Fresh storm h!ts Wike-Fubara peace talks
The political feud between the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, may have worsened following a dramatic walkout by women believed to be Fubara’s supporters at an event attended by the wife of the Sole Administrator, Theresa Ibas.
This came amid ongoing reconciliation efforts initiated by a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Segun Osoba, to restore peace between the two former political allies.
The PUNCH reports that Osoba, alongside Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, took Fubara to meet Wike at his residence.
It was gathered that Fubara also met President Bola Tinubu in London, United Kingdom, during his brief visit.
The suspended governor returned to the country on Friday after a vacation in Germany.
However, the ongoing protests and the walkout on the representative of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at an event in Port Harcourt on Friday, may have put a cog in the wheel of the peace talks.
Wike, who is currently in China for official engagements, condemned the walkout in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Saturday. He described it as “very disturbing and embarrassing” to the people of the state.
Wike asked the suspended governor to demonstrate honesty by being bold enough to tell the President what he wanted, rather than pretending.
He said, “It is not enough to be visiting people to plead for peace; those who genuinely want peace work and act for it.
“These are the same people pleading for peace, but at the same time doing things that are contrary to what they are pleading for.
“How can you say you want peace and at the same time, you are sponsoring people to insult everyone, including the President and his wife?
“All those shenanigans won’t bring peace, and I am sure they know that because they are not sincere with their up-and-down pleadings for peace.”
Wike accused Fubara of sabotaging peace efforts, adding that Fubara had repeatedly acted in bad faith, despite interventions by the President to restore order in the state.
The crisis
The political crisis in Rivers State began soon after Fubara started asserting his independence, leading to a rift with Wike, who is widely believed to still wield significant influence over the state’s political machinery.
By late 2023, the feud became public, with the Rivers State House of Assembly — largely loyal to Wike— attempting to impeach Fubara.
This triggered a series of confrontations, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, defections, and parallel claims of legitimacy within state institutions
with Sunday PUNCH, Okaba said the FCT minister’s statement was unnecessary.
While absolving Fubara of any blame, Okaba lampooned Wike for doing everything to truncate the peace restoration process.
He stated, “From your deepest sincerity, you know that Fubara would never do a thing like that. Yes, he will never do that.
“So, for me, it does all show that Wike is the one who is double-tonguing, looking for every excuse to truncate the restoration process.
“He (Wike) had earlier said that if things were done according to the way he said it, Fubara wouldn’t have been suspended but would have just been thrown out of the place.
“He is still not satisfied with the reconciliatory process that has been considered by many lovers of democracy across this country, and at the national level.”
He referred to a recent incident where some nursing students embarrassed the president’s wife in Delta State, and wondered who orchestrated the song-shaming.
The INC president said the women did not mince words by saying they wanted to see the wife of the president and not the wife of an “illegal” sole administrator.
Okaba said it was important to differentiate the actions of the women and what led to them, rather than double-talking.
“The Rivers State women were very clear. They did not do anything to disrespect the First Lady or the President. On their vest, they said, Mrs Tinubu and Fubara. If they were showing any disrespect to the President’s wife, would they print that kind of vest?
“They said they were deceived into saying that the President’s wife was coming, only for this man’s wife (sole administrator) to come and talk to them. So, they were deceived, and they exercised themselves.
“So, it has nothing to do with Fubara in the first place. Then, secondly, there was no disrespect in any form by the women against the President’s wife.
“The women only expressed their disgust at the evil perpetrated by one sole administrator. He is an illegality, and nobody is afraid of saying so.
“So, if they can say that anywhere, then the wife of the sole administrator wants to come and address who? As what?”
He added, “As far as I’m concerned, they must isolate those issues. The same women who demonstrated against the sole administrator, will you expect them to go and listen to the ‘rubbish’ that will come from his wife? I support what the women did, and I don’t see any confrontation against the Federal Government.”
Omatsogunwa, while answering questions from our correspondent on Saturday, corroborated the views of the INC president.
He said, “Ordinarily, I think I wouldn’t have responded to this because it is like the comment of a man who is looking for favour at all costs, no matter how things are.
“You can recall that in the 2019 election, when women from Ogu and Okrika (both in Rivers State) came together and resisted the Army of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I don’t know if they also resisted the President at that time.
“Or he (Wike) is telling us that the women of Rivers State are not reasonable; they don’t know what they want?”
He, however, said his principal did not mastermind anything as alleged by the FCT minister.
“I want to say that the governor has not sent anybody to embarrass anybody.
“What happened was that they were expecting the wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not the wife of Ibas (sole administrator),” he said.
Omatsogunwa also referred to the boycott of the May Day celebration in the state by the organised labour because they did not recognise the sole administrator.
“Instead, they did it in a low key in their respective secretariats, because they don’t recognise Ibas. You don’t force yourself on people for crying out loud.
“So, I don’t think it is right now that we say we want peace that the governor will want to send people to truncate any peace.
“I think the FCT minister should get his facts right. That being said, the governor is a peaceful man and didn’t send anybody to do anything,” he added.
Osoba, PANDEF sue for peace
Osoba and the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Godknows Igali, called for calm and a renewed commitment to peaceful resolution.
Osoba affirmed that the peace-building effort between Fubara and Wike was progressing well, dismissing social media narratives suggesting otherwise.
He said, “The peace-building process between Fubara and Wike is ongoing and fruitful. So far, we have had useful and brotherly discussions.
“It is the people on social media creating confusion, blackmailing and cooking up all kinds of things that never happened.”
He denied reports claiming Fubara prostrated before Wike, saying, “It is not true that Fubara prostrated, it is the Yoruba that prostrate; it is not the tradition of people over there to prostrate, they are just saying what never happened. So, I beg these people to stop peddling lies.”
On his part, Igali urged all parties in the conflict to embrace peace for the greater good of the state and the region.
Igali said, “We will continue to advocate peace. When two people are fighting, you will try as much as possible to move for peace, so that everybody can be happy.
“We want them to follow the path of peace and put resources together for development. At every level, we engage youths, men, women and stakeholders all to ensure that they are at peace.”Fresh storm h!ts Wike-Fubara peace talks
The political feud between the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, may have worsened following a dramatic walkout by women believed to be Fubara’s supporters at an event attended by the wife of the Sole Administrator, Theresa Ibas.
This came amid ongoing reconciliation efforts initiated by a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Segun Osoba, to restore peace between the two former political allies.
The PUNCH reports that Osoba, alongside Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, took Fubara to meet Wike at his residence.
It was gathered that Fubara also met President Bola Tinubu in London, United Kingdom, during his brief visit.
The suspended governor returned to the country on Friday after a vacation in Germany.
However, the ongoing protests and the walkout on the representative of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at an event in Port Harcourt on Friday, may have put a cog in the wheel of the peace talks.
Wike, who is currently in China for official engagements, condemned the walkout in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Saturday. He described it as “very disturbing and embarrassing” to the people of the state.
Wike asked the suspended governor to demonstrate honesty by being bold enough to tell the President what he wanted, rather than pretending.
He said, “It is not enough to be visiting people to plead for peace; those who genuinely want peace work and act for it.
“These are the same people pleading for peace, but at the same time doing things that are contrary to what they are pleading for.
“How can you say you want peace and at the same time, you are sponsoring people to insult everyone, including the President and his wife?
“All those shenanigans won’t bring peace, and I am sure they know that because they are not sincere with their up-and-down pleadings for peace.”
Wike accused Fubara of sabotaging peace efforts, adding that Fubara had repeatedly acted in bad faith, despite interventions by the President to restore order in the state.
The crisis
The political crisis in Rivers State began soon after Fubara started asserting his independence, leading to a rift with Wike, who is widely believed to still wield significant influence over the state’s political machinery.
By late 2023, the feud became public, with the Rivers State House of Assembly — largely loyal to Wike— attempting to impeach Fubara.
This triggered a series of confrontations, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, defections, and parallel claims of legitimacy within state institutions
with Sunday PUNCH, Okaba said the FCT minister’s statement was unnecessary.
While absolving Fubara of any blame, Okaba lampooned Wike for doing everything to truncate the peace restoration process.
He stated, “From your deepest sincerity, you know that Fubara would never do a thing like that. Yes, he will never do that.
“So, for me, it does all show that Wike is the one who is double-tonguing, looking for every excuse to truncate the restoration process.
“He (Wike) had earlier said that if things were done according to the way he said it, Fubara wouldn’t have been suspended but would have just been thrown out of the place.
“He is still not satisfied with the reconciliatory process that has been considered by many lovers of democracy across this country, and at the national level.”
He referred to a recent incident where some nursing students embarrassed the president’s wife in Delta State, and wondered who orchestrated the song-shaming.
The INC president said the women did not mince words by saying they wanted to see the wife of the president and not the wife of an “illegal” sole administrator.
Okaba said it was important to differentiate the actions of the women and what led to them, rather than double-talking.
“The Rivers State women were very clear. They did not do anything to disrespect the First Lady or the President. On their vest, they said, Mrs Tinubu and Fubara. If they were showing any disrespect to the President’s wife, would they print that kind of vest?
“They said they were deceived into saying that the President’s wife was coming, only for this man’s wife (sole administrator) to come and talk to them. So, they were deceived, and they exercised themselves.
“So, it has nothing to do with Fubara in the first place. Then, secondly, there was no disrespect in any form by the women against the President’s wife.
“The women only expressed their disgust at the evil perpetrated by one sole administrator. He is an illegality, and nobody is afraid of saying so.
“So, if they can say that anywhere, then the wife of the sole administrator wants to come and address who? As what?”
He added, “As far as I’m concerned, they must isolate those issues. The same women who demonstrated against the sole administrator, will you expect them to go and listen to the ‘rubbish’ that will come from his wife? I support what the women did, and I don’t see any confrontation against the Federal Government.”
Omatsogunwa, while answering questions from our correspondent on Saturday, corroborated the views of the INC president.
He said, “Ordinarily, I think I wouldn’t have responded to this because it is like the comment of a man who is looking for favour at all costs, no matter how things are.
“You can recall that in the 2019 election, when women from Ogu and Okrika (both in Rivers State) came together and resisted the Army of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I don’t know if they also resisted the President at that time.
“Or he (Wike) is telling us that the women of Rivers State are not reasonable; they don’t know what they want?”
He, however, said his principal did not mastermind anything as alleged by the FCT minister.
“I want to say that the governor has not sent anybody to embarrass anybody.
“What happened was that they were expecting the wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not the wife of Ibas (sole administrator),” he said.
Omatsogunwa also referred to the boycott of the May Day celebration in the state by the organised labour because they did not recognise the sole administrator.
“Instead, they did it in a low key in their respective secretariats, because they don’t recognise Ibas. You don’t force yourself on people for crying out loud.
“So, I don’t think it is right now that we say we want peace that the governor will want to send people to truncate any peace.
“I think the FCT minister should get his facts right. That being said, the governor is a peaceful man and didn’t send anybody to do anything,” he added.
Osoba, PANDEF sue for peace
Osoba and the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Godknows Igali, called for calm and a renewed commitment to peaceful resolution.
Osoba affirmed that the peace-building effort between Fubara and Wike was progressing well, dismissing social media narratives suggesting otherwise.
He said, “The peace-building process between Fubara and Wike is ongoing and fruitful. So far, we have had useful and brotherly discussions.
“It is the people on social media creating confusion, blackmailing and cooking up all kinds of things that never happened.”
He denied reports claiming Fubara prostrated before Wike, saying, “It is not true that Fubara prostrated, it is the Yoruba that prostrate; it is not the tradition of people over there to prostrate, they are just saying what never happened. So, I beg these people to stop peddling lies.”
On his part, Igali urged all parties in the conflict to embrace peace for the greater good of the state and the region.
Igali said, “We will continue to advocate peace. When two people are fighting, you will try as much as possible to move for peace, so that everybody can be happy.
“We want them to follow the path of peace and put resources together for development. At every level, we engage youths, men, women and stakeholders all to ensure that they are at peace.”
