Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not sideline Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in order to resolve the political crisis involving Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, insisting that the President values loyalty, strength, and political influence.
Fayose made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News with senior anchor, Dr Reuben Abati, while responding to reports that President Tinubu had intervened again to broker peace between Wike and Fubara following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Asked whether the President’s renewed intervention would make any difference and if Governor Fubara would survive politically, Fayose appealed directly to the Rivers governor, saying, “I want to advice Governor Fubara again. Please Governor Fubara I am begging you. Go and make certain amends and be at peace.”
When Abati pointed out that Fubara had frustrated reconciliation efforts more than once, Fayose questioned the sincerity of repeated apologies. “Your wife can equally tell you after all I said sorry to you. Is that an apology? My wife can tell me I’ve said sorry to you how may times do I say sorry to you. There is a remorse and there is what we call it in Yoruba. I’m saying it just for me to have peace not because I want to show remorse,” he said.
Fayose warned that those encouraging the governor to resist reconciliation would abandon him if his position weakened. “Those people leading on Gov Fubara, if gov Fubara goes down today they will run away,” he said.
Drawing from personal experience, Fayose added, “People that were saying I should fight back those days, they were not there when I was isolated and when I was alone. That’s all I would say to you.”
He further stressed President Tinubu’s political disposition, noting, “The current situation, the president himself, that I know, hates ingratitude.”
Highlighting Tinubu’s grip on power, Fayose said, “The president that I know controls Lagos from the palms of his hands. The government that I know, for instance the speaker, was removed, impeached. Somebody else took over in Lagos state.”
According to Fayose, the emergency rule ultimately worked in Governor Fubara’s favour, warning that impeachment would have ended his political career. “The emergency rule was all on winning for Governor Fubara. By now Governor Fubara would have been history. Because the moment you are impeached, you are out of the way. You cannot contest,” he said.
He urged the Rivers governor to learn from political history, adding, “If you read the contest of President Tinubu, he took Governor Fubara to the cleaners. Excuse me sir, it is time for Governor Fubara to learn. Learn the way I learned my lesson after my first tenor.”
Addressing reports that Governor Fubara had travelled to France to meet President Tinubu, and that Wike was also abroad, Fayose dismissed claims of Wike’s presence. “I’m not aware Gov Wike has gone to Paris, that’s not true, I still spoke with him last night. Minister Wike is in Port Harcourt,” he said.
Fayose suggested that Fubara’s reported trip reflected desperation rather than strength. “But if Fubara has gone to meet the President, then it shows he needs help. You know when you don’t praise God, when you refuse to humble yourself, look for peace, you’ll just be running helter skelter. What he’s looking for is inside his pocket,” he said.
He was emphatic about where President Tinubu’s loyalty lies, stating, “Let me say this to Nigerians. The Asiwaju that I know, the President of Nigeria that we know will not get rid of a Wike for a Fubara.”
When Abati asked if he was certain, Fayose replied, “100%.”
Rejecting suggestions that Wike could become irrelevant, Fayose said, “At this stage of his life, even when he’s not more ministerial of FCT, Wike is a man that has done well for himself in political space. You will always need Wike. Let me tell you the truth.”
He concluded by highlighting Wike’s political value to the ruling party, saying, “Today, Wike came from Rivers to give support to President Tinubu. Wike is in Abuja performing, we never had it so good in Abuja even a blind man can’t deny that.”
Fayose further credited Wike with electoral successes for the APC, adding, “A lot of the people in Abuja, government in power don’t often win in Abuja. The local government election in Rivers, APC won them courtesy of Wike. The local government election coming in Abuja, APC will still win it. What else will Government Tinubu want from Wike.”
Ademide Adebayo
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