From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he has no regret supporting and ensuring the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as president.
Wike made this declaration at a luncheon he held for members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday.
“In fact, most of you do not understand the fight that is going on. You think it is these people here? No.
“Let me tell you what is going on, I have no regret at all and we have no regret at all for supporting President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I have no regret about it.
“All these things you are seeing by Atiku’s group, Peter Obi’s group and some PDP governors that believe that I am a problem to them, and I will continue to be problem to them.
“In fact, the Atiku’s group believes that my team and I stopped them from becoming president, we stopped them for justice. What we wanted was equity, fairness and justice,” he said.
Wike described Atiku who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential standard bearer in the 2023 election as a serial loser.
Atiku had taken a swipe at Wike over the local government elections held in the state recently where the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 out of the 23 chairmanship seats, saying that it was a reflection of Wike’s rejection by the people.
But the FCT minister yesterday replied Atiku that “we never contested local government elections. Did we contest Rivers LG election? Did we pick form? I hear Atiku Abubakar say, ‘Oh they have rejected me in Rivers State. Okay, assuming though not conceding, he had lost so many times, Nigerians have also rejected him.
“If you say for an election we did not contest; never participated that shows Nigerians have rejected us, it is okay. You that contested and failed woefully, Nigerians have rejected you, therefore, pack and go home.”
He also lambasted Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for allegedly casting aspersion on the former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), OCJ Okocha.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, also expressed disappointment that Fubara insulted the former chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, King Sergeant Awuse and Chief Ferdinand Anabraba.
Describing Awuse, Anabraba and Okocha as the “Three Wise Men”, the FCT minister stated that these three men sacrificed to ensure that Fubara was chosen and made governor of Rivers State.
The FCT minister noted that last Thursday, one of the “Wise Men”, Okocha, was insulted by Governor Fubara in the state.
He said: “On Thursday, another “Wise Man” (referring to OCJ Okocha), was insulted. When the Wise Man was called to the Bar, this man (Fubara) was not in primary school. This man (Fubara) insulted a PhD holder.
“I am happy, I’m not the only one this man (Fubara) has shown ingratitude. He has shown ingratitude to the Wise Men.”
“One of the Wise Men (Awuse) was removed as the chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council when he was in coma, when he was looking for support for help.”
The minister recalled that sometime ago, Governor Fubara, on an national television, described the three aforementioned elder statesmen as wise men, who stood for his emergence as governor of the state.
“The Wise Men are now turned upside down. Yes, he also turned them upside down. It is unfortunate in life. If you’re a bad man, you’re a bad man.”
Responding to the FCT minister, Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, said in a statement:
“Our attention has been drawn to the remarks made by Mr Nyesom Wike, which can only be described as another of his theatrical outbursts. Ordinarily, we would not respond, but we recognize that silence might be misinterpreted.
“However, we remain calm, knowing that Nigerians are well acquainted with his antics, a lingering symptom of the bitterness he harbours from his defeat to the Wazirin Adamawa at the 2022 party presidential primaries.
“Mr Wike’s comments are nothing more than a string of inanities, lacking substance and driven by personal grievances. If he truly believes Nigerians are content with the current state of affairs under the government he serves, it reveals a deeper truth: his priorities lie not with the people, but with himself. This self-absorption is evident in his preoccupation with domestic affairs in Rivers rather than his ministerial responsibilities.”
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