Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed regrets supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara to succeed him as the governor of Rivers State.
Many allies of the immediate past governor of Rivers had indicated interest in succeeding him but Wike threw his weight behind the politician who served as his Accountant-General.
After defeating 16 other contenders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Rivers, Fubara, who secured 721 votes, had specially thanked Wike for his support.
He had gone ahead to win the March governorship election. However, less than six months after he took over, Fubara fell out with Wike and efforts to reconcile the duo have not yielded the desired result.
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The crisis reached its height when a Rivers High Court restrained lawmakers loyal to Wike from parading themselves as members of the state assembly.
Speaking at a function in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers, at the weekend, Wike asked the lawmakers to entertain any fear over what he described odd hour injunction.
“If they like, they can go to anybody by 2am or 4am to get injunction. The law will take its course. We must follow due process,” he said.
“Don’t be afraid. Nobody will remove you as lawmakers. Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. Our business is to make them to fear. That is what I am doing. We will make them to be angry every day and they will continue to make mistakes. So don’t worry yourselves. We won’t give money to anybody to go and buy arms to kill anybody. I have maintained peace and I want to beg all of you to continue to maintain peace.
“Nobody will tell me that I can’t live in my house or not go to my house. But all of you should maintain the peace. Follow law and due process. We will get to the end
“As you see me, I stand straight. I think well. I came with Senator Magnus Abe. I work with people that have brains.
“In politics, when people with brains agree they disagree. Those, who don’t know what to do said they would bring me down. Who born them? They are nowhere. When you are in charge, you are in charge.
“Everything will calm down. All these people running around, they would come down. Boma worked for his appointment, he showed loyalty and commitment, and that is why God placed him there. Don’t worry. Let me also advise you: forget about how they abuse us. You must be alive for people to abuse you. If you are dead, will they abuse you? At the appropriate time when the results will be announced, we will know who is who. We have defeated them severally.
“Some of them ran to Abuja, but when I went to Abuja, they ran back here. Have you not seen the way Abuja is moving? No amount of propaganda can help you. Ogu people have shown loyalty and I want to thank you.”
He also apologised to the people of the state for the “mistake” he made supporting Fubara, vowing that the mistake would be corrected at the appropriate time.
“I want to say this clearly: in life, we make mistakes. I have made a mistake. I own it up and I say God forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time.
“I am human. I am bound to make mistakes. So forgive me for making a wrong judgment. So nobody should kill.”
Apparently responding to a remark Fubara directed at him, Wike said he has asked no one to worship him.
Last week, Fubara had said he appreciates Wike for supporting him to become governor, but would not worship him.
Responding at the programme, Wike said, “God uses people to help others. So when you have been helped, you appreciate them. God will know you have appreciated him. Nobody can worship man. All of us believe that it is only God we will worship.
“As politicians, we appreciate people who have helped us. When I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? Did I ask you to worship me? If you had not supported me, I would not have been where I am. Did you tell me to worship you? So where does the issue of worship come from?”
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