‘Politicians Like Rivers Money, Hanging Around To Get Their Share’ —Wike Tells Fubara
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has tackled Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, for announcing that he met about N600 billion in the state coffers after the lifting of the emergency rule.
Wike spoke on Saturday during a special Christmas carol event organised by his supporters in Rivers state.
Wike noted that after Fubara announced what he met in the state coffers, politicians who have been hanging around started visiting Rivers state to criticise him so as to collect part of the state resources.
“If you have experience in Nigerian politics, Nigerian politicians like Rivers money. I can tell you that. Go and study it,” he said.
“If you want to make money in Rivers today, I don’t know how you made the mistake of announcing that there is N600 billion. By announcing that, it had made some politicians in other states… I know them.
“They (politicians) will now tell somebody (referring to Fubara) here and say, ‘this Wike, enough is enough; Wike’s time has finished,’ and they will collect (referring to Rivers funds).
“For you to be able to suck that N600 billion, you must say, ‘Wike’s time is over.’ That N600 billion you said opened the whole thing. Everyday they print in one front page and say, ‘they adopt so and so person’, they collect.
“Everybody who comes to Rivers state today must say, ‘the president is happy with you,’ and they collect.”
Recently, Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA), led a federal government delegation to Rivers state as part of the peace efforts to resume oil operations in Ogoniland.
During the visit, Ribadu told Fubara that President Bola Tinubu is happy with him.
Speaking further, Wike said politicians must learn how to stick with agreements made, adding it is wrong for them to renege on promises.
In what appears to be a reference to Fubara, the FCT minister said politicians who reneged on agreements should know that their decision will “catch up with them”.
“I want to advise us politicians. If you know you can’t abide by any agreement, don’t go into it,” Wike said.
“If you know you can’t keep it, you go into it. Anything I will not do, I will say I will not do it.”
Wike’s comment comes amid Fubara’s decision to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as the FCT minister believes that such a move is a threat to an earlier agreement between him and the governor.
Recall that one of the conditions for the reinstatement of Fubara by Tinubu was that he would not seek re-election in 2027.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
