By James
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The political crisis rocking Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political benefactor, Nyesom Wike, has taken an even more dramatic turn, following the governor’s emotional declaration that he “cannot worship any human being,” his sudden withdrawal from the APC governorship primaries, and the fierce backlash that erupted across social media afterwards.
In what many observers now see as a direct message to Wike and the powerful political forces aligned against him, Fubara insisted that only God deserves absolute loyalty and reverence. While acknowledging the role Wike played in his emergence as governor, Fubara maintained that political assistance does not translate into lifelong submission.
“There’s nothing wrong in one helping anyone, but nobody takes the place of God,” the governor declared, stressing that he remained answerable only to God and not to any political godfather.
The statement immediately reignited conversations around the deteriorating relationship between both men, a feud that has plunged Rivers politics into months of uncertainty, factional battles, impeachment threats and intense power struggles.
But in a dramatic twist, the governor shortly afterwards announced his withdrawal from the APC governorship primaries following a reported meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.
In a lengthy statement, Fubara described the decision as a “sacrifice” made in the interest of peace, unity and stability in Rivers State. He admitted facing “immense pressures and difficult choices,” while insisting his withdrawal was not out of fear or weakness.
However, the decision triggered a wave of mockery and outrage online, with many Nigerians branding the governor a coward, weakling and politically overwhelmed leader unable to withstand the forces confronting him.
Across social media platforms, critics described him as “spineless,” “wishy-washy,” and a “bulldog that cannot bark,” arguing that his retreat contradicted the image of resistance he had attempted to project in recent months.
For many political watchers, the unfolding Rivers saga now paints the portrait of a governor caught between defiance and survival, a leader attempting to assert independence while navigating the suffocating realities of Nigeria’s brutal power politics.
