Wike Hints at Reconciliation with Fubara Amid FCTA Land Revocation Defence: Observers Doubt Will Hold

 

By Barisua Martins 

Amid ongoing debates surrounding land revocations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Minister Nyesom Wike dropped what many see as a significant political signal—reaffirming his reconciliation with suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and claiming to now be “on good terms” with the embattled leader.

Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, August 4, Wike stated that the peace accord brokered by President Bola Tinubu “means we are now in good terms with the governor.” He added that the President is not interested in pursuing a state of emergency in Rivers, suggesting that the truce between him and Fubara has restored enough political order to avert further federal intervention.

This revelation has sparked a fresh wave of commentary among political observers and critics alike, many of whom doubt the sincerity or durability of the proclaimed reconciliation. Several commentators argue that Wike’s body language and consistent verbal jabs at the PDP, his own political party, reveal an unresolved power struggle rather than genuine reconciliation.

Critics also pointed to the strategic timing of the press chat. “Wike’s effort to reframe the Abuja land revocation and his alignment with Tinubu on national issues may be his way of shoring up political capital ahead of deeper tensions in Rivers,” one analyst said.

At the press event, Wike vigorously defended the revocation of the Abuja Technology Village land and University of Abuja allocations, blaming land speculators and institutional neglect. He presented the ambitious Abuja City Walk project—modeled after Dubai’s City Walk—as a replacement, promising job creation and urban revitalization. He also boasted a sharp revenue boost from the renovated Tinubu International Conference Centre and reeled out ongoing road and school projects as proof of performance.

Yet despite all the infrastructure talk, it was the segment on Rivers politics that drew the strongest public reactions. “It’s fascinating that a Minister using federal power in Abuja is also the centerpiece of political disruption in his home state,” said a political affairs columnist in Port Harcourt. “Wike says there is peace, but from what we know, it’s a fragile ceasefire, not reconciliation.”

Some observers even criticized Wike’s simultaneous affirmation of loyalty to the PDP and support for President Tinubu, describing it as political double-speak. “He calls others buccaneers, but it’s clear he's walking a fine line to maintain relevance in both camps,” a PDP youth leader noted.

For now, Wike insists he’s focused on governance, not drama. But as Rivers State approaches its local elections and the PDP remains in disarray, all eyes are on whether this “peace” with Fubara is real—or just another political strategy in the making.

(c) Prime Heritage Magazine