On Tuesday, January 21, Wike, who is also an immediate past Governor of Rivers state, met with his successor, Fubara, at the villa in Abuja with President Bola Tinubu. They are parts of the delegation who visited the president on the possibility of resuming oil production in Ogoniland.
Moment Wike, Fubara snubbed Each other
Vanguard reported that a source in the presidential villa reported that the two radiators did not exchange greetings during the meeting. The source said:
“Though both of them posed for a photograph with the President, they did not exchange pleasantries. No hug. No greetings. Everybody went straight for the meeting with the President, and after that, we all left”.
The source further recalled that Wike arrived at the villa from where he had gone to inspect and commission some projects. The minister reportedly left for duty immediately after the group photographs.
According to the source, Wike had to attend the meeting as a minister from Rivers and be present anytime the president met with the delegation. The meeting was said to never be a platform to discuss the Rivers state political crisis.
Tinubu engaged Magnus Abe
The source further disclosed that the president did not discuss any reconciliation between Wike and Fubara and said that Tinubu only engaged Magnus Abe, saying he had not been seeing him for some time, and Magnus noted that he had been around with the FCT minister. Wike then confirmed at that point that Magnus had been with him.
During a media chat on Monday, January 20, the FCT minister vowed that he would never reconcile with the Rivers governor as long as the crisis continued.
Meanwhile, the leadership of pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has appointed the former governor of Akwa Ibom state Obong Victor Attah to bring the two gladiators to the negotiation table for a possible reconciliation.
The source said:
“This is yet another golden opportunity for both of them to end the fight and make up for peace so that Rivers state can move forward. The crisis is not doing the state any good. They must end this fight and utilize the opportunity offered by PANDEF”.
PDP NWC members endorsed Fubara as Rivers leader
earlier reported that some PDP national working committee members had declared Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers as the party leader in the state.
National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba and the PDP national treasurer, Ahmed Mohammed, are prominent members of the PDP national working committee.
The declaration of Fubara as the PDP leader in Rivers state followed the court judgment that sacked wards and local and state PDP executives who are loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.