The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has identified what he described as the biggest mistakes made by his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of attempting to govern without the support of those who brought him to power and moving too early to establish an independent political structure.

Wike said he became concerned when Fubara allegedly began building his own political structure less than 100 days after assuming office, arguing that the move signalled a lack of appreciation for the political platform that facilitated his emergence as governor.

He spoke on Saturday during a special media chat in Port Harcourt, monitored by The Guardian.

The former Rivers State governor said he had expected Fubara to consolidate on the foundation laid by his administration and continue the state’s infrastructure drive to position Rivers alongside Lagos in terms of development.

According to him, his administration initiated landmark projects, including the multi-billion-naira Port Harcourt Ring Road, which had commenced before he handed over, as well as 12 flyovers that were completed and commissioned during his tenure.

Wike maintained that the projects significantly improved the state’s infrastructure and the aesthetics of Port Harcourt and its environs.

He argued that Fubara’s political decisions widened the development gap he had hoped to narrow between Rivers and Lagos States.

“In politics, you have to be careful. There are those who genuinely want you to succeed and there are those who do not. Not everyone is happy when an opportunity comes your way, so you must be careful,” Wike said.

He recalled that before handing over to Fubara, he urged the governor-elect during a church service to focus on sustaining ongoing development.

“My thinking was that we needed to compete with Lagos. We had laid the foundation, and he should have continued from there. We were ready to give him all the necessary support,” he said.

Wike alleged that shortly after assuming office, Fubara began listening to individuals who wanted him to distance himself from his political benefactors.

According to him, some of those advising the governor had initially opposed his emergence and encouraged him to confront his predecessor.

“You just came into office and people started telling you to build your own identity and ignore those who supported you. Some would even influence your wife, your in-laws and your family. It is your responsibility to assess where such advice will lead you,” he said.

The minister further alleged that Fubara’s decision to rely solely on himself politically and establish a parallel political structure marked the beginning of the crisis between them.

“He wanted to do it alone and set up his own structure instead of working with the structure that produced him. It did not take up to 100 days before we noticed that something was fundamentally wrong,” Wike said.

He dismissed allegations that he demanded money from the governor, describing the claim as a familiar political narrative often deployed during disagreements.

“The moment politicians fall out, the easiest allegation is that someone was asking for money,” he said.

Reflecting on his tenure as governor, Wike said his administration remained focused on delivering projects, citing the 31-day commissioning and inauguration of projects at the end of his tenure as evidence of that commitment.

“We were focused, but he lost focus,” he added.

Responding to questions on claims that he demanded money from Fubara, Wike denied the allegation, insisting it was illogical given his position as FCT Minister.

He said the budget under his supervision in the FCT was comparable to that of a state government and maintained that his interest had always been for Fubara to stabilise Rivers State and build on the achievements of his administration.