The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of sidelining governance in favour of political ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike, speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, criticised the governor for failing to present the state’s budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly, warning that the delay could disrupt government operations and hinder service delivery.
According to the minister, the governor appears more focused on securing a second term than fulfilling key constitutional responsibilities.
“The governor has yet to lay the budget before the House of Assembly, yet he is preoccupied with his re-election plans,” Wike stated, describing the situation as a clear case of misplaced priorities.
The disagreement is the latest development in the protracted political crisis between the two leaders, which has sharply divided the Rivers State House of Assembly into opposing camps.
In December 2024, Fubara presented a N1.1tn 2025 budget proposal to a faction of lawmakers led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, who are loyal to him.
However, the controversy deepened following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on February 28, which upheld an earlier judgment restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation from releasing statutory allocations to the state.
The apex court further directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to withhold Rivers State’s allocations until the governor formally presents the appropriation bill to the faction of the Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, believed to be aligned with Wike.
Following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu and ongoing reconciliation efforts, Fubara wrote to the Amaewhule-led lawmakers on March 13, requesting a date to present the budget.
Despite the move, tensions escalated when the governor and members of his cabinet were reportedly denied entry into the Assembly complex in Port Harcourt on the agreed day, even after notifying lawmakers of their visit.
Fubara has maintained that he acted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive, insisting that he made genuine efforts to present the budget.
However, the Assembly faction loyal to Wike has accused the governor of insincerity, alleging that it did not receive any official communication from him regarding the budget presentation, and has since demanded that he re-present the 2025 appropriation bill.
The standoff continues to cast uncertainty over governance in Rivers State, as the lingering impasse threatens the timely execution of government programmes and projects.