Some youths have staged a protest at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanding the removal of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over alleged disrespect to party leaders.
The protesters converged on the APC secretariat on Friday with placards bearing inscriptions such as “President Tinubu, sack Wike now” and “Stop disrespecting APC members”.
Other placards read “No minister is above APC”, “APC no be Wike property”, “APC must wrestle order”, “Wike, APC leadership is not your mate”, and “Wike, no more political threats”.
The protest followed a public disagreement between Ajibola Basiru, national secretary of the APC, and Wike over political developments in Rivers state.
Basiru had asked Wike to resign his appointment and focus on what he described as an “obsession” with Rivers politics.
He said all members of the APC national working committee (NWC) must accord sitting governors due respect as party leaders in their states.
Wike had cautioned Basiru to stay away from Rivers politics.
“I want to say it here — take this message to the national secretary to leave Rivers state alone,” Wike said during a stakeholders’ meeting in Oyigbo LGA on January 5.
“Go and ask those who have tried it before. Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted. You have to be careful with the statements you make.
“Today, you [Bashiru] are enjoying in Osun, you don’t know those who did the work. Now you open your mouth to talk about Rivers state. Anything you see, take it.
“Carrying your hands to Rivers state, if they burn, don’t say I burnt it.
“I can challenge anybody; this state is a no-go area, whether you like it or not. Don’t dare. So, stop making unnecessary comments.”
The FCT minister has since commenced moves against the re-election of Siminalayi Fubara after the governor defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December.
Wike had accused Fubara of reneging on an agreement reached before Tinubu lifted the emergency rule in Rivers.
