The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that the withdrawal of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from the 2027 governorship race is in line with agreements reached to restore peace and political stability in the state.

Speaking on Monday after inspecting infrastructure projects in Abuja, Wike said the governor’s decision was consistent with understandings reached during reconciliation efforts involving key political stakeholders in Rivers State.

Fubara had earlier withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress governorship primaries, explaining that the decision followed consultations and was made in the interest of peace, unity, and stability in the state.

According to Wike, the withdrawal was expected because one of the agreements reached during peace negotiations was that impeachment proceedings against Fubara would be dropped. At the same time, he, in turn, would not pursue a second term in office.

The minister argued that Fubara’s earlier decision to obtain APC nomination forms was contrary to the spirit of the peace agreement and complicated efforts to resolve the political crisis.

Wike stated that despite several interventions to restore stability, some of the governor’s actions did not reflect the level of cooperation expected under the reconciliation process.

He, however, noted that the governor had now withdrawn from the race and that a new candidate had emerged.

The FCT minister also expressed confidence in Kingsley Chinda, describing him as an experienced politician with both executive and legislative exposure and a strong contender for the governorship position.

Meanwhile, a group known as Rivers Professionals welcomed Chinda’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate, describing him as a competent and inclusive leader capable of moving Rivers State forward.

The group said Chinda’s professional background, leadership experience, and reputation for fairness make him well-positioned to provide effective governance if elected.

The political crisis in Rivers State began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, following Wike’s tenure as governor. The dispute evolved into a prolonged struggle over political control, resulting in divisions within the state assembly, impeachment threats, court cases, and repeated interventions by political leaders, including Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Several reconciliation efforts have since been undertaken to restore stability and promote cooperation among the key political actors in the state.