There are indications that President Bola Tinubu has intervened in the ongoing feud between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Tinubu, according to a highly credible source, summoned Wike for a meeting over the Rivers crisis.
The source, who is close to the President, told Saturday PUNCH that the meeting would be held outside the country.
Correspondents also gathered that Fubara flew out of the country on a private jet on Thursday with the plan of meeting Tinubu in France.
Speaking on the fresh impeachment plot against Fubara, the top source disclosed that the President had intervened.
“The President must see the danger in what Wike is doing, though I am aware that he has summoned him to a meeting in Dubai. You know the President is currently out of the country. Barring any last-minute change, they are expected to meet abroad. Wike cannot impeach Fubara; the President will call him to order,” he said.
The source described the FCT minister’s action as an affront to the President.
He maintained that if care was not taken, the move could push Ijaw youths back to the creeks.
“What is happening is outright disrespect to the President by Wike, and it is against national interest. One of the reasons a state of emergency was declared in Rivers in March last year was the fear of a breakdown of law and order and the attendant consequences for oil production.
“If you say you want to sack the first Ijaw man to be governor, are you not sending the Ijaw people back to the creeks? That will have attendant effects on the economy, and the President will not allow that to happen,” the source said.
A senior aide to the President said he was not aware of the meeting with Wike, adding that the President was currently in France from where he would proceed to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The source noted that the FCT minister had no business in the UAE and only an appointment with Tinubu would make him travel there.
“Only Wike or his aides can say if there is any scheduled meeting between him and the President,” the source said.
“When Fubara was moving to the APC, he met with the President, who approved his decision. The President also confirms that governors are the leaders of the party in their states,” the official added.
A senior administrative official at the APC national secretariat said discussions were ongoing on how national leaders of the party would also meet Tinubu upon his arrival in the country.
He said APC leaders were not happy with Wike.
“The discussion here is about how our leaders will meet the President when he returns to the country. They are unhappy that Wike is threatening Fubara like when they were both in the PDP. So, our leaders have concluded plans to see the President on the matter.
“Some of our leaders believe that Wike should have respected the President and the party because Fubara is part of the APC governors. Even if Fubara is not going to contest for a second term, some of our leaders believe he should be allowed to complete his second term,” he added.
Efforts to speak with the minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, were unsuccessful, as he did not take his calls or respond to messages sent to his phone.
However, an ally of the minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the minister would return to Abuja on Sunday.
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