A former aide to late President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, has delivered a blistering verdict on the ongoing Rivers State power struggle, declaring that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has effectively replaced Nyesom Wike as the dominant political force—with the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma.

Onochie, who also served as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under Buhari, claimed that Wike’s political influence is rapidly fading and that his position in President Tinubu’s cabinet is no longer secure.

According to her, Fubara will not only consolidate his hold on Rivers State but will go as far as nominating Wike’s replacement in the Federal Executive Council before the end of 2026.

Wike, a former Rivers governor who still identifies as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under an APC-led federal government, has been locked in a prolonged political battle with his successor.

In a strongly worded post shared on Sunday, January 4, 2026, Onochie said both President Tinubu and Governor Uzodinma have abandoned Wike and shifted their loyalty to Fubara.

“You have been buried politically already,” she wrote.

“Not only have @officialABAT and @Hope_Uzodinma 1thrown you under the bus, the keys of the bus were handed over to @SimFubaraKSC.

“How he drives the bus depends on how much of your pride you can swallow.

“Now, let me break it down for you.

“Fubara may get back the six months you and Pres Tinubu stole from him.

“Then Fubara will get a second term.

“Fubara will nominate your replacement before the end of 2026.

“Fubara is your new Godfather”.

Onochie’s comments add fresh fuel to the already heated Rivers political crisis, reinforcing growing perceptions that the balance of power has shifted decisively in Fubara’s favour. Her remarks also suggest that Wike’s once-formidable grip on Rivers politics—and his leverage at the centre—may be slipping faster than anticipated.

As the rivalry deepens and 2027 calculations intensify, Onochie’s intervention underscores a broader narrative taking shape in national politics: that the era of Wike’s dominance may be giving way to a new power structure, with Siminalayi Fubara firmly in the driver’s seat.