The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has publicly criticised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of abandoning governance responsibilities in favour of political ambition.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike said the governor had failed to present the state’s budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly, a development he warned could cripple government operations.
“The governor is yet to submit his budget to the House of Assembly, but he is busy pursuing his second-term ambition,” Wike said.
He added that the delay in presenting the appropriation bill threatens the delivery of essential services to residents, describing the situation as a reflection of misplaced priorities.
Wike also referenced the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the political crisis that nearly led to Fubara’s impeachment, accusing the governor of reneging on prior commitments.
“President Tinubu intervened in the impeachment proceedings and the governor agreed to peace, even saying he was no longer interested in contesting again. Now, after that intervention, you are playing smart on what was agreed,” he said.
The dispute stems from a prolonged political rift between the two leaders, which has polarised the Rivers State House of Assembly into rival factions loyal to either camp.
In December 2024, Fubara presented a N1.1trillion 2025 budget to a faction of lawmakers led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, who are aligned with him.
However, the crisis deepened following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on February 28, which upheld an earlier judgment restraining the release of Rivers State’s statutory allocations.
The apex court directed the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant-General of the Federation to withhold funds until the governor presents the budget to the faction led by Martin Amaewhule, which is loyal to Wike.
Following the ruling and renewed reconciliation efforts, Fubara wrote to the Amaewhule-led Assembly proposing a date in March for the budget presentation. However, when he arrived at the Assembly quarters in Port Harcourt with members of his cabinet, he was denied access despite prior notice.
While Fubara has maintained that he complied with the Supreme Court directive, the Assembly faction loyal to Wike has accused him of insincerity, insisting that no formal communication was received from the governor.
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