Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has accused Peter Odili, the former Governor of Rivers State, of inciting Governor Siminalayi Fubara to defy President Bola Tinubu.
He blamed Odili for the breakdown of the peace deal struck by his camp and Fubara.
Wike addressed at a reception for Rivers State stakeholders on Friday.
The war for political leadership of the state between Fubara and Wike has been continuing for some time, following a disagreement between the two erstwhile friends, who have now become enemies.
In 2023, Fubara and Wike’s camp reached a peace accord. Tinubu and other players, including Odili, forged the eight-point peace pact during a vital meeting in Abuja’s Presidential Villa.
However, the peace agreement fell apart, with Fubara stating that he was tricked into signing a peace treaty with Wike’s side.
Odili, the two-term governor of Rivers State, accused Wike of self-interest. Speaking at an event in Port Harcourt on December 28, he praised Fubara for preventing Wike from turning the state into his personal estate.
“With assuring fortitude, Governor Fubara confronted the challenge, prevented the quest by one man to capture the state as a private estate, emancipated Rivers people, steadied governance, and made civil servants and Rivers people happier, as it used to be until I left office in 2007,” Odili said.
But Wike hit back against Odili on Friday, arguing that he was still the best governor the state had ever produced.
“I am trying to make Rivers State the medical hub of South-South Nigeria. How did I now come to convert Rivers State into a personal estate?” Wike questioned.
“I am the best governor that Rivers State has ever produced. How did I convert Rivers State into my personal estate? And people will not answer a simple question?”
The FCT minister told the guests at the occasion, including Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, that he would not apologise for his statements about Odili.
“He (Odili) said somebody is converting Rivers State to his personal estate, and we have now come to show statistics that it is not correct. The man who is converting Rivers State to a personal estate is you, and to crown it all, you are now the general overseer.
“They said Tinubu should be careful, but Tinubu is not like you. Tinubu called Rivers people, your elder statesman (Odili), supposedly. You are Tinubu’s colleague, the president’s colleague, and Mr. President read this thing (peace agreement) to them, and you read it and came back home.
“Ordinarily, what you (Odili) should have done was to call Mr. President back and say, ‘Mr. President, I have tried; we have implemented A, B, C, D, and E; it remains F and G. Is there any way we can meet again to reconcile these F, G, and H?’ Never, rather you encouraged him (Fubara) to disobey everything Mr. President said,” Wike said.
The FCT minister also stated that he purposefully worked against the People’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s previous chairman, Uche Secondus.
Wike said, “When I said, ‘Secondus, you will not be chairman again, yes, I did it. In 2023, they said Atiku was coming; I said, “Where There was nothing I was not offered. I told PDP I would not support Atiku because I am not a second-class citizen. I must support the South to produce a president. Even though I know their offer was wayo (fake).”
Wike also emphasised his unbroken record of electoral victories, saying, “I ran for the local government election in 1999, and up until today, I have never lost an election, and nobody I have supported has lost.
“I have no regret in supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Wherever you are, pray for Mr. President. We will continue to support him. It will be better this year. Mr. President is making tough decisions but for the interest of the country.”
Magnus Abe, a former senator representing Rivers South-East, had lambasted the lawmakers who back Governor Fubara, accusing them of undermining the FCT minister.
He said, “In the last election, everybody in Rivers State did anti-party. Your Excellency, with all due respect, I did anti-party. I didn’t allow the SDP candidate to come here and campaign.
“When he came to my house, I told him I was with Tinubu. Oga (Wike), you too did anti-party. You were very clear that you were with Tinubu and did not support the PDP presidential candidate. The present governor also did anti-party; he was with you and didn’t support the PDP presidential candidate.”
