The two leading combatants in the Rivers State recent political crisis, Nyesom Wike (the godfather and kingmaker) and Sim Fubara (godson and successor-governor) have each confirmed they have reconciled.
Wike, the FCT Minister and ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has spoken severally saying he has forgiven Fubara, meaning that Fubara is the guilty party in the fight.
Tony Okocha, regarded as Wike’s anchor man and arrowhead in Rivers politics, has openly declared support of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state for Fubara’s return, though the governor is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Many say the APC (the Okocha faction) dictates the tune in the state whether in PDP or APC.
On the other hand, Fubara has openly called Wike ‘our leader’ and has pledged loyalty to him and to the president. The governor seems to be the only personality on his side publicly mouthing the reconciliation and defending it.
Below the topmost echolons of both camps, there seems to be full hatred within the foot soldiers and the next layer of supporters. These are the layers that speak their minds in the social media especially on facebook.
Rivers citizens wait in vain as Fubara absent at resumption rally
Fubara’s elite supporters base has openly complained that the reconciliation terms were hidden from them, that it is known only to the governor.
They claim that so far, glimpses indicate that the Wike camp got everything, and nothing to Fubara expect being allowed to return to seat as governor. They say Wike got the chance to put his men in the 23 LGAs of the state where grassroots power springs from.
They also claim that the top layer of the bureaucracy (public service) including parastatals has been returned to Wike. Added to the lawmakers who are loyal to Wike, it seems Fubara got nothing.
Many say they are waiting for how the state executive council (SEC) would be composed to know if Wike als would pocket all.If You’re Reading From Phoenix Click On Read Original To Read Full Article
Others say the last stage is to know how the state’s revenue allocation from the centre and the internally generated revenue (IGR) would be appropriated in reflection of hints in recent past that huge percentage was demanded of Fubara.
Wike has continued to shore support for Fubara. He confirmed that he spoke with Fubara on Wednesday, ahead of the governor’s planned return to the state following the lifting of emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu.
Read also: Grateful Fubara credits Tinubu, Wike, NASS for return of democracy in Rivers
Wike disclosed this during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday.
He said peace had been restored in Rivers after six months of emergency rule, noting that political actors were now committed to stability
“As I speak to you, as of yesterday, I spoke to the governor (Fubara). I told him I was leaving that night to come back, and he told me he was leaving this morning. So, I can tell you that, by the grace of God, peace has returned,” Wike said.
When Fubara took over and addressed his people, he mentioned Wike’s name many times for gratitude, a thing that seemed to gladden the hearts of Wike’s supporters but seemed not so much for Fubara’s camp.
The result of the above ecenario is support for reconciliation upstairs, anger and hatred still going on downstairs.
This manifested all through the peace process when Wike supporters claimed to have defeated and in fact captured Fubara.
They pointed to the capture of positions declared vacant by the sole administrator and the LGAs.
Other positions were mentioned as secretary to the state government and the head of service. Some Wike diehard supporters such as Chidi Llyod returned to Emuohua LGA while Samuel Nwanosike captured the Sanitation agency.
These are men who openly insulted Gov Fubara with unprintable words. No known personality from Fubara camp was seen to have been appointed anywhere.
The Fubara men that occupied the LGA structure both as chairmen and councilors as well as heads of personnel that took over when the Supreme Court annulled the October 2024 elections were scrapped off and replaced by persons believed to be Wike supporters as sole administrators.
A new election was conducted under very controversial circumstances and the real Wike men bounced back to occupy the 23 councils.
This development brought calm in the state because the caged Fubara did not field men. The election was conducted for men from same political kitchen. That is the peace found in the state at the moment.
The ordinary supporters of the Wike camp have continued to boast in the open showing that power left Fubara and back to Wike. Fubara himself agreed with this position and addressed his camp to accept it that way. His camp became and remained sullen since that time in July.
The bitterness seemed to reappear when Fubara returned to seat. His support base came out in wild jubilation, dancing and using numbers to show their rejection of the peace package.
They danced wildly, singing the same songs that angered the opposition as if peace had not returned. They sang ‘Dey your Dey, nobody worry Fubara’.
Some analysts said this must have accounted for the failure of Fubara to return on day one of the resumption date, Thursday, September 18, 2025. They believe that the crowd would have got wilder and would have put Fubara in fresh trouble.
Even the next day (Friday, September 19, 2025) when he returned at the airport, the crowd still surged to the pace and went wild, preventing him from addressing the masses. He had to drive to the Govt House to make an address.
The observation by most analysts is that Wike and Fubara may have reconciled but their footsoldiers seem totally uninvolved and uncaring. To them, the political war is still on.
This is evident in the kind of advice they have given to the returning Fubara, asking him to fire on with project execution and economic development as he was doing, forgetting that the funds of the state would no longer be completely at his disposal and choice of projects would not be totally in the governor’s hands.
The 27 lawmakers would want to get and handle their constituency projects on their won terms. The lords that brought him back may have their own projects with their own choice of contractors. It may not be clear who truly is the governor, some political pundits said.
Will suppression of Fubara backfire?: The next scenario is the wild celebration of the masses (or Fubara supporters) and their apparent defiance. The seeming denial of LGA structure to Fubara and his grassroots-based followers seemed to create huge anger at the local level.
Hints show that the grassroots want to revenge anytime proper election is conducted starting from 2027.
Sources also hinted that the Fubara camp seem wounded and want to avenge the perceived humiliation through open support of the governor and defiance of any other personality in the state.
Most of them that spoke with newsmen said Fubara has been unfairly treated and that his succumbing was due to huge intimidation. They think the power is in their hands to offer what Fubara cannot offer: defiance. So, they are singing defiant songs and making defant remarks.
They do not want accept rumours that Fubara would by agreement or understanding not contest in 2027. Rather, they say it is in 2027 that Fubara would be liberated by winning in any party he would choose to win on his own terms.
The next task: Some pundits say the top layer may have reconciled based on their interests, but the lower layers would be difficult to fuse together because injuries seem to run deep.
Some members of the Fubara camp now called Simplified have their own hurts in their dealings with the Wike camp over the years.
Some of them are from leaders that have had deep issues with Wike such as Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Celestine Omehia, Evans Bipi, and many more.
Thankgod Amadi, a political commentator, is one of those who think uniting the two camps is the most difficult task. “The next job is how to merge the Simplified people with the Wikematics.
Today’s event is evident that we are still far apart. They may not serve our interest. Having SIM is obviously not enough. We must unite the state. Away from pride.”
Meinyie Okpukpo responded thus: “It is a height of stupidity for anyone to condemn or castigate others for celebrating the arrival of their leader.”
Allwell Ene, a social media influencer threw in Wike’s warning where he told those celebrating thus: “If we didn’t want emergency rule to end, we know what we would have done.”
Desy Zokolaka responded to Wike saying: “Of course, he would have ordered for more oil pipelines to be blown. We all know and his supproters know. ” This seemed to insinuate that the oil bombings that were blamed in Fubara may actually come from those working hard for state of emergency to be declared.
Bari Ledum Michael threw in his jab to show that truth is known in the streets. “In the court room, during proceeding, the Complainants and the Defendant know the truth. The judge is the only one on trial. That’s exactly what is playing out here.”
A lawyer who is pro-Amaechi, Achor Omodu, said: “There’s a huge dichotomy. Don’t be deceived by the façade. There are Fubara’s men and there are Wike’s. They can’t mix.”
Sunny Eziwho, obviously a Wike supporter, spoke up to show that the injuries run dee: “Peanuts and chewing gum politics everywhere. I am so ashamed of Nigerian gullible youths following politics that has no national coloration.
“My brother we all know that the person you’re seeing now is the governor. You know before like me that I will not follow him again in this life. Sorry for those who don’t know that the man you knew before is not the same person is here now.”
Chinenye Worlu is another pundit who is against the large crowds welcoming Fubara: “Chai. Today was really shameful to Simplify people. Who even invited them? abeg make una go rest Sim is wise.
Odiegwu Onyekachi said: “They waited, danced in vain as Governor Siminalayi Fubara failed to show up. Fubara’s body language speaks volumes. To your tenth Oh Isreal. Trouble does not finish in Rivers politics.”
Conclusion:
There is big gap in the camps of the followers, especially the Fubara followers who felt the peace deal left nothing to them.
Fubara says he knew all about this. In his first broadcast, he addressed this thus: “To those who have expressed genuine fears, frustrations, and uncertainty over the nature of the peace process, I assure you that your concerns are valid and understood.
However, nothing has been irretrievably lost; there remains ample opportunity for necessary adjustments, continued reconciliation, and inclusiveness. We must all remember the saying; ‘the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war’”.Viral Video: ‘Daughter’ And Father Seen In A Pos!tion They Cannot Explain, See The 3 Minutes Video Here . .
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
