Wike dismisses Tompolo’s reconciliation plea, Says Fubara hasn’t seek forgiveness

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has turned down the reconciliation call made by former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, insisting that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has not made any move to ask for forgiveness.

Wike, through a statement released by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, said that forgiveness can only happen when someone admits to doing wrong and then makes a personal effort to seek pardon, which Fubara has not done.

Tompolo had earlier urged Wike to calm down and consider making peace with Governor Fubara for the sake of unity and progress in Rivers State.

He said, “And just like I will not accept rebellion from my son, I will also not cause more problems. Wike is angry, but he has to bring his temper down for the good of all. We will have a dialogue and resolve all lingering issues, and again Fubara will return to his seat.”

However, when asked about the appeal, Wike’s camp responded with doubt, questioning whether Fubara even sees himself as having wronged the minister.

“There is no offence. It is when somebody has offended you personally that you are talking about the person seeking forgiveness or whatever. As Christians, let’s now assume that Fubara has offended the minister, do you forgive someone who has not come to you to seek forgiveness?

“The person who has wronged you must first agree that in his mind he has wronged you. Let’s assume that Fubara has offended the minister, has he come to seek forgiveness? I’m not saying there is an offence and there should be forgiveness, but he has not even come for forgiveness,” the statement noted.

Olayinka stressed that Wike’s disagreement with Fubara is not personal but based on the principles of governance. According to him, Wike only wants the governor to respect the rule of law and not abandon the people who helped him rise to power.

“The minister has never said that Fubara offended him personally. He only said that Fubara should govern in accordance with the rule of law and that Fubara should not throw away those who risked their lives and resources, and that is not too much to ask. He said, ‘Those who worked to make you governor, don’t throw them away like that’. So, that is not about forgiveness. If there is one person Fubara would say he has offended, it should be the president,” he explained.

Olayinka further stated that Fubara needs to reflect deeply on his actions, especially since Wike was the one who stood by him during tough political battles. “Throughout the time he was working with this same Wike, throughout the time Wike was facing the bullet for him, Wike was not a bad person then. So, at what point did Wike become a bad person to him? He should ask himself. When did Wike become somebody that Fubara would be so bold as to tell him that he would deal with him? At what point?”

He concluded with a proverb to buttress his point: “It’s like asking a doctor to prescribe medicine for a sick person, but not convincing the sick person to take it. What’s the result?”