Wike Skips Fubara’s Stronghold as PANDEF Launches High-Level Peace Mission to Rivers

The political chasm in Rivers State deepened this week as FCT Minister Nyesom Wike concluded his statewide “thank you tour” without stepping foot in Opobo/Nkoro—the home local government area of his embattled successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The omission comes as the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) announced the formation of a heavyweight seven-man reconciliation committee to pull the state back from the brink of a total breakdown in law and order.

Wike, who departed for Abuja via private jet on Sunday, held his final rally in his own base of Obio/Akpor. The event saw a massive turnout, causing gridlock across Port Harcourt’s Aba Road. However, his decision to bypass Opobo was seen by insiders as a tactical retreat to avoid a public embarrassment in Fubara’s backyard.

An APC chieftain from the area, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested the Minister was “advising himself” by staying away.

“My brother, if you are the one with the current political tension in the state created by Wike himself, will you have gone to Opobo? That will be putting your hand in a crocodile-infested water. Although nobody asked him not to come, nobody threatened him, but I think he advised himself. Give it to him, he knows what is good for him.”

The source further noted that even in nearby Bonny, the reception was frostier than expected: “In Bonny, when the Minister went there like we saw on TV, the place was empty. You know the history of Bonny and Opobo, so it was expected. But of course, he knows he wouldn’t have visited Opobo.”

When asked about the potential fallout of a visit to the Governor’s hometown, the politician added: “Nothing, but he will address himself. No true son or daughter of Opobo would have attended. So he knows.”

As the threat of impeachment looms over the Governor and Deputy Governor, the region’s most influential elders have intervened. PANDEF has appointed a committee of legal and security heavyweights, chaired by former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), to mediate the crisis.

The committee includes:

– Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman)

– Chief Essien Nduese (Former Minister)

– Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agari (Retired Federal Permanent Secretary)

– Chief Mike Ejiofor (Former DSS Director)

– Mrs. Nella Rabana-Andem (SAN)

– Prince Godwin Okotie

In a joint statement by prominent leaders including King Alfred Diete-Spiff and Obong Victor Attah, PANDEF expressed deep concern over the escalating hostilities. The forum urged all actors to cooperate with the committee “as they selflessly commit their time and experience to this arduous assignment, with the objective of achieving a peaceful, fair, and sustainable resolution through a dispassionate and inclusive process.”

The elders called for an immediate cessation of political warfare, urging the warring factions to be “guided by the principles of give-and-take, dialogue, tolerance, and political equanimity.”

“All stakeholders must place paramount importance on peace, development, and the welfare of the people of Rivers State, as well as the interests of other citizens of the South-South, Nigerians at large, and the sizeable expatriate community resident in the State. We must now focus squarely on good governance and development of the state.”

The forum specifically lamented the move toward impeachment, describing it as a “deeply disturbing situation that demands urgent attention in order to forestall further escalation and breakdown of law and order. This concern is heightened by the critical importance and strategic centrality of Rivers State to the Niger Delta region.”

While the peace committee begins its work, PANDEF acknowledged the roles played by President Bola Tinubu and state elders in trying to maintain a fragile stability.