Former information commissioner says governor’s switch has recalculated power dynamics, triggering panic moves by Wike loyalists.

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, has declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dramatically altered the political equation in the state, significantly weakening the influence of allies loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking during an interview, Tam-George described the governor’s move in December 2025 as a political earthquake that has unsettled entrenched interests and disrupted long-standing power structures.

“The movement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to APC in the last 21 days has changed the political calculation in Rivers State,” Tam-George said, stressing that the defection has stripped Wike’s camp of the leverage it once wielded over the state government.

He pointed to Wike’s recent whirlwind tours across several local government areas as evidence of growing political anxiety, noting that the FCT minister has openly attacked the Rivers State government and, at times, criticized APC leadership at both state and federal levels.

“In the past two weeks, Wike has gone from one local government area to another, threatening the Rivers State government and even insulting APC leadership structures,” Tam-George stated. He added that the minister had gone as far as accusing senior APC figures and the Tinubu administration of collecting bribes from Rivers officials.

According to Tam-George, these aggressive moves reflect a desperate attempt by Wike’s faction to reclaim lost ground following Fubara’s defection, as their control over state institutions continues to erode.

However, he warned that the escalating rivalry is taking a toll on governance and stability in Rivers State.

“The real tragedy is that the state and its people ultimately suffer from this kind of prolonged political instability,” he cautioned.

The remarks come amid heightened political tension in Rivers State, following Fubara’s alignment with the ruling APC and controversial steps by the state House of Assembly, dominated by Wike loyalists, to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor.

Stay Updated with the Latest News – Follow Daily Observer on X (formerly Twitter) @DailyObserverNG