belongs to all of us. No one individual or group owns the soul of this state, and no one can control it like a personal estate. We have to stand strong and protect what belongs to all of us.”
This statement was seen as a direct response to Wike, who had implied that he still held sway over the state’s political direction, even after leaving office.
Fubara further emphasized that his administration was making progress in developing Rivers State, contrary to Wike’s claim that most of the ongoing projects were initiated by him.
To correct the “false narrative,” Fubara provided detailed information about the key projects his administration was overseeing.
He clarified that he was responsible for securing a N200 billion loan from Zenith Bank to fund the 50.15-kilometer Port Harcourt Ring Road project, a major infrastructure development aimed at easing traffic and boosting the state’s economy.
“It is Fubara who signed the papers to borrow from Zenith Bank for the construction of the Port Harcourt Ring Road. So, it is my project,” he stated.
Fubara also revealed that his administration had embarked on the Trans-Kalabari Road project, a significant infrastructure development worth N225.1 billion.
This project, he explained, had been delayed for years but was now fully underway under his leadership.
“They only built a bridge from Krakrama, but I am the one completing the entire span,” he added.