Umar Sani, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is deeply afraid that Nyesom Wike will expose sensitive details regarding how he truly “won” the 2023 presidential election.
In a tweet on his X handle on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, Sani claimed that this fear, rather than a genuine desire for peace, is what drives the President’s recent interventions in the Rivers State crisis.
He argued that Tinubu needs the strategic resources of Rivers State for his own 2027 ambitions and cannot afford to alienate Wike, who remains the custodian of those political secrets.
Sani wrote, “Tinubu understands that Fubara cannot realistically be impeached, as the Rivers State Chief Judge is unlikely to constitute the required panel. Any such process would drag on until an election cycle. Yet Tinubu needs Rivers State resources and is wary that Wike could expose sensitive details about how he “won” the election.”
As a result of this pressure, Sani asserted that Tinubu has consistently postured as a neutral peacemaker while quietly protecting Wike’s interests.
He noted that the President’s March 2025 state-of-emergency broadcast which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for six months and accused him of orchestrating pipeline bombings, was a calculated move to weaken the Governor.
Despite the police having paraded a different suspect, Chidi Lloyd, at the scene of the incident, Sani claimed the investigation was suppressed once it became clear the evidence did not support the presidency’s narrative against Fubara.
Adding weight to the controversy are reports that Tinubu personally intervened to halt the most recent impeachment plot against Fubara just before departing for Türkiye on January 26, 2026.
The President reportedly brokered a fresh truce, directing the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to suspend proceedings in exchange for Fubara recognizing Wike as the undisputed “leader” of Rivers politics.
This intervention followed the January 8 impeachment notice, which accused Fubara of gross misconduct. Sani suggested that this “peace” is a strategic retreat, as the President realizes the Rivers State Chief Judge is unlikely to constitute the required seven-man panel to finalize the removal.
Ultimately, Sani believes the presidency is playing a double game to keep both men in play for 2027.
He contended that while Fubara publicly defers to Wike to placate federal authorities, the Governor is secretly preparing to contest for a second term.
Sani concluded that the entire peace process is a facade designed to ensure both political heavyweights remain available to serve Tinubu’s re-election bid when the time comes. See_More…