Former Governor of Rivers state and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, gave an insight into a parley he had with the suspended governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara.
He said the latter had come to visit him, accompanied by two governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja, Wike, who did not want to reveal exact details of the meeting, said he pointedly told the suspended governor that he has no capacity of making peace.
“I told him I don’t think you really have the capacity to make this peace,” he said.
According to the minister, Fubara cannot be suing for peace while his lieutenants are busy all over television stations abusing others.
He said the suspended governor, apart from meeting him, must take steps to meet other stakeholders like the State Assembly, the Party and other stakeholders for peace to reign.
The rift between Wike and Fubara started shortly after latter assumed office as Governor of Rivers State.
The crisis reached a crescendo in March when President Bola Tinubu suspended Fubara, the deputy governor, Ngozi Odu and the Rivers Assembly.
Following their suspension, the President appointed a state administrator whom he saddled with the responsibility of running Rivers affairs for six months.
Meanwhile, Fubara has been suing for peace but Wike said the suspended governor needs to take more reconciliatory steps rather than allegedly organising protests against the President’s declaration of a state of emergency rule in Rivers State.
“I told him, ‘Look, I don’t think you have the capacity to really make this peace.’ That’s why when I read what I read yesterday, I felt so bad.
“Why? If you are making peace, your people are demonstrating every day; if you are making peace, your people are busy on television insulting people. How do you feel in that case?”
“You must take steps. Have you met the assembly people? There are leaders you should meet. It is not to say, ‘I want peace.’ You must show it by conduct and action,” Wike said.
According to Wike, Fubara was deceived by some governors before the crisis escalated.
“Governors came pushing him, where are they now? I think the governors are enjoying their own,” the former governor stated.
“When this thing started, I called him. Seyi Makinde was there, Ortom was there, Ikpeazu was there, Ugwuanyi was there; we were scouting.
“We sat him down and said this thing is not good for you. God has given you this thing, why not be humble and not allow people to push you?
“They are telling you to act like a governor. We know. Nobody is taking it away; you are a governor. But all I am saying is don’t abandon people who have laboured for you day and night,” Wike recalled.
