Legborsi Yamabana, president-general of the Ogoni Youth Federation, has dismissed claims that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has the right to control Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara because he supported his emergence as governor.

 

Speaking in an interview with Arise News, Yamabana argued that Wike’s political rise was not achieved singlehandedly, noting that influential figures, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, played significant roles in his career. He stressed that despite their support, those figures never attempted to dictate Wike’s actions after he assumed office.

 

Yamabana made the remarks while reacting to arguments that Wike deserved to exert influence over Fubara because he backed an Ijaw candidate to become governor and should be allowed to intervene if the governor allegedly strays from their understanding.

 

“The FCT minister didn’t just swoop up to become the local government chairman, rise to be chief of staff and governor and now minister and all of that,” Yamabana said. “Somebody actually helped him, and I’m sure that those that helped him, like His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his wife and others, did not, after helping him, turn around to dictate for him what he would do. They allowed him to exhibit his own innate potential.”

 

He maintained that political mentorship or support does not translate into ownership of political office, insisting that it is wrong to expect a former office holder to dominate governance after leaving power.

 

Yamabana described such expectations as dangerous to democratic governance, warning against reducing leadership to personal entitlement or political patronage. According to him, those who assisted Wike’s ascent allowed him the freedom to govern and demonstrate his capacity without interference or coercion.

 

He also addressed claims that there was an agreement between Wike and Governor Fubara, which the governor allegedly breached. Yamabana argued that Rivers State belongs to all its people and not to any individual, adding that if any agreement exists, the people of the state deserve to be informed.

 

“It is unacceptable to suggest that Wike should now confine Governor Fubara or impose control over him simply because he supported him to become governor,” he said, emphasizing that democratic leadership must remain accountable to the people rather than to political benefactors.