A political strategist, Baba Yusuf, has alleged that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is determined to remove the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from office in order to install a loyalist as his replacement.
Naija News reports that Yusuf made the claim on Friday while speaking during an interview on Prime Time, a current affairs programme aired on Arise Television.
According to Yusuf, the political turmoil currently engulfing Rivers State is not a routine disagreement but a high-stakes struggle aimed at completely sidelining Governor Fubara. He pointed to the actions of members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, particularly the impeachment moves against the governor, as evidence that the crisis has reached a decisive and irreversible stage.
Yusuf argued that Wike has maintained what he described as an uncompromising stance, despite several attempts by President Bola Tinubu to mediate the situation—interventions which, he noted, were largely favourable to Wike. He added that the crisis deteriorated to such an extent that the President was compelled to take the extraordinary step of suspending democratic structures in the state for a period of six months.
Describing the unfolding events as a “fight to the finish,” Yusuf observed that the political actors involved have been frequently changing tactics. He noted that while some appeared to soften their positions in recent days, they later reversed course, suggesting a carefully coordinated strategy rather than genuine reconciliation.
Yusuf further referenced the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), specifically Chapter VI, Section 191, which outlines the line of succession in the event that both a governor and deputy governor are removed from office. Under this provision, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly is empowered to assume the role of acting governor.
According to Yusuf, this constitutional clause forms the backbone of the alleged plot. He claimed that Wike’s ultimate objective is to force Fubara out through impeachment, thereby paving the way for a loyalist to take control of the state government.
“If this plan succeeds,” Yusuf said, “Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, would automatically become the acting governor, in line with the provisions of the constitution.”
He concluded that the ongoing crisis should be understood not as a spontaneous political disagreement, but as a calculated effort to reshape the leadership of Rivers State through legislative means.
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