- Safiu Kehinde
Fresh battle looms in Rivers State as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, endorsed the state’s former Commissioner for Works, Alabo George, as the gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 election, ignoring the incumbent governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
George is set to contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket with Fubara who had last year joined the APC following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to reports, Wike endorsed George during a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.
The meeting had in attendance key political figures and ex-militant leaders like Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom.
George who lost the PDP primaries to Fubara in 2022 will be facing the Rivers governor again but with the backing of the FCT Minister.
The development reportedly signaled a formal break between Fubara and Wike, his estranged godfather.
It also set the stage for another imminent clash between the governor and the FCT Minister.
Recall that Rivers had over the months been plunged into protracted political crisis over the clash between Fubara and Wike.
Their clash had early last year led to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a six-month state of emergency with Fubara, his cabinet, and the Rivers House of Assembly members suspended.
Wike had accused Fubara of betrayal with the Rivers lawmakers who were largely loyalists of the FCT Minister, including Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, plotting the impeachment of the governor before their suspension.
Despite Tinubu’s intervention and reconciliation effort before the end of the six months emergence rule, the Rivers Assembly would again proceed with the impeachment move.
This was subsequently halted after the President’s intervention again with Wike also urging the lawmakers to stop.
However, Fubara’s defection to the APC had since reignited the feud between him and his estranged godfather who claimed his defection was not part of their agreement during their meeting with the President.
With George endorsement by Wike, another crisis looms in Rivers states as it signalled the FCT Minister’s to continue his dominance of the state’s political affairs.