Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike on Tuesday publicly welcomed Governor Siminalayi Fubara back into the political grouping that propelled him to power, describing the reunion as a practical step toward restoring stability and shoring up support for President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting roadworks in the capital—projects that included the ISEX Road Corridor and the Apo‑Karshi Road—Minister Wike said Governor Fubara had “made that declaration publicly, and we welcome him,” adding that the Rainbow Coalition, the decades‑long power base in Rivers State, remained the only viable vehicle for progress there.
The remarks follow a truce brokered by President Tinubu that ended a protracted and public dispute between Wike and Fubara.
Reports indicate that the feud had effectively stalled governance in Rivers, fractured the State House of Assembly and produced a series of legal and political confrontations that drew national attention.
Minister Wike dismissed the notion that Governor Fubara needed absolution, saying there is “no sin in politics” and framing the governor’s return as a correction of course rather than an act requiring forgiveness.
“If somebody realizes that he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that,” he said, adding that the reunion should help deliver votes for President Tinubu’s re‑election bid in 2027.
The reconciliation culminated in Governor Fubara’s public announcement that he had rejoined the Rainbow Coalition—a broad local alliance that has long shaped Rivers State’s political landscape.
Wike characterized the move as the logical next step after months of hostilities and expressed confidence that the partners would now work together “to move Rivers State forward.”
