The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the withdrawal of Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election was not a surprise.
Fubara announced his withdrawal from the contest a day before the exercise, noting that he stepped down out of “conviction and sacrifice for the state to move forward in peace and unity”.
Kingsley Chinda, a member of the house of representatives and Wike’s ally, won the Rivers APC governorship primary election.
Speaking on Monday after inspecting infrastructural projects in Abuja, Wike said Chinda has the legislative and executive experience to govern the south-south state.
“I’m not surprised that the governor withdrew,” Wike said.
“In the first place, he ought not to have collected the [APC nomination] form because the agreement was reached that impeachment should be dropped, while he should also not talk about a second tenure.”
Fubara and Wike have been embroiled in a protracted power tussle that culminated in attempts to impeach the governor.
Most of the Rivers lawmakers who endorsed the impeachment process against Fubara are Wike allies.
The FCT minister had vowed to oppose Fubara’s re-election bid after accusing the governor of violating the peace agreement they both signed at the directive of President Bola Tinubu.
