By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has reiterated that his political godson Governor Siminalayi Fubara was denied a second shot in office for lending himself to be misled by political jobbers and gold diggers.
The Source reports that Wike had, last week, blamed Edison Ehie former Chief of Staff CoS, Chijioke Ihunwo former Obio/, Akpor Local Council Chairman ,Victor Oko Jumbo, former Speaker of the House of Assembly faction loyal to Fubara and activist Ankio Briggs for the misfortune that has befallen the Governor.
It will be recalled that Governor Fubara who, since October 2023, battled Wike for the purpose of asserting himself in office ,as well as the control of the soul of Rivers state politics finally caved in a couple weeks back , declaring his allegiance to the Rainbow Coalition of his political benefactor, Wike.
Before then ,he had been forced to withdraw his re-election bid by Wike over same political disagreement.
Speaking at his monthly media chat on Tuesday, the Minister noted that Governor Fubara’s poor handling of the political crisis in the State was primarily instrumental to his rejection for a second term.
According to him, Fubara was in a hurry to build his own political structure, leading to his surrounding himself with those who misled him.
Wike also blamed some people he described as political jobbers and gold diggers who feasted on Rivers state from outside, for offering selfish advice to the Governor.
He expressed regret that all his advice to Fubara not to abandon the very structure that produced him fell on deaf years ,so much so that he severally ignored agreements brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Wike emphasized that he had expected Fubara to build on the foundation he had laid for him when he took over, including nurturing and sustaining the political structure that brought him to power.
He noted that unlike himself who inherited nothing as a Governor ,and even had to borrow ceremonial vehicles from the then Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State during his swearing-in ceremony, Governor Fubara had everything laid for him to build on.
However, Wike lamented that Fubara rather chose the way of “political perdition, which has now consumed him.
” Somebody had laid a foundation. Look ,this is where I stopped. If you continue this way ,our dream is to be able to compete with Lagos .
“Now, what is wrong with that? But instead of consolidating on what was bequeathed to him, Fubara allowed himself to be deceived by some political urchins and external forces”, Wike stated.
Wike noted that what made the whole scenario painful was that the same people that had bitterly opposed the idea of making Fubara Governor were the same forces that coalesced to mislead him into fighting the people that sacrificed all for him in 2023.
“At the end of the fight ,I have not lost anything. What have I lost? Nothing . But he ( Fubara) has lost.
” His intention was to go for a second term . And now he is not going” Wike added.
Further speaking ,the FCT Minister expressed regret that all efforts to make Fubara see reason ,and retrace his steps proved abortive .
“Look, there was a time we all had thought that we had resolved the problem and said”, let bygones be bygones .
” Then all of a sudden his hordes of advisers stepped forward and said to him: “look if you allow this now ,there are those who are, who want to see that we are no longer politically relevant”.
“Then, there were these external forces who were feeding fat on Rivers state Treasury ,and were determined to hijack the State.
” In fact, they perceived Rivers State as a cash cow, and, therefore, were busy goading on Fubara all for their selfish interests.
“I can tell you , so many things happened .There were even some senior lawyers who ordinarily you will never believe can play that kind of role, but who were virtually living with us in Government.
“In all, they continued to offer the Governor wrong and selfish advice, saying: “don’t worry, the law says this and that, the law didn’t say this.
“The Governor was even sending them aircraft, to bring them to Rivers State, and when they would be going, they will be feted with cash and every other thing.
“But it got to a stage we had to say no, this cash cow status must end. Take the ones that you have collected and never return back” Wike noted .
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