Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said he won’t forgive Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara because the governor hasn’t apologized or admitted any fault.
Wike was reacting to a peace appeal from former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo. Tompolo had urged Wike to forgive Fubara for the sake of peace and unity in Rivers State. He said, “Wike is angry, but he must calm down. Fubara will return to his seat, and we’ll resolve everything through dialogue.”
But Wike’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, said forgiveness only makes sense when the person who caused the problem admits their mistake and asks for pardon. Since Fubara hasn’t done that, Wike said there’s no reason to forgive him yet.
Wike’s response shows that reconciliation between him and Governor Fubara is still far off, despite efforts by respected figures like Tompolo.
“There’s no offence to speak of. Forgiveness only comes into play when someone personally offends you and then seeks pardon,” Olayinka said. “Assuming, as Christians, that Fubara has indeed offended the minister, has he come to ask for forgiveness? The first step is admitting the offence. Fubara has not taken that step.”
Olayinka clarified that Wike’s position is rooted in governance concerns, not personal animosity.
“The minister has never claimed that Fubara offended him on a personal level. He only emphasized that Fubara should govern within the rule of law and not abandon those who risked their lives and resources to make his governorship possible. That’s not a call for personal reconciliation—it’s a matter of principle.”
Olayinka also questioned Fubara’s changing stance toward Wike.
“He should reflect deeply. During the time they worked together, when Wike was taking bullets on his behalf, Wike wasn’t a bad person. So at what point did he become someone Fubara could openly say he would ‘deal with’? What changed?”
“It’s like asking a doctor to prescribe medicine for a sick patient, but failing to convince the patient to take it. What’s the result?”
