Rivers: Fubara agreed not to seek second term, says Wike

Accuses Rivers gov of failing to act with “gentlemanliness”

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, said he was not surprised by Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s withdrawal from the Rivers State governorship race, stating that there had been an agreement that the governor would not seek a second term.

Wike also justified the emergence of Hon. Kingsley Chinda as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, describing him as a tested politician with the experience and pedigree required to govern the state.

Speaking during an inspection tour of major infrastructure projects in Abuja, on Monday, Wike said Fubara ought not to have obtained nomination forms in the first place because the political understanding reached during efforts to resolve the Rivers crisis had clearly ruled out a second-term bid.

 “I’m not surprised that the governor withdrew. In the first place, he ought not to have collected the form because the agreement was reached that impeachment should be dropped while he should also not talk about second tenure,” Wike said.

The former Rivers governor accused Fubara of failing to act with “gentlemanliness” by initially moving towards the race despite what he described as a binding understanding among stakeholders.

According to Wike, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had intervened several times to restore peace in Rivers State and prevailed on lawmakers not to proceed with impeachment moves against the governor.

He suggested that the political settlement which saved Fubara from impeachment also came with obligations, including a commitment not to pursue another term in office.

Wike’s comments come amid growing political realignment in Rivers State, where Chinda has emerged as the APC governorship candidate.

Defending Chinda’s candidacy, Wike said the federal lawmaker did not need heavy promotion because his record already spoke for him.

 “A good product markets itself. Everybody knows that Kingsley Chinda is the material. He is quite experienced. He has worked with the executive and now in the legislature,” Wike said.

The FCT minister added that Chinda’s political credentials, legislative experience and public acceptance made his emergence unsurprising.