The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has said he did not blame anyone or ethnic group for that matter when the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government fought him when he was governor of Rivers State. Wike was governor (2015 -2023) under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party or PDP while Buhari was president under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He was at loggerheads with the administration which had Mr Rotimi Amaechi as transport minister, and led the federal government onslaught against the PDP-led state government in Rivers under Wike.
There were frequent political crises in the state which almost led to the declaration of state of emergency.
Wike, who replied to elder statesman Edwin Clark’s accusation that he’s the cause of the political crisis in Rivers state, questioned Clark’s sincerity and the political divides he belongs to.
Clark had on Tuesday written a letter which he said was the third letter in 2024 to the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, warning him about allowing Wike to remain in the PDP. He said Wike should be expelled immediately fr anti-party activity.
He also advised Damagum and his National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu to purge themselves of anti-party activities which he said were destroying the PDP.
In the open letter to Damagum titled, ‘Whither PDP: To be or not to Be’, Clark said, “This letter, no doubt, is my third letter to you, since you assumed office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP. If they don’t stop meddling in Rivers issue, it will consume Damagum and Wike. Wike must leave PDP for the party to survive.
“I wish and pray that you will not sell your soul and conscience for pecuniary and worldly gains, otherwise you, Barr Wike and your cohorts, will be consumed by the Rivers State crisis.”
“The recent very obvious anti-party activities of the three of you, have sent a shock wave through the nation.”
Clark further said, “Mr. Acting National Chairman, as a matter of fact, it is not just the National Legal Adviser of the PDP that is shocked about your actions; all well-meaning, reasonable, patriotic, faithful and honest party members, including many Nigerians, are equally shocked.
“The obvious antiparty activities of you and the National Secretary, both of whom are obviously tools in the hands of Barr. Nyesom Wike, used with all intention to bring down the government of Siminalayi Fubara, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, as confessed by Barr. Wike himself during his recent outing at Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, the local government of Sen. George Sekibo, is palpable.
“The recent actions of Barr. Wike before and during the last meeting of the party in April, shows clearly that he is all out to destabilise the smooth running of the Rivers State government; he is ready to use his closeness to Mr. President to insult, intimidate and harass members of the party, especially those in Rivers State, who have decided to tow the right paths of both the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Constitution of the PDP, and who in fact were the backbone of Barr. Wike’ s government as Governor of Rivers State, for eight years.
Clark’s strongly worded letter followed the political standoff between Fubara and Wike over control of political structure in Rivers State.
Wike had accused Fubara of not honouring a gentleman agreement they entered before he became governor in 2023.
This has led to a chain of events that include burning of the state assembly complex, sacking and counter sacking of speakers, impeachment threat to the governor among others.
However, addressing a media briefing to mark his one year in office as FCT Minister on Wednesday, Wike said: “I don’t know the party Chief Clark belongs to, but in 2014 when I came out to run, he said no because it’s the turn of the Ijaws.
“He said nothing will make me to win but to the glory of God I won.
“I wasn’t a bad person when I championed for an Ijaw man to be governor but I have become a bad person because there are issues. There is nothing Clark has not said but I vowed never to respond.
“He spoke about the Southern President which I supported, he spoke about power rotation to the South; which I believed in. So, what crime have I committed?
“In leadership, everything must not be smooth; I had my own crisis when I was there. Did I blame anybody? I faced the crisis squarely. When I was there you all saw what the Federal Government did to me. Did I accuse any ethnic group? No.
“If you are in a leadership position, you should be able to stand and face the crisis, that’s what politics is all about. Sometimes it will be good and other times it won’t be rosy.”
