The political camp of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims made by suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, that reconciliation between both parties is nearing completion.
Fubara, while speaking at a meeting with members of the Simplified Movement, said efforts to restore governance in the state were progressing well.
He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention, which he credited with preventing a political crisis, and expressed optimism about reconciling with Wike, calling him his “oga” (boss).
According to Fubara, both the Executive and Legislative arms would soon resume full function and work harmoniously for the good of the state.
However, Wike’s allies have criticised Fubara’s statements, describing them as mere media talk.
Wike, in a Monday media chat, expressed doubt about Fubara’s sincerity, saying there have been no real steps taken to show a desire for peace.
Supporting this view, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, a former local government chairman in Rivers State, said Fubara has a habit of saying one thing and doing another.
He claimed Fubara had not seen Wike in two months and hadn’t made any attempts to meet with key stakeholders, including members of the House of Assembly and former council chairmen, with whom he has unresolved issues.
Lloyd suggested that if Fubara truly wanted peace, he should personally apologise to the Speaker and other aggrieved officials whose salaries were withheld and whose lives had been affected by the crisis.
He accused Fubara of behaving like a “prisoner of war” who cannot dictate terms and warned that any hope of resuming office without resolving these deep-rooted issues would be futile.
Lloyd also questioned the confidence Fubara displayed about the lifting of the emergency rule, suggesting that those around him might be feeding him false hope.
He pointed out missed expectations, such as a promised return by May 29 and now possibly June 12, and warned that unless true reconciliation is achieved, the underlying problems would remain, quoting from the Bible and Nigerian literature to state the point.
