The political rift between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was on full display on Tuesday when both leaders allegedly refused to exchange pleasantries during a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
The two were part of an Ogoni delegation meeting with the President to discuss the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.
A source at the meeting revealed that, despite posing for a photograph with the President, the two leaders avoided any form of interaction. “Though both of them posed for a photograph with the President, they did not exchange pleasantries. No hug. No greetings. Everybody went straight for the meeting with the President, and after that, we all left,” the source disclosed.
The source further added that Wike arrived at the Villa from his ministerial duties and, after the group photo, returned to his responsibilities without engaging Fubara.
“As a minister from Rivers, Wike must, as a necessity, be present whenever the President is meeting with a delegation from the state. The meeting was not a platform for the discussion of Rivers political crisis. It was strictly a business parley,” the source clarified.
On whether the meeting addressed reconciliation between the two, the source dismissed the idea. “The President only engaged Magnus (Abe). He told Magnus that he had not been seeing him for some time, and Magnus replied that he had been around with the FCT Minister. At that point, Wike confirmed that Magnus had been working with him,” the source explained.
This tension follows Wike’s declaration in a live television interview on Monday, where he vowed not to reconcile with Governor Fubara until the crisis is resolved.
Amid the political feud, the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has stepped in, forming a peace committee led by former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah, to mediate between the warring parties.
“This is yet another golden opportunity for both of them to end the fight and make up for peace so that Rivers State can move forward. The crisis is not doing the state any good. They must end this fight and utilize the opportunity offered by PANDEF,” a source within the forum urged.
The political crisis between Wike and Fubara continues to cast a shadow over Rivers State. While the Ogoni delegation’s meeting with President Tinubu was focused on economic issues, the lingering feud between the two leaders underscores the urgent need for reconciliation to foster peace and development in the state.