RIVERS CRISIS: WIKE DECLARES PRESIDENT TINUBU ALONE CAN OUST HIM AS MINISTER
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that only President Bola Tinubu holds the authority to remove him from office should he be deemed unfit to continue in his ministerial role.
Speaking on Sunday during a thank‑you visit to Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Wike said those calling for his removal do not have the authority to sack him, stressing that only President Bola Tinubu can make that decision if he believes Wike is no longer fit to serve.
Wike dismissed critics, saying it is up to his appointor to judge his performance, not commentators or political opponents.
He also reiterated the political strength of Obio/Akpor, saying its electorate can influence who holds power in the state.
Wike’s remarks followed condemnation from the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) over the Rivers State House of Assembly’s impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with the group also calling for the dismissal of the FCT minister.
The impeachment process against Fubara and his deputy had been initiated by the state Assembly on seven counts of alleged gross misconduct.
The Assembly’s spokesperson, Enemi George, rejected claims that the impeachment process was influenced by Wike.
“This is like pouring oil into water, politics and constitutional matters don’t mix unless boiled. The FCT minister is a politician, but we cannot conflate politics with the duties of a constitutional institution,” George said.
Speaking to The Media today, he added, “I am not a party chief, but a spokesperson for the Rivers State House of Assembly. Personally, I may be politically aligned with the FCT minister, but it is wrong to reduce the actions of a constitutionally established body to mere politics or the influence of an individual.”
The political rift between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, rooted in control over party structures, has intensified months after President Bola Tinubu lifted emergency rule in Rivers State.
Wike accused Fubara of failing to honor commitments made during Tinubu’s intervention, describing the governor’s actions as a breach of trust. He also urged leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) supporting Fubara to refrain from meddling in Rivers State’s affairs.
Rivers, one of Nigeria’s oil-rich states and a key political stronghold in the South-South, has seen concerns raised by stakeholders over the rift’s negative impact on governance.
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