Former Governor of Ekiti State in southwestern Nigeria, Ayodele Fayose, has asserted that President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will not remove the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from his cabinet in order to protect Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, amid the ongoing political turmoil in the oil-rich state.
Fayose made the remarks during a televised interview on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, while appearing on Arise Television, a Lagos-based Nigerian news broadcaster with continental reach. His comments were in reaction to the sustained political confrontation between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, which has continued to unsettle governance and legislative stability in Rivers State, located in Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone.
Okay News reports that Fayose argued that Wike’s political relevance to President Tinubu far outweighs that of Governor Fubara, noting that the President has little motivation to sever ties with the former Rivers State governor, who currently serves as one of the most powerful ministers in the federal cabinet.
“But let me say this to Nigerians, the Asiwaju that I know will not get rid of a Wike for a Fubara. Wike came from Rivers to give support to President Tinubu,” Fayose said, using Tinubu’s long-standing political title.
According to Fayose, Wike’s continued importance to the administration is linked to his perceived effectiveness as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which encompasses Abuja, Nigeria’s purpose-built capital city, as well as his political utility in delivering electoral outcomes for the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“Wike is in Abuja performing; we’ve never had it so good in Abuja, even a blind man can’t deny that,” Fayose stated.
He further credited Wike with the electoral success of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State local government elections, suggesting that similar results would be replicated in the upcoming Federal Capital Territory local polls.
“The local government elections in Rivers, APC won them courtesy of Wike. The coming local government elections in Abuja, APC will still win them. So, what else will the President want from Wike?” Fayose asked.
The comments come as the Rivers State House of Assembly commenced formal impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara. The lawmakers accused the governor of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, unauthorized extra-budgetary expenditures, and alleged defiance of a Supreme Court of Nigeria ruling on legislative autonomy.
The political crisis in Rivers State has persisted since late 2023 and stems from a struggle for control over the state’s political machinery, including the Peoples Democratic Party structure and the legislative arm of government.
While the Assembly has denied acting under the influence of Wike, multiple reports indicate that President Tinubu has intervened privately in an attempt to calm tensions between the feuding camps.
Reacting to reports that Governor Fubara traveled to meet President Tinubu in France to seek intervention, Fayose described the move as a sign of political desperation and arrogance.
“If Governor Fubara has gone to meet the President (in France), then it shows he needs help. When you don’t praise God, when you refuse to humble yourself and look for peace, you’ll just be running helter-skelter. What he’s looking for is inside his pocket,” Fayose said.
Fayose also addressed the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria’s main opposition party, rejecting claims that President Tinubu was responsible for its troubles.
“The challenges in the PDP are not the fault of Asiwaju,” he said. “Failure in my home, God forbid, is not the fault of my neighbour.”
He concluded by describing the party as weakened by internal divisions and self-inflicted conflicts.
“The PDP caused themselves an insurrection. It’s a house that is divided against itself, and the nature of man is survival of the fittest,” Fayose added.
