Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara, has been spotted with Patience Jonathan, wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, in what analysts say is a political realignment against Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Patience Jonathan who also hails from Rivers, is reputed to have aided Wike’s rise to the governorship of the state in 2015 when she was Nigeria’s First Lady.
After ex-President Jonathan lost his re-election, Wike became a master of his own affairs without anyone dictating to him what to do.
He anointed Fubara as his successor in the 2023 election. In less than six months, the relationship became sour as Wike accused Fubara of plotting to seize control of the political structures in all the wards and local governments of Rivers State.
But at an event on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Fubara was spotted with Patience Jonathan and Tonye Cole, his opponent in the 2023 governorship election. It is not clear why the trio met, but analysts suspect that Fubara may be courting new friends to be able to withstand the battle ahead with his ex-godfather, Wike.
Wike had earlier hosted some indigenes of Rivers State led King Ateke Tom and other Ijaw leaders at his Port Harcourt country home, on Tuesday, where he accused Fubara of seeking to destroy the ladder with which he climbed to power.
According to Wike, many others are relying on the same ladder to climb to political positions, including in the legislature and executive but he is angry that Fubara was allegedly threatening their ambitions by his action.
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