Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the decision by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to withdraw from the 2027 governorship contest was tied to political agreements reached during reconciliation efforts aimed at restoring stability in the state.
Wike made the remarks on Monday while speaking with journalists after inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja.
According to the former Rivers governor, Fubara’s withdrawal was in line with understandings reached among political stakeholders during peace talks designed to ease tensions within the state’s political landscape.
Governor Fubara had recently announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress governorship primary, stating that the decision followed broad consultations and was taken in the interest of maintaining peace and unity in Rivers State.
In a statement titled “My Decision to Withdraw from the Rivers State Gubernatorial Primaries,” the governor explained that the move came after extensive discussions with members of his family, political associates and close allies.
Reacting to the development, however, Wike insisted that the governor’s withdrawal did not come as a surprise because it was part of earlier reconciliation arrangements.
According to him, one of the key conditions of the peace agreement was that moves to impeach Fubara would be halted, while the governor, in return, would not pursue a second term ambition.
The FCT minister also criticised Fubara’s earlier decision to obtain nomination forms for the governorship race, arguing that the action contradicted the spirit of the agreement and made reconciliation more difficult.
“I am not surprised that the governor withdrew. In the first place, he ought not to have collected the form, because agreement was reached that the impeachment should be dropped, while he should also not go about a second term,” Wike said.
He further stated that the governor’s conduct during the political crisis failed to reflect sincerity despite repeated interventions by stakeholders seeking peace in the state.
“But whatever it is, he has withdrawn and somebody has emerged,” he stated.
Wike also threw his support behind Kingsley Chinda, describing the lawmaker as qualified and experienced enough to govern Rivers State.
“A good product markets itself. Everybody knows that Kingsley Chinda is the material.
“He’s quite experienced. He has worked with the Executive and is now in the Legislature. I am sure that he must have been approached by the All Progressives Congress to join them and then get the ticket.”
