Return to Wike camp: Is Gov Fubara between the rock and the hard place?

…Condemnations and no commendations trail Fubara’s declaration for Wike’s Rainbow
Coalition

…Observers ponder Fubara’s fate after May 2027: fizzle out, move to federal level, take over Wike’s camp, or lead fresh fight against Wike?

Gov Sim Fubara has announced his formal return to what he called his political family, the Nyesom Wike camp, now transformed into ‘Rainbow Coalition’.

Since the declaration few days ago, hell seemed to break up, and torrents of condemnation has poured. No single statement of commendation has emerged, either from his support base or from the camp he rejoined.

Government House statement conveying the declaration seemed to attempt to mask the impact by first announcing that Gov Fubara has pledged support to the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The intro did not seem to achieve much because Fubara had always declared support for Tinubu even in the face of harsh knocks from Aso Rock. Many saw it as a bitter laugh without a choice.

Next to that was the declaration of support to the emergence of O.K Chinda as next governor. Many still did not see much news in the news because he threw in the towel for Chinda to go ahead.

The bombshell came in the next paragraph when he said he has returned to his political family, the Wike camp, which is now called the ‘Rainbow Coalition’.

The coalition was Wike’s effort to rebuild a political base away from Fubara who he felt had snatched the PDP structure in the state, and pitched the PDP against Wike who seemed to flee to the APC with a new chairman he installed (Tony Okocha).

Wike returned in 2025 to rally all those not happy with Fubara, the same way he did in 2014 for 2015 when he came as Minister of Education and Goodluck Jonathan’s man Friday to rally all forces to fight Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi forces. This time again, he seems to win.

The formation of Rainbow Coalition with strong federal advantage of contracts, appointments, and raw strength of funds, pushed Fubara to the wall as Wike now controlled the legislature, the LGAs, all federal institutions, and part of the state government. Now, Fubara seems to have no space to fight than to throw in the towel, a towel he is believed to have been throwing in piece by piece.

On July 22, at a project flag off, Fubara made the declaration.

According to a statement by Onwuka Nzeshi, a press secretary he was said to have recruited from faraway Abuja, ahead of the 2027 general election, Gov Fubara reiterated his support for the second term bid of President Tinubu and the aspiration of Kingsley Ogundu Chinda.

He went on, in what could be described as a public declaration of peace and total cessation of hostilities in the political arena in the state, Gov Fubara said that as a loyal member of the APC, he has also become a member of the Rainbow Coalition, the political group put together by his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Wike, to advance the interests of the ruling party in Rivers State.

The Governor who made his position known on Wednesday during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Riven Medical Industries Project in Port Harcourt, disclosed that the hitherto contending political forces in the state have resolved their differences and resolved to work together in the interest of the peace and development of the state.

Governor Fubara charged his teeming supporters across the state to, without prejudice to the past, join him in supporting the ambitions of Tinubu, Chinda and all the other candidates of the APC in Rivers State during the forthcoming elections.

Gov Fubara was quoted to have said: “We have made peace in the state and I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Tinubu is our president, and is the one we are supporting. OK Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting and anybody who believes in me will support him and every other candidate that is under the Rainbow Coalition.

“I’ve gone back to our family. So, please, whoever you are, give your total support to the Rainbow Coalition. We need to move forward. The time of war is over. It is time for peace and this peace is taking us to another level.

“I want this to be made clear to everybody. So, don’t go anywhere and say you’re supporting Fubara; No. No. No. My position is this: I have said it here and clearly for everyone to hear. If you’re not hearing we’ll use cotton wool to clean your ears and let it enter well. I’m not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. I’ve done what I need to do and we are moving forward,” he said.

Displeasure everywhere:

Since this declaration, condemnation has been rife, but no commendations. Wike has not issued any statement commending the prodigal son, and Okocha, the man who leads his faction of the APC in the state, has not issued any statement of welcome.

Rather, freelance attackers on social media have run riot calling Fubara names. He has been accused of being weak, selfish, etc. They say he sacrificed his support base. All they wanted was for him to use his gubernatorial power and resources to keep fighting Wike, even if he would not contest again.

The rock or hard place:

The way it is now in Rivers State, Fubara seems to have no admirers in either his camp or in the Rainbow Coalition he seeks to please. No side even seems to trust him or his decisions. A source said if Fubara were to float a political party this day, not a handful would join that party. They say they do not understand what he stands for.

The governor says he stands for peace, but in a state where the mighty wins the race, his supporters hardly see how offering both cheeks amount to peace.

Some say he has no input even in his 2026 budget, meaning that even the opportunity to make a fortune is denied him, because he may be subjected to receiving handouts from his own budget, his last budget.

At the moment, nobody has stepped out to defend him or to commend him for joining Wike again.

Those who spoke anonymously said Wike handpicked him totally without Fubara asking for it. They claim that the signs that Fubara would not be allowed a say in his own administration came during the campaigns in 2022 when it was observed that it was Wike that was leading the enture campaign and was the one speaking. The campaign reports ended with one of two sentences from him, making no notable pronouncement.

They claim nobody knew what he as the candidate stood for or what his philosophy was. This made some persons to claim that Wike was simply implementing his ‘third term agenda”.

Fubara was not even allowed to attend the two high class governorship debates conducted by both the Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum (REIF) and the Rivers State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at different dates.

These signs seemed to attract hostilities to Fubara as all Wike haters saw Fubara as Wike’s extension. When the political crisis broke out between both godfather and godson, most observers chose to support Fubara.

They said the impeachment came too early, mere five months into his tenure when the governor was yet to even know how to steal. Observers refused to buy the reasons given by the Martin Amaewhule-led House which accused the governor of misrule, because they said Fubara had not even ruled to talk of misrule. At that time, almost all the commissioners were given to him by Wike (mostly members of the Wike cabinet).

The situation at the moment is that Fubara has no camp, no open followers (except those serving him), apparently no lovers. On the other hand, the people he is meeting do not seem to love nor trust him. They have repeatedly accused him of disloyalty and reneging. There may be nothing he would do, even if he gave his life, that would win trust to him from Wike men. Many have openly insulted him and often call him ‘so-called governor’.

Its yet to be seen how they would respect him or love him in meetings, except to make him sign away huge funds, a source said.

What next for Fubara:

Political analysts have already begun speculating on what fate would await Fubara after life as governor; would Fubara fizzle out after hand over next May 2027; will he be moved to the centre with big fed appointment; will he emerge as next leader of the Wike political empire; or will he launch a political war against Wike from retirement?

Blessing Wikina, a public communication expert, said Fubara isn’t a politician. “He was conscripted without a choice or option. So his eventual failure can be excused. The attempt at war was half-hearted without a base, plan or objective. His post governorship fate can’t be predicted for now as he has no base to stand on. But anything is possible.”

He added that with the brand of politics played here in Rivers State where one man is the almighty, who decides when someone gets a look in or not, nobody can predict any person fate based on analysis. It is rather a matter of sentiments, emotions, and personal likes and dislikes that will still determine what will happen to Fubara in years to come.

Darlington Nwauju, a political activist, is definite that Fubara would simply fizzle out for some months after handover except the APC maintains control of the centre and he is considered for any appointment.

Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director, YEAC-Nigeria, who pays big attention to political developments in the Niger Delta, said: “He will not fizzle out as part of the negotiation for not trying to recontest. He may be given ambassadorial position or something like federal agency; maybe a junior minister.

“He will not head Wike camp; will not fight Wike because if he did not use office to fight Wike, how can he fight after office? He may first go and rest, then, come back with an appointment.”

Most respondents on social media said Fubara will fizzle away, but few think he may bag an appointment at the centre. No group is seeing him heading the Wike camp, nor leading any war against the FCT Minister from retirement.

They think Fubara would either find himself on the rock or hard place. Wike, his godfather and destroyer, would still decide what happens to him after office, or even at the federal level.