The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of reneging on an agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the political crisis in the state.

Wike made the allegation on Wednesday during a thank-you visit to the people of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he said he would soon make public the details of the deal reached before the President.

The agreement followed a closed-door meeting convened by Tinubu at the State House in Abuja in June 2025, involving Wike and Fubara, as part of efforts to end the prolonged power struggle that plunged Rivers into a political crisis, leading to a state of emergency and the suspension of the governor and members of the State House of Assembly.

Although both leaders later pledged to work together for peace, neither disclosed the terms of the agreement.

However, Wike claimed on Wednesday that the governor had failed to honour parts of what was agreed.

“After agreeing on something, you renege. And you think you are a smart politician? You are clever by half.

“Very soon, we will let Rivers people know what we agreed before Mr President. This agreement was not done anywhere; before Mr President. If you can renege on what we agreed before, Mr President, then who are we?” he asked.

The minister also renewed his earlier warning about the political future of the governor, insisting that his supporters were prepared to “correct the mistake” of the 2023 election.

“We are battle-ready. We were the original ‘mandate’ people. Don’t deal with people who cannot keep to agreements. And they tell you it’s politics, that politics will not work here again.

“If they like, let them keep all the money, whether they have N600bn or not. We have defeated people with money before. We will still defeat people with money. What matters is the people, it’s not money,” the minister said.

Wike also thanked the people of Tai for their support for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, saying their loyalty had translated into appointments, infrastructure development and the siting of the Federal University of Environment in the area. (PUNCH)

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