Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has pushed back against calls for reconciliation from ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, asserting that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has yet to show remorse or request forgiveness.
In a statement released by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike maintained that forgiveness is only meaningful when the person at fault acknowledges wrongdoing and seeks pardon—something Fubara has yet to do.
Tompolo had earlier appealed to Wike to let go of his grievances for the sake of peace and political stability in Rivers State. “Just like I would not accept rebellion from my son, I also won’t create more problems. Wike is angry, but he must calm down for the good of all. We will talk and resolve this. Fubara will return to his seat,” Tompolo said.
However, Wike’s camp appeared unmoved. Olayinka responded: “There’s no offence to forgive if no wrongdoing has been acknowledged. Forgiveness only comes when the offender admits their fault and seeks pardon. Has Fubara taken that step? No.”
Olayinka clarified that Wike’s stance is not rooted in personal vendetta but concerns over principles of governance.
“The minister has never said Fubara wronged him personally. His concerns are about governance, the need to respect the rule of law, and ensuring loyalty to those who sacrificed for Fubara’s rise to power. This isn’t about personal reconciliation—it’s about accountability.”
He also questioned the shift in Fubara’s public posture toward Wike: “When they worked closely, and Wike was taking political bullets on Fubara’s behalf, Wike wasn’t considered a bad person. So what changed? At what point did Fubara feel confident enough to say he would ‘deal with’ Wike?”
Olayinka ended with a pointed analogy: “It’s like asking a doctor to prescribe medicine, but the patient refuses to take it. What do you expect the outcome to be?”
As tensions between the two Rivers political heavyweights continue, efforts at reconciliation appear stalled—at least for now.
