As political tensions simmer in Rivers State, human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi has launched a scathing critique of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s leadership, alleging that his rise to power is a result of former Governor Nyesom Wike’s manipulation rather than the will of the people.
In a bold statement posted on X at 08:24 WAT on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Farotimi described Fubara as “the fruit of Wike’s lawlessness and crass impunity,” accusing the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory of engineering a puppet regime.
“Fubara is not the product of the sovereign will of the Rivers peoples, he is the fruit of Wike’s lawlessness and crass impunity. To call it anything else is to tell a barefaced lie, he is Wike’s creation. The fact of his moral cowardice was always known to his owner, na una just dey find out. Wike knows his nwa boy,” Farotimi wrote, quoting a prior post by @spoton66 that defended Fubara’s election but acknowledged his perceived weakness.
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Farotimi’s comments echo a growing narrative on social media, where users like saymitruth have drawn parallels to historical political godfatherism, citing the 2006 Oyo State crisis where Rashidi Ladoja was ousted by his mentor Lamidi Adedibu. “Dele, history repeats itself… even more tragically in Nigeria,” @saymitruth remarked, suggesting a pattern of controlled leadership.
The allegations come amid Fubara’s controversial tenure, marked by his suspension in March 2025 and reinstatement under emergency rule, as noted in recent Wikipedia updates. Critics, including Farotimi, argue that Wike’s influence—stemming from his role in Fubara’s 2023 PDP primary win—undermines democratic integrity.
As Rivers State grapples with this political saga, Farotimi’s outspoken stance has reignited debates about godfatherism, with calls for investigations into the 2023 election’s legitimacy growing louder. The state government has yet to respond to these claims.
