Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has welcomed the return of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the Rainbow Coalition, describing the move as the only path to lasting peace and political stability in the state.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday after inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects in the FCT, including the ISEX Road Corridor and the Apo-Karshi Road, Wike said Fubara’s decision to rejoin the political family that brought him to power was inevitable.
According to the former Rivers State governor, the reconciliation brings to an end months of political hostility that disrupted governance and divided the state’s political landscape.
“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him. I have now been informed that he has made that declaration publicly, and we welcome him,” Wike said.
“Our doors are open. Everybody is welcome for us to work together. There is no better alternative. We will work together to move Rivers State forward.”
‘There Is No Sin in Politics‘
Reacting to suggestions that Fubara had sought forgiveness following their prolonged political dispute, Wike dismissed the notion, insisting that politics should not be viewed through such a lens.
“I don’t know what you mean by sin. In politics, there is no sin. If somebody realises that he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.
“Politics is not a sin. What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and making the right decision.”
Reconciliation Ends Months of Political Crisis
Wike’s comments come weeks after President Bola Tinubu brokered a peace deal that ended the prolonged political rift between the FCT minister and Governor Fubara.
The dispute had paralysed governance in Rivers State, polarised the State House of Assembly and triggered a series of legal and political battles that drew national attention.
The reconciliation culminated in Fubara’s public declaration that he had returned to the Rainbow Coalition, the political structure widely regarded as the dominant force in Rivers politics for years.
Wike Backs Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid
Wike expressed confidence that the renewed alliance would strengthen the All Progressives Congress-led administration’s political support in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“He has publicly declared that he has returned to where he started, and we receive him with an open mind. There is nothing to hide. We will all work together to ensure that we deliver the votes President Tinubu needs for his re-election,” he said.
FCT Road Projects Progressing Well
The minister also expressed satisfaction with the pace of ongoing infrastructure projects across the Federal Capital Territory, saying they reflect President Tinubu’s directive that inherited projects should be completed rather than abandoned.
According to Wike, construction on the ISEX Road Corridor commenced immediately after President Tinubu flagged off the project during activities marking the administration’s third anniversary.
He disclosed that the contractor had assured the government that the project would be ready for commissioning in December.
Wike also inspected the long-delayed ISEX Road project, originally awarded in 2014, describing it as one of the last major inherited infrastructure projects awaiting completion.
He said the contractor had pledged to deliver six kilometres of the road, including key interchanges, before the end of the year, subject to the timely release of funds.
The minister added that discussions were ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Finance to facilitate the release of budgeted funds for the project.
Describing the road as critical to Abuja’s expansion, Wike said its completion, alongside the Apo-Karshi Road, underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to completing inherited infrastructure instead of abandoning projects initiated by previous governments.
“When we assumed office in 2023, abandoned projects were everywhere in the FCT. President Tinubu directed that all inherited projects should be completed so that public funds already committed would not be wasted.
“Leadership is about continuity. It is not about abandoning projects because they were initiated by previous administrations. Good leadership is completing projects that improve the economy and transform the lives of the people,” he said.
Wike assured residents that the FCT Administration would continue to meet its financial obligations to contractors to ensure the projects are completed on schedule and opened for public use before the end of the year.
