Some civil servants and residents in Rivers State have chided the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his comments that there is no resolution to the ongoing feud between him and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Some of the state workers who gathered in groups along Moscow Road near the State Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Monday said the reconciliation between Fubara and the Minister was unnecessary, as the people have moved on and are feeling the impacts of governance under Fubara’s administration.
One of the workers, Mr. Amadi Akujobi, a veteran journalist with the State Ministry of Information, said Governor Fubara’s primary focus now is development, not reconciling with the former governor.
Akujobi said, “We have moved on. We are not regretting his (Wike’s) absence in Rivers State because we never felt his impact when he was governor. But Rivers workers under Governor Fubara’s administration are living better and well now. Fubara is the Moses of our time.
“Are you aware that there is a huge relief for Rivers workers since Fubara’s administration? Unlike before, January used to be a tough time for people, but due to the bonuses and kind gestures we received, the workers are soaring with ease this January. So we don’t need such reconciliation that will torment us again or take us backwards.”
It will be recalled that the Minister of the FCT had, on Sunday, during an interview with newsmen in Abuja, ruled out reconciliation with Fubara.
He noted that Fubara “bit the finger that fed him,” adding that his (Fubara’s) failure to adhere to President Bola Tinubu’s directives was a clear indication of his resolve that the conflict will never end.
But some residents are seemingly not interested in the said reconciliation.
Speaking, another resident, Mr. Jude Ndu, said, “The major thing Rivers people want now is good governance, a peaceful environment for businesses to thrive, and not reconciliation between the duo. Let him (Wike) remain in Abuja. We are fine with that.
“Governor Fubara has moved on and is busy working and developing Rivers State. That’s what we want, not reconciliation that will continue to set the state on fire,” he added.
For Mrs. Agnes Bob-Manuel, whose business is along Mile One Market, said, “I don’t think that reconciliation between Fubara and Wike has any impact on the people and the state. What the people need now is an improved economy, a good and peaceful environment for businesses to thrive.”
The rift between Wike and his estranged godson, Fubara, since October 2023, has brewed violence and tension across party lines. Aside from leading to a fictionalized State House of Assembly, it has also led to parallel executives in the State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). All the factions are apparently struggling for structure and resource control.
However, the unabated political crisis in Rivers State is a troubling situation, as it will inevitably influence investors’ decisions to invest in the state.
