Without Wike, I Would Not Have Been Governor…Fubara.

PORT HARCOURT – Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has publicly acknowledged that he owes his position to former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, despite the intense political feud between them.

Fubara made the remarks on Friday while accepting the New Telegraph Man of the Year Award, which he dedicated to Wike.

Siminalayi Fubara, Governor, Rivers State

“Without him, I wouldn’t be standing here as governor. He discovered me, and it’s a discovery that gave me this prominence,” Fubara said. “I do not care how you interpret it or misinterpret it. I also dedicate this award to somebody who also discovered me, regardless of the situation, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, my oga, Nyesom Wike.”

The governor also thanked Rivers State residents for their support and maturity during the political turbulence.

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Fubara and Wike have been engaged in a long-standing political battle that has divided Rivers State politics since 2023.

The governor, who was previously Rivers State Accountant-General, emerged as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate with Wike’s backing and was widely regarded as his political protégé before the 2023 election.

Their relationship later turned into open conflict, splitting the Rivers State House of Assembly and sparking a fierce power struggle over control of the state’s political machinery.

The crisis drew national attention before President Bola Tinubu intervened to broker peace between the warring camps, restoring some stability to the state’s political landscape. scape.