Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State Governor, on Wednesday, revealed that he discovered he was being ambushed by the peace agreement he signed alongside the faction of the state House of Assembly that planned to oust him from office.

Fubara made the revelation during a non-denominational thanksgiving in Port Harcourt on Wednesday to mark a year he survived an impeachment plot on October 30, 2023, by 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Fubara however clarified that it was not the initiator (President Bola Tinubu) of the peace accord that ambushed him, but those he thought were sincere about resolving the emerging crisis were not.

He explained that it was at the point of realising the sinister motives of the other party involved in the peace deal that he decided not to play into their hands.

He lampooned the pro-Wke lawmakers for not keeping to the peace agreement, describing their actions as fraud.

“We went to Abuja and Mr. President knowing the importance of peace for Rivers State, called out some conditions for peace.

“We came back here, in this state, to do everything that has to do with the conditions of the peace. We went to court immediately and withdrew our matters. And you call yourself honourable when you cannot obey simple instructions.

“I acted as an honourable. I discovered that I was being ambushed not by the person who initiated the peace”, Fubara stated.

The governor thanked all the prominent Rivers people and others who had supported his government in the last year for their belief and resilience to scuttle the plots of enemies of his government.

“I am standing here because of all of you. A lot of people may not understand what happened on the 30th of October, 2023,” he said with nostalgia.

He reiterated his commitment to enthrone peace, acknowledging that his supporters had taken a very difficult part in that last year.

He further said, “We are still complete. Let me tell you, we are still intact. They said we’re not going to last for one week. We are here one year plus.

“They said we would not have local government chairmen. Today, we have local government chairmen.”

“They said commissioners should resign immediately. Today, we have more than 23 commissioners.

“They said they are not going to do anything; they are going to frustrate them, they are not going to succeed. By the grace of God, there are lots of projects that are touching the lives of the people.”

The governor added that his government has demonstrated prudence and transparency in the use of resources of the state, saying that recently, Rivers was commended for showing transparency and accountability by an external body.

To his opponents, he said, “I now ask the question, who is the winner? We are here to appreciate God for the way He did it one year ago, He will do it again.”

Fubara said he would pay contractors, and workers’ salaries and also release local government council funds.

He added, “I ask you again, who is the loser? Who is the loser? You see why you need to be happy? Do you see why you need to celebrate the righteousness of God?

According to the governor, success is when you are succeeding against the expectation of your detractors that you should fail.

He reiterated his resolve to ensure peace reigns in the state against all odds, thanking those supporting his government for the sacrifice they have paid.

President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently met at the National Mosque in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, during Jumat prayers.

The occasion was also a wedding ceremony for Senator Danjuma Goje’s daughter, and it brought together other prominent figures, including APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed, and former Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff.

According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Atiku is an old friend of President Tinubu, and their meeting was a friendly encounter.

This meeting, it was gathered, is significant, especially considering their history as opponents in the 2023 election.

However, as some observers noted, it’s not surprising, given their long-standing acquaintance and the fact that they move in the same social circles.

The event highlights the complexities of Nigerian politics, where former rivals can put aside their differences and come together in social and religious settings. As one commentator put it, “Life itself is bigger than politics”.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says the camp of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, is fighting him.

Wike spoke on Saturday during a private luncheon with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital.

The luncheon was hosted by Wike in honour of the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers house of assembly.

During the event, the FCT minister aimed digs at his political opponents.

The former Rivers governor said he refused to support Obi for the 2023 presidential election despite being lobbied “so much” for support.

He added that some persons in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who want the party’s presidential ticket in 2027, are also ganging up against him.

Wike boasted that his political enemies would not emerge victorious.

“Let me tell you what is going on. I have no regret at all for supporting President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I have no regret about it,” he said.

“All these things you are seeing… there is Atiku’s group, Peter Obi’s group and some few governors of the PDP who believe I’m a problem to them. I will continue to be a problem to them.

“Atiku’s group believes that I and my team stopped them from becoming president. What we stopped was injustice. All we wanted was equity and fairness.

“Obi’s group — they lobbied me so much. They can’t deny it. I said, ‘look, this won’t fly. Rivers state will not go to where we will not… it won’t fly’. There is also a gang-up. They are fighting us back. They are fighting themselves.

“There is another gang-up within the PDP who wants to be president and they say, ‘look if we don’t do anything now we have a problem’. I can assure you they will have a problem.

“There is another APC — very prominent. All these people combined, they will lose.”

In the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, Wike refused to support the ambition of PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and LP’s Obi and instead backed Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer.