Former Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose may see himself as a prophet, as he somewhat predicted the crisis that has rocked Rivers State.

In May 2023, at a State Banquet held to honor Wike after he handed over office to Fubara, Fayose mounted the podium at the event and warned Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, against getting into a clash with his political godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Fayose, known for being blunt and outspoken, described Wike as a "troublemaker" and advised Fubara that it is better to be with him than against him.

He also advised Fubara to clothe Wike in a garment of honor and to close his eyes completely to avoid seeing anything that could cause problems between them.

The former governor's counsel to Fubara has become relevant in the wake of the political crisis that has left the state ungovernable.

Prior to the election violence that characterized the recently concluded local government polls, there was a conflict over the political representation of members of the state's House of Assembly.

Lawmakers of the state's House of Assembly impeached the majority leader, Edison Ehie, who was known to support Fubara and oppose Wike.

All of this comes slightly over a year after the transfer of power between the former political allies.

Fayose's words have turned out to be prophetic, as the relationship between Fubara and Wike is now believed to have deteriorated to the point of open conflict.

Below are Fayose’s words at the State Banquet held on May 30, 2023, where Fayose spoke glowingly about Wike and cautioned Fubura against crossing his former boss.

“I used to be a tough man until I met you and realized that troublemaker ‘get level’,” Fayose said, adding in Pidgin English “Because somebody wey no dey tire and say he will fight you, you have to find a solution to your problem. So I made up my mind, it is better to be with you than to be against you.

“The Englishman says if you can’t beat them, you join them. And that will be the basis of my advice for the new governor.

“Whether you like it or not, give it to Wike. Whether you like it or not, he has set a pace. Anybody who tries to reverse that pace would mess himself up.

“He has placed this man in a position (that) till eternity, as long as he lives, nobody can rubbish him. He came, he saw, and he conquered.

“Let me tell you today, Governor Wike and Governor Fubara, this plane you want to start flying now, I flew that plane before you by the grace of this man.

“Sir Sim Fubura, you must clothe this man in a garment of honour. For me to be governor of Ekiti, I suffered. I suffered. In the course of the governorship, I was removed.

“I want to say to you, sir, you came in with the hands of God. You are a miracle governor. Today, you are the governor of this state by the grace of this gentle, old, responsible father of democracy in this state.

“My brother, the day your eyes begin to see, you will miss the road. Close your eyes completely. Maybe if I have a Godfather, I won’t have trouble. Maybe if I had a Godfather Our father here (Peter Odili), and Wike, I would not have problem. I didn’t have one, they all oppressed me, and they showed me Pepe. So, the moment your eyes begin to see in this government, you will have problem o.

“The way you would use your eight years is in your hands.

“Like Adam and Eve, the very day Adam began to rationalise God’s words and realised that ‘I’m now a man,’ he entered the gutter.

“Don’t see more than you are supposed to see. The moment you want to see more than you’re supposed to see, you will see spirits o. I know Wike o. If he says he will fight you, it’s either you surrender or you look for that trouble to the end. God will not find you Wike’s problem o.”