Fubara’s return to Rainbow Coalition inevitable - FCT Minister

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday formally welcomed Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara back into what he described as the political family that brought him to power.

Wike declared that the reconciliation had effectively ended months of bitter political hostilities in the oil-rich state.

He said Fubara’s return to the Rainbow Coalition was the only way out.

The former Rivers governor also dismissed suggestions that Fubara needed forgiveness, insisting that “there is no sin in politics” and expressing confidence that the renewed alliance would strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in 2027.

Wike spoke with reporters after inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects, including the ISEX Road Corridor and the Apo-Karshi Road, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

His comments came weeks after the political truce brokered by President Tinubu ended the prolonged power struggle between Wike and Fubara, a crisis that paralysed governance in Rivers State, polarised the state House of Assembly and triggered legal and political battles that attracted national attention.

The reconciliation culminated in Fubara’s recent public declaration that he had returned to the political fold of his predecessor, a coalition widely known in Rivers politics as the Rainbow Coalition, which has dominated the state’s political landscape for years.

Asked whether the governor’s return meant he had been forgiven after months of political disagreements, Wike dismissed the suggestion.

“I don’t know what you mean by sin. In politics, there is no sin. If somebody realises that he made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that.

“Politics is not a sin. What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and making the right decision,” the minister said.