Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described the ongoing political face-off between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as a spiritual battle rather than a mere political disagreement.
Speaking on Tuesday, Fayose said he had foreseen the crisis during Fubara’s inauguration in 2023, when he warned the governor against taking on Wike, cautioning that such a move would expose him to unseen forces.
Despite earlier intervention by President Bola Tinubu to calm tensions between both camps, hostilities reportedly resurfaced during Wike’s 17-day stay in Rivers State.
Wike has since warned that Fubara might struggle to secure a second-term ticket, even with his defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, and support for President Tinubu.
In an interview on Arise Television, Fayose said, “The glory of God, I came back as you said in 2014. Now, let me take you back to when Governor Fubara became governor. They had a dinner for him, and I was at his swearing-in ceremony.
“Then we went for Governor Wike’s lunch to say goodbye, Wike as governor. And we went to Governor Fubara’s dinner to welcome Mr Governor.
“You recall that I came out, I had a short speech, but before that short speech, I told Governor Wike, it is important to reinforce certain things in the earnings of Governor Fubara.
“Going by the trend of ingratitude, betrayal of trust, people forgetting so soon. He said no, Fubara cannot do that. Don’t worry, don’t say anything. I said, but I can still wish the people well. I can wish him well. He said, Okay, I’ll give you only five minutes. They will give you five minutes.
“So I came, and I said there, Your Excellency Governor Fubara, you are here by the grace of your brother, the former governor. And today you are the governor of our state.
“And I was able to remind him that you should seal all your windows because patronisers will soon come, people who lead people astray will soon come, seal your door.
“Don’t wait for people to come and say things to your ears that will destroy your relationship. In the first four years and ultimately for eight years.
“But if you open these doors, you will begin to see spirits. And don’t follow a trend and fight with Wike because if you do so, by Wike’s antecedent, these problems will continue indefinitely.
“So I admonished him because it is quick to forget what life is all about. The office of the governor, I was a different person during my first tenure; I was a different person during my second tenure. The youthful exuberance, forgetting yourself, can put you into so many issues.
“People who are not part of the training of a lady will come and influence the life of the lady and destroy her. Like I said on some platforms.
“So let me tell you, that was prophetic because that happened not too long after. And it became an issue between Governor Wike and Governor Fubara that led to his removal, that is spiritual.”
Fayose insisted that the lingering crisis validates his earlier warning, stressing that the feud has moved beyond politics into a deeper, spiritual dimension.
