Nyesom Wike, Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State, has revealed that he pushed for the outright removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara amid the escalating political crisis in the state. Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on April 18, 2025, Wike acknowledged that while he personally wanted Fubara ousted, President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency was ultimately the right call for stability.
“As a politician, I’m not happy because I wanted the outright removal of the governor, but for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing,” Wike stated.
The political turmoil in Rivers State prompted President Tinubu to suspend Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for six months. In their place, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s governance during the emergency period.
Tinubu’s intervention has sparked widespread controversy. Critics, including the Nigerian Bar Association, argue that the suspension of duly elected officials undermines Nigeria’s democratic framework. The NBA labeled the move unconstitutional, stressing that even a state of emergency does not permit the dissolution or suspension of an elected government.
The crisis has also been linked to a series of pipeline vandalism incidents in the Niger Delta, which have disrupted oil production and triggered national security concerns.
