Public policy analyst and political communication strategist, Kenny Okolugbo, has criticised the political decisions of Siminalayi Fubara amid the lingering crisis between the Rivers governor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking during a discussion on Arise News on Friday, May 22, 2026, Okolugbo said Governor Fubara made a major political mistake by purchasing the APC governorship nomination form despite what he described as an existing agreement within the Rivers political arrangement.
According to him, the governor failed to properly consider the implications of the reconciliation efforts within the ruling party, adding that some of Fubara’s actions appeared to violate understandings already reached between political stakeholders.
He said, “Where I think Fubara got it wrong was: he should never have bought the nomination form. Wike already made it very clear there was an agreement and yet every time an agreement was reached, it looked like he was breaking it.”
Okolugbo further argued that the Rivers governor may have received poor political advice from some of his allies throughout the crisis, insisting that the situation required more strategic negotiation and tact.
The analyst maintained that Fubara should have prioritised reconciliation instead of direct confrontation with forces loyal to Wike, considering the FCT minister’s continued political influence in Rivers State.
The remarks come amid rising political tension in Rivers State following Governor Fubara’s withdrawal from the APC governorship primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, a development that has sparked mixed reactions across the state’s political landscape.
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