Eniola Yekini
Crisis has emanated between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCTA) Nyesom Wike and the National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru.
This comes as Wike gave a sterning warning to the APC scribe to “leave Rivers State alone.”
Wike spoke on Monday during his “thank-you” visit to Oyigbo local government area of the state.
The APC Vice Chairman (South-South) had described Governor Siminalayi Fubara as “the so-called Governor” during the minister’s visit to Khana/Gokana local government area.
He further said that Fubara could not win a second term in the state without going through Wike.
However, Basiru described Giadom’s remarks as “unfortunate,” stating that Fubara’s position as governor, in spite of political affiliations, should command respect.
“I find it unfortunate that a member of the NWC… was referring to a governor in our party as a ‘so-called governor of Rivers State.”
“The office of the governor is an exalted position, and whoever is occupying it must be respected, irrespective of whatever political differences you have,” Basiru said Sunday in a Facebook post.
But, in a very tough response, Wike challenged the party leader and warned him to stay off Rivers politics he described as a “no-go area.”
He further asked the secretary to learn from those who previously tried to meddle in Rivers’ politics.
“Let me warn those who come to Rivers State, because you have heard that we have N600bn, you come here, you collect, and you open your mouth to talk anyhow.
“I say it here, take this message to your National Secretary, leave Rivers State alone. Go and ask those who have done it before. Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted. You have to be careful with statements you make.
“Today, you are enjoying in Osun, you don’t know those who did the work. You are opening your mouth to talk about Rivers State. Anything you see, take it.
“Go and ask other people what has happened to them before. If your hand burns, no be me burn am o. This state is a no-go area. Take the one you have taken, stop making unnecessary comments,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, the Renewed Hope Ambassador for Rivers state, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, said development had stalled in the local government since the inauguration of Fubara as governor, adding that the area must get its fair share of the N600 billion left in the state’s account.
“We elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara with the expectation that Oyigbo would benefit meaningfully from development.
“Your Excellency, development in Oyigbo has stalled. We have not moved an inch forward. The only tangible benefit Oyigbo has received is a Commissioner slot, which was given to me. Beyond that, nothing substantial has come to our people.
“There is talk about N600 billion. Let us be clear, we are not here to argue figures. But Oyigbo people must not be excluded. If N40 billion was allocated across groups, Oyigbo must not be shortchanged. We are not asking for favors; we are asking for fairness,” he said.
In a sharp response to the minister’s statement, the APC national secretary warned Wike to desist from what he described as attempts to destabilise the party.
He insisted that the minister should “immediately resign” from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration if he cannot stop interfering in the party’s affairs.
Basiru, in a strongly worded statement issued Monday in Abuja, said his attention had been drawn to what he described as “the tirade of the Minister of the FCT against my person and my office as the National Secretary of the APC,” following his position that “all members of the NWC must accord any sitting governor his due respect and that the Governors remain the leaders of the Party in their States.”
Basiru insisted that it was incompatible for Wike to remain in the cabinet of an APC-led government while allegedly causing internal disarray within the party.
“He cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC Government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the Party at any level, using the leverage of that same office,” Basiru said.
He added that “the honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister.”
The APC scribe stressed that Wike lacked the standing to interfere in the party’s internal affairs, stating emphatically that “our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party, APC, so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs our Party.”
Basiru further said he was “imbued with the responsibility to protect the interests of the Party and all its members and structures,” adding that “my comments regarding the affairs of the APC in Rivers State cannot be an undue interference in the affairs of Rivers State.”
He further declared that “as National Secretary, my activities cannot be confined to my home state, Osun State.”
Reacting to allegations credited to Wike that APC leaders were scrambling for a purported N600 billion largesse in Rivers state, Basiru dismissed the claim as baseless, saying, “this is nothing but cheap blackmail which has become his stock-in-trade.”
He defended his personal records, stating, “my background, track-record is that of unquestionable integrity,” and challenged the minister to “prove his allegations or we may meet in court.”
Basiru also addressed what he described as veiled threats from the FCT minister, warning that Wike was “not God and may be overplaying his political card.”
The party leader said he would not be intimidated, declaring, “my faith is in God and will not succumb to cheap threats such as the one from Wike.”
The APC scribe added that he was “one of the young Nigerians that confronted Military rule, fighting for democracy, when the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.”