Former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, yesterday chided his detractors over the festering Rivers State crisis.
He declared that Governors under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State were no match for him.
Wike, while speaking at Amadi-Ama, Abuloma, Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State for a reception organised in his honour by the Ijaw Peoples Congress (IPC), argued that all the threats to stop him from controlling the party’s structure in the state had been futile.
“Let nobody threaten anybody. All those threats are empty. I said nobody would take the structure of the party.
“I said nobody would take over the structure of the party. You can have all the money; if it didn’t dey, it didn’t dey,” he said.
The FCT minister criticized Governor Fubara for allegedly adopting the Action Peoples Party, APP, especially in the forthcoming council elections.
Wike was accompanied to yesterday’s reception by his allies in the PDP, including the G5 members: Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and ex-governors Sam Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.
According to Wike, “All those who are moving around saying they are supporting somebody… you know it is not correct. You know some people don’t have shame. I cannot serve your boy.
“Now, they are not even waiting, they are even rushing after the boy. They are not even waiting for the boy to call them. They are now rushing to the boy. People don’t have integrity.
“Don’t ever think that they’re fighting me. They are not fighting me. I am too big. If you don’t recognise somebody bigger than you, you know you are sick. I’m far bigger— all of them put together. They cannot stand it.
“When people said they will put hand here (in Rivers), I told them if you come here and put your hand, hand too will enter your place (state). Now they are crying.
“Imagine in Rivers they are contemplating APP. It is not about money. Money does not move. You can have all the money but if there is no capacity there is no capacity.
“All the things you see are people envious of our growth. We have defeated them severally, and if opportunity comes again, we will defeat them.
“We have not started politics. When the time comes, we will play politics. Our job is politics. Tell them to keep their party ready. We will teach them what is called politics.”
Wike continued by saying: Somebody was talking about Ijaw governor, and I told the person you are from Delta, make an Ijaw person governor in Delta.
“I have made an Ijaw man governor of Rivers State. Who loves Ijaw more? Is it people who appear on TV?
“If they were that strong, since after the old Rivers State, has an Ijaw man become governor? Where were they? I am an Ikwerre man, but I sat down and said for political conviviality and unity let’s go this way.
“They said why should I bring an Opobo man; that Opobo is not real Ijaw. Now food is ready and Opobo has become a real Ijaw. This is leadership of the stomach.”
The FCT alleged that thugs who wanted to destroy the venue of yesterday’s event with dynamites were caught by the police.
He boasted that his supporters would hear about his next move through their leaders, assuring that they would continue to support the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Source: The Nation
