Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed the individuals who endorsed the peace agreement he and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, signed at the instance of President Bola Tinubu.
Wike said the agreement was witnessed and signed by key national figures, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili, among others.
He made the disclosure while addressing supporters during a political engagement in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he spoke at length on the lingering political crisis in the state.
According to the former Rivers governor, all parties reached a consensus during a meeting with President Tinubu, but the agreement later collapsed after Governor Fubara allegedly received contrary advice on his return to the state.
“There was a time we met with Mr President and everyone signed the agreement. Even the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, signed. Peter Odili also signed,” Wike said.
“But after they returned home, some people began to mislead the young man, telling him it was political and that he should not follow through. That was how the crisis dragged on and ended up in court, where we won clearly.”
Wike noted that despite the outcome, President Tinubu intervened again in the interest of peace, leading to another round of negotiations.
He said several governors, ministers and legal practitioners appealed to him to accept a fresh agreement, adding that he initially expressed reservations about dealing with parties who fail to honour agreements.
“They assured me it would be different this time. After several meetings with Governor Fubara, we reached a new agreement and presented it again before Mr President. Everyone committed to implementing it,” he stated.
Wike also took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying the party had dominated Rivers State for years until the 2023 general elections.
He claimed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, gained ground in the state for the first time after he and his allies supported President Tinubu, insisting that the PDP failed to secure up to 10 per cent of the votes in Rivers State during the election.
