Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of breaking an agreement mediated by President Bola Tinubu to end the state’s political crisis.
Wike made the claim on Wednesday during a thank-you visit to the people of Tai Local Government Area in Rivers State, where he promised to make public the contents of the agreement reached with the President.
The agreement came after a closed-door meeting convened by Tinubu at the State House in Abuja in June 2025, which included Wike and Fubara, as part of efforts to end the prolonged power struggle that plunged Rivers into a political crisis, prompting a state of emergency and the suspension of the governor and members of the State House of Assembly.
Although both presidents later agreed to work together for peace, neither revealed the details of the deal.
However, Wike claimed on Wednesday that the governor had failed to honor parts of what was agreed.
“After agreeing on something, you renege. And you think you are a smart politician? You are clever by half.
“Very soon, we will let Rivers people know what we agreed on before, Mr. President. This agreement was not done anywhere before, Mr. President. If you can renege on what we agreed before, Mr. President, then who are we?” he asked.
The former Rivers State Governor also renewed his earlier warning about the political future of the governor, insisting that his supporters were prepared to “correct the mistake” of the 2023 election.
“We are battle-ready. We were the original ‘mandate’ people. Don’t deal with people who cannot keep to agreements. And they tell you it’s politics, that politics will not work here again.
“If they like, let them keep all the money, whether they have N600bn or not. We have defeated people with money before. We will still defeat people with money. What matters is the people; it’s not money,” the minister said.
The minister also thanked the people of Tai for their support for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, saying their loyalty had translated into appointments, infrastructure development, and the siting of the Federal University of Environment in the area.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
