The political tension between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was evident on Tuesday as the duo allegedly avoided exchanging pleasantries during a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
The two leaders were part of a delegation from Ogoni that met with the President to discuss the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. Despite the shared mission, sources reported a noticeable coldness between Wike and Fubara, further highlighting their ongoing political discord.
The rift between the former governor, Wike, and his successor, Fubara, has escalated in recent months, with both camps accusing each other of betrayal and political undermining. Their refusal to acknowledge each other during the meeting underscores the depth of their conflict.
A source in the meeting 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”.
He said Wike arrived at the Villa from where he went to inspect and commission projects and “immediately after the group photograph with the President, he went back to his duty post.
“As a minister from Rivers, Wike must, as a necessity, be present whenever the President is meeting with a delegation from the state. The meeting was not a platform for the discussion of Rivers political crisis. It was strictly a business parley”.
On whether the President discussed possible reconciliation between the two men, the source said there was no such opportunity. “The President only engaged Magnus (Abe). He told Magnus that he had not been seeing him for some time and Magnus replied that he had been around with the FCT Minister. At that point, Wike confirmed that Magnus had been working with him”, he said.
